‘iPhones will get third-party application stores in 2023’
Apple will allow installing apps outside the App Store in 2023. The company does this as a result of a new European law. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow third-party application stores on iOS. The company may announce the change with iOS 17.
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Sideloading on iPhones
Android traditionally gives users more freedom with its software and apps compared to iOS. Sideloading apps – or installing them outside the Google Play Store – is the most normal thing in the world. Apple will also support sideloading apps on iPhones in 2023, Bloomberg sources report.
This news is a logical consequence of the Digital Markets Act (DMA): a new European law that, among other things, makes it mandatory for operating systems to support third-party application stores. This obligation applies to all member states of the European Union, but it can also encourage companies to follow the same policy outside the EU. Apple may make the change with iOS 17 next year, well in time for the law to take effect in 2024.
Security consideration
Apple has always stated that its iPhones do not support sideloading for security reasons. By installing apps from other sources, you run the risk of downloading malware onto your phone. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the following in an interview last year:
“It would destroy the security of iPhones along with many of the privacy initiatives we built in the App Store. There are now privacy labels and there is transparency about how apps can track the user”
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Critics argue that there is more to it than just security considerations. Apple would be particularly concerned about missing out on revenue from paid apps and subscriptions. Still, according to Bloomberg, the company is exploring a system with which it can still guarantee security for third-party apps. Apple would like to set certain requirements for application stores.
What about iMessage?
And then there is also little clarity about the future of iMessage. The DMA requires messaging developers to make their apps compatible with each other. In 2024, for example, you will be able to send a message via Telegram to a user on iMessage. Still, it’s no secret that Apple prefers to see its iMessage service as a closed ecosystem.
Finally, it was recently announced that all new phones must come with a USB-C port from December 24, 2024. Apple has already confirmed that it will comply with the European legislative change.
