When the European Union introduced the Digital Markets Act, some large tech companies, including Apple, were forced to react. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has weighed in to say that a new feature mandated by the EU is “a threat to the App Store.” The change is coming in iOS 17.5, currently in its second beta—full details here. It’s predicted to go on general release in May.
New app marketplace AltStore on the iPhone.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman is referring to the EU’s legislation, “Requires devices like the iPhone to install apps directly from the web. The idea is to make smartphones more like personal computers, where installing software from the internet is second nature. But this represents a huge change for Apple and has the potential to roil its App Store business, especially if the approach spreads beyond Europe.”
Gurman’s last sentence there is the most salient: while the law changes are only operational in the European Economic Area, it may only be a matter of time before other nations, including the U.S. and U.K., for instance, deem the changes important enough for them to employ them, too.
And Gurman’s analogy is apt enough: PC and Mac users think nothing of downloading software from the internet on a daily basis. That’s not why the EU came up with the legislation. It specifically wanted to limit the actions of tech companies behaving like monopolies, and sought to open things up.
Apple has already, with current general-release software iOS 17.4 and iOS 17.4.1, introduced the framework which permits users in the EU to install third-party app stores, such as the new AltStore PAL, which has just launched.
Gurman puts it like this: “Apple was more comfortable with a separate but related EU requirement to allow third-party app stores. Those marketplaces are a pain to set up and operate, so it seems unlikely that many of them will get off the ground. The experience for consumers also may not be very pleasant. Users will have to first launch the store, make an account and search for what they need in an unfamiliar environment.”
Having set up AltStore PAL on my iPhone here in Spain, I’m here to tell you that it’s not hard at all. Sure, it’s more complicated than the simple process when you download from the App Store, but it’s hardly unpleasant.
But he’s right that searching for new app marketplaces ain’t easy.
And, as he explains, there are still hurdles. “The software will need to be notarized with an active developer account, and the iPhone will present a permission screen before the app can be installed.”
In many cases, users won’t bother. The recent change to allow game emulators on the App Store saw the arrival of Delta. It’s available in the App Store for free and also makes up one of the two apps in the AltStore PAL. It’s not in the regular App Store in the EU, but if it were, I suspect most users would choose that as the source, not an external marketplace. Given the option, that would be my choice.
Alex Mitchell is your go-to expert for all things mobile. With a passion for the latest smartphones, apps, and mobile innovations, Alex provides in-depth reviews, insightful analyses, and breaking news about the ever-evolving world of mobile technology. Stay connected with Alex to navigate the fast-paced realm of mobile devices.
