Constrained by the European DMA (the new competition regulation), Apple announces the opening of the iPhone to the installation of third-party applications from web pages. The iOS 17.5 update, available in beta 2 this April 16, ends a limit of 16 years.
Since the launch of the App Store in 2008, Apple has controlled the apps its customers install on their iPhones. Unlike Android, Windows or even macOS, the iPhone operating system (iOS) is not open. There are unofficial methods to bypass the App Store (jailbreaking, using corporate certificates, etc.), but most of the billions of iPhones sold have never downloaded an application anywhere other than the App Store.
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Tuesday March 16, 2024, Apple unlocks its flagship product. After having authorized the installation of alternative stores in Europe (under the constraint of the EU and with several conditions), the brand now accepts the installation of applications from websites, as on a computer. The iOS 17.5 update, in its beta 2 (the final version should arrive in May), adds support for installation files.
An installation under Apple control
In the European Union, Apple now has an obligation to offer alternatives to the App Store. The brand reluctantly capitulated, with several provisions to avoid creating too much competition. Among them :
- The opening is limited to iPhones purchased in the European Union. iPads are not affected.
- Traveling abroad for more than a month deactivates DMA-exclusive functions.
- Developers must choose between the App Store terms and the new terms, which add a 50 cent fee per download.
- Apple validates each application offered outside the App Store and requires a description and screenshots for uniform display. It does not object to the content offered, unless it contains viruses.
Initially, Apple also intended to restrict the installation of applications to third-party stores, but the brand changed its mind in early March. iOS 17.5 introduces the ability to install applications from a website, like on a Mac or Android.
- Go to the developer's website, for example numerama.com/numeramaplus
- Click on Download the app.
- Touch To allow to give Numerama.com permission to download files (you must do this once, then Numerama.com will be authorized indefinitely).
- Go to the Downloads folder from your phone and tap the app downloaded.
- An error message will indicate that the application does not have the right to be installed on this iPhone (like on Mac with unsigned apps). Go to Settings where a menu “allow installation” should appear at the top.
- A window appears. You have to touch To allow and enter your phone's code (or Face ID) to authorize applications downloaded from Numerama.com to install. (A second application downloaded from the same site will not have the same requirement).
- The app will be added to the home screen.
With these steps, Apple logically makes installation more restrictive on the web than in the App Store. This is obviously its objective, since the brand indicates that the App Store remains the safest option for users (especially in subscriptions, easy to cancel from its mandatory system). However, it promises that the security allowed by its alternative system is great, thanks to the manual verification of each application.
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Who will be the first deserters from the App Store?
In force since the beginning of March, the DMA has still not had an impact on the iOS ecosystem. No alternative store is available in April 2024, which may question Apple's goodwill. The brand says it is aware that it takes a lot of effort to create a store, since it has organized several virtual and physical sessions to train developers, but nevertheless expects the arrival of several applications soon. The first stores, like the Alt Store or Setapp, should arrive soon. The Alt Store developer indicates that his application has been awaiting validation for several weeks.
With the website option, iOS 17.5 makes it possible for small developers to exit the App Store. No need to maintain your own third-party store, a simple server does the trick. This option should be the one favored by sites banned from the App Store until now (pornography in particular) to land on the iPhones of residents of the European Union. In the meantime, Apple continues to relax its rules on the App Store, in particular by authorizing emulation and cloud gaming.