Ahead of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) deadline on March 6, Apple is required to implement support for sideloading apps on iOS. This mandate necessitates a strategic adjustment in Apple’s policies to align with the DMA regulations, ensuring greater flexibility for users in choosing and installing applications beyond the traditional App Store ecosystem. Failure to meet this requirement may lead to potential repercussions under the new regulatory framework.
Apple is anticipated to introduce support for sideloading apps on iOS by March 6, aligning with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Recent insights into the company’s strategy reveal plans to navigate these changes. Although the specific timeline for permitting app installations beyond the App Store in the EU remains undisclosed, reports suggest that Apple will establish processes for reviewing such apps, potentially incorporating fees for developers. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple intends to grant sideloading support in the EU while implementing new app review methods for those outside the App Store. Currently, Apple maintains complete control over app distribution on its devices, a paradigm set to shift in March as EU users gain the ability to install apps independently. The mechanisms for restricting apps not distributed through the App Store remain unclear. Apple’s existing security feature, Gatekeeper, enforces code signing and download verification for apps on macOS, but its application on iOS for sideloaded apps remains uncertain. The company’s approach to reviewing sideloaded iOS apps also lacks clarity, leaving questions about how Apple will handle this new aspect of user-driven app installations.
The report further indicates that Apple is contemplating imposing charges on developers for apps that users sideload outside the App Store. Currently, Apple garners a percentage, ranging from 27 to 30 percent, from all app purchases and in-app transactions made through the App Store. The company is anticipated to face a potential loss in revenue as developers opt to distribute their apps independently of the App Store.
The timeline for the introduction of sideloading support remains uncertain, with speculation about its potential inclusion in iOS 17.4 in the imminent weeks or through a modification of the existing code in iOS 17.3, released earlier this week. As the deadline for compliance with the Digital Markets Act approaches, slated for the coming weeks, more insights into Apple’s strategy regarding iOS app sideloading in the EU are expected to emerge.