Under an EU bill, Apple may have to allow users to install apps outside the AppStore, which means users can install Fortnite, which apple has banned, without having to jailbreak their devices.
This provision is included in the new Digital Markets Bill, which will come into force after the EU Parliament and the Council negotiators reach an interim agreement on the terms of the bill.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said in a statement to foreign media outlet The Verge:
We think that users of smartphones have the freedom to choose how to use it, and that freedom includes installing apps from other sources on their phones. With the new Digital Marketplace Act, users of smartphones can not only enjoy the security services of the default app store, but also have the option to use the services provided by other secure app stores.
This means that if the bill goes into effect, users won't need to jailbreak or modify their devices to access other app marketplaces, or even bypass Apple's AppStore payment system.
It's unclear when the bill will be voted on, but The Verge reported that it could take effect as early as October this year.
The VGC speculates that Apple is likely to strongly oppose the bill because Apple has long believed that installing apps from any third-party platform will compromise the iPhone's ecological security.