Ahead of the deadline set by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is readying the first beta of iOS 17.4 to comply with the new App Store regulations, MacRumors is reporting.
Once the DMA goes into effect on March 6, Apple will need to allow iPhone users in EU countries, including Austria, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and others, to install apps outside the App Store.
Despite Apple’s historical resistance to app sideloading due to cited privacy and security concerns, iOS 17.4 is expected to introduce support for third-party app stores.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a 2021 tech conference, expressed worries that app sideloading would compromise iPhone security and undermine privacy features built into the App Store.
It is being speculated that the company will adopt a minimalist approach to meet the Digital Markets Act requirements, possibly resulting in restrictions and safeguards surrounding third-party app stores and iPhone app sideloading.
This shift in policy aligns with Apple’s recent actions in the U.S., where recent compliance allowed developers to redirect customers to external payment methods but maintained a substantial commission of up to 27% and enforced specific rules.
Beyond the EU app sideloading mandate, Apple faces additional regulatory pressures in Europe. The European Commission recently disclosed Apple’s commitment to grant third-party payment apps access to the iPhone’s NFC chip in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
This move aims to foster competition against Apple Pay, though the implementation timeline for this change remains uncertain.
