Apple allows downloading apps from third-party sites in the EU: the end of the App Store era
Yesterday, Apple issued an order regarding iOS apps – developers who meet the company’s criteria (including the conditions for notarization of apps) will be able to offer their iPhone apps for direct download from websites to EU users.
This is a big change for the Apple ecosystem, which has strictly prohibited third-party downloads. In the past, the company controlled the revenue stream of iOS developers through its own App Store and charged hefty fees. In March, Apple announced a change in the rules in light of the new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is designed to level the playing field for businesses.
On Tuesday, according to TechCrunch, an Apple representative said that the third-party download option will be available through iOS 17.5 beta 2. To do so, however, developers will have to accept the company’s terms and conditions, including a new “core technology fee” of €0.50 for each first annual installation after the threshold of 1 million downloads per year is exceeded, regardless of where the apps are distributed.
Other criteria include having a “good reputation” with the developer, certifying the right to handle intellectual property disputes and government takedown requests, and providing iOS users with maintenance services, as Apple will not provide such support for third-party downloaded apps. Also, all applications must be notarized.
The first time you download an app from a third-party website, you must authorize it to install it directly on your device. In the future, Apple devices will issue a warning every time that “updates and purchases in this app will be managed by the developer.”
Apple says that these steps are reasonable security measures, but critics say that such “fear screens” will cause iOS users to hesitate to go outside the ecosystem, hinting that direct download is riskier than downloading through the App Store.
Additionally, iOS developers will be able to inform their users about cheaper offers available outside the App Store.
