Compilation | Nuclear Coke, Tina
According to Bloomberg and Forbes, iOS 17 will include one of Apple's biggest changes to its iPhone software: the ability to sideload apps from sources other than the App Store.
After years of battling with a third-party sideload app store on the iPhone, Apple had no choice but to finally make a concession to European law and decided to open up the feature on the upcoming iOS 17. Bloomberg reported that Apple's sideload project has been launched under the leadership of Andreas Wendker, the company's vice president of engineering, who reports directly to Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering.
Europe's Digital Markets Law (DMA) will come into force next year, and companies must comply by 2024. Under the new rules, large tech companies must open up third-party app stores on their device platforms to give users more choice of software sources. And everything Apple does is naturally to meet the requirements of the new regulations. With the landing of DMA, the giant Apple can only swallow the sound of the side load release. While the sideload change is currently limited to customers in the EU, Apple is likely to expand the feature as other countries pass legislation similar to the European Digital Markets Act.
What is a side load?
The so-called iPhone app sideloading means that in addition to the official App Store, software from other sources is further opened.
This is an unprecedented event on the iPhone, where the App Store has been the only official source of the app. The only way to sideload apps now is to "jailbreak" your iPhone device, and your device model and iOS version must be supported at the same time.
The problem is that major operating system platforms such as Windows, macOS and Android already support application sideloading, so users have been urging Apple to open this convenient feature on the iPhone.
But Apple has always stood firm, claiming that open sideloading could lead to malicious hackers spreading malware to unsuspecting users. This risk is real, and the installation of any unofficial app may threaten user security.
In addition, opening sideload support on the iPhone will also open the door to third-party app stores, and even eventually lead to competition with Apple's official App Store.
Apple has not yet specifically described how the sideloading feature is implemented on the iPhone, but it is not difficult to speculate on the specific implementation. Relying on location information in your Apple ID makes it easy to limit the use of sideloading. As long as you use your EU Apple ID on your iOS 17 device, you can easily install apps from any source.
Set your Apple ID location to the European Union and then change it back to your physical country. There should be other ways, but with a VPN it may not work. — 941 (@analyst941) April 14, 2023
Analyst941 said it only needs to find a European Apple ID to install any app on the iPhone and iPad. Of course, you can also create a European ID. However, new Apple IDs can't inherit App Store apps that have already been purchased and installed.
In addition, Apple ID may be just one of the means Apple uses to control side-loading functions, such as accessing a user's real geographic location at the same time to evaluate access. If an iPhone user is not in Europe, they may have to hook up a VPN if they want to sideload the app using an EU Apple ID. Of course, these views on the iOS 17 side-loading feature are just speculation, and the final announcement given by Apple is still subject to the official statement.
A good day for developers coming?
If Apple could open up third-party app stores on its devices, developers wouldn't have to pay them up to 30 percent (and in some cases 15 percent) in in-app purchases. As a result, companies such as Spotify, Tinder/Match Group and Twitter that have been unhappy with Apple's commission structure will also soften their attitudes.
Apple currently allows some developers to use third-party payment systems in certain markets — such as all software developers in South Korea and dating app developers in the Netherlands. However, they still have to pay Apple a high cut of software revenue.
In addition, some developers have pointed out that "bug fixes can be released faster than publishing on the App Store," and "waiting up to 20 days for a bug fix is frustrating, especially when it's out of my control and I can't contact Apple about it." ”
If DMA can force Apple to open third-party app stores within the EU, regulators in other regions are likely to follow suit. Apple's current side-loading feature on iOS 17 is also expected to expand to other jurisdictions.
The news comes as Portugal-based Aptoide (which launched a third-party app store for Android) is building an iOS version for Apple "jailbreak" users. The company's co-founder and CEO Paulo Trezentos said in an interview that he believes Apple will indeed allow third-party app stores.
The Bloomberg report also mentioned that the new EU rules may further force Apple to open up more parts of its ecosystem, including cameras, NFC technology stacks and browser engines.
Currently, all browsers on the iPhone, including Chrome and Firefox, use Apple's own WebKit engine. But Apple is considering removing such eco-designs. Let's look forward to Apple's official announcement to see which engines iOS can run in the future, and what features the browser will usher in.
As for the open NFC technology stack, it may mean that in addition to Apple Pay, other payment companies can also integrate their own services to achieve click-to-click payment. The European Union already criticized Apple in February, arguing that standard technology for contactless payments like NFC should be open to all vendors. That said, Apple's competitors, such as Stripe and Square, can also build their own integrated payment solutions on the iPhone.
Apple said it was not convinced
According to relevant statistics, iOS accounts for 15% of the mobile device market, but generates 67% of app revenue. As a result, Apple has long opposed opening up sideload features, and its executives have been emphasizing that sideloading features pose a huge risk to user safety.
Back in 2021, Apple released a 16-page report arguing that only the company's own app store could protect iPhone users from fraud and malware. When asked why a Mac can have multiple app stores but an iPhone cannot, Craig Federighi explains, "iOS sets a higher standard for customer protection. ”
Apple even introduced developer mode in iOS 16 to prevent users from "inadvertently installing potentially harmful software on their own devices." In the long-running struggle between Apple and Epic, sideloading and App Store percentages are also core issues that have been repeatedly mentioned.
In the Netherlands and South Korea, Apple was forced to slightly open up its closed platform, allowing software developers to use other third-party payment systems. But Apple still requires developers to display detailed warning messages to users on alternative payment systems, and even requires separate application documents for specific software markets.
While technically in full compliance with local regulators, Apple's hegemonic behavior has undoubtedly created friction and even forced software developers to abandon their own payment systems.
Similarly, if Apple opens up iOS 17 a little according to EU regulations, it can also choose some designs that are liberalized, but are very uncomfortable for users and developers. At that point, I'm afraid only the most patient and tech-savvy users will be willing to use sideloading. More importantly, Apple can also put warnings and banners on third-party app stores, using various psychological hints to force users to return to Apple's official app store.
The App Fairness Alliance, founded by members such as Basecamp, Match Group and Spotify, has been waging a collective fight against tech giants like Apple and Google to create fair software distribution channels. They said in a statement that the news of Apple's decision to open up the sideload feature "represents an admission that they have engaged in dumping behavior." ”
"It is clear that Apple will only be willing to give up control of the distribution of apps on its iOS devices and their dominance within the App Store under pressure from law and policy. The European Union's adoption of the Digital Markets Act to force Apple to take action also proves that strong enforcement actions can create a more level playing field for developers in the mobile app ecosystem. ”
The App Fair Alliance also urged U.S. lawmakers to pay attention to and pass the Open App Marketplace Act (OAMA) as soon as possible, forcing Apple and Google to open up support for third-party app stores, sideload features, and alternative payment systems in the United States. Epic's Tim Sweeney also got involved, calling on the U.S. government to emulate Europe's advanced experience.
With only a month to go until the release of iOS 17, will we see sideloading on the iPhone? Welcome to leave a message in the comments~
Reference Links:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35671968
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35599315
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/04/21/ios-17-iphone-sideloading-is-coming-but-how-safe-is-it
https://appdevelopermagazine.com/Ios-17-to-allow-sideloading-apps-on-iphone
https://bgr.com/tech/how-to-sideload-iphone-apps-with-ios-17/
https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/
https://9to5mac.com/2021/06/23/apple-publishes-new-user-guide-detailing-how-sideloading-and-third-party-app-stores-would-undermine-iphone-security/
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