What has been possible with Android for years could also be possible Apples new operating system iOS 17 Support: The installation of apps via Sideloadingi.e. from sources other than the official one App Store. An app could thus also be downloaded and installed from a website onto the mobile phone, so that iPhone owners would no longer be tied to Apple’s App Store.
In addition, the innovation could mean for developers that they Apple’s fees from 15 to 30 percent can handle their sales proceeds.
EU regulation on digital markets
If iOS 17 actually allows sideloading, Apple is reacting to the new ones EU competition rulesHow Mark Gurman von Bloomberg reported. The change corresponds specifically to that EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in November 2022. Besides Apple, other tech giants like Google, Meta or Amazon open their services and platforms to third-party companies and developers. This is intended to ensure fair competition for small and medium-sized platforms as well.
So far, Apple had rejected sideloading and justified it with security concerns. According to the company, this would make iPhones more susceptible to malware, scams or data tracking. Failure by Apple to comply with the DMA could result in a fine of 20 percent of its global turnover.
Whether iOS 17 will actually allow sideloading will be revealed at this year’s Wideworld Developers Conference (WWDC) announced by Apple, which will take place from June 5th to 9th.
