Apple reportedly has plans to allow third-party app stores on iOS and the iPhone according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.
The plans would be a massive shift as Apple since the conception of the iPhone has never allowed any third-party app store on its devices.
The reason behind this is said to be mainly due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) that outlines “rules for digital gatekeepers to ensure open markets enter into force”.
This would mean that Apple would not only have to allow third-party app stores but also sideloading or the act of installing software from the internet as well.
The EU also specified that companies will need to comply with the act by March 6, 2024.
The shift to allowing third-party apps is also said to be held in only 27 countries that are part of the EU but with Gurman noting that it could lay the groundwork for other regions.
He also clarified that Apple would still in fact charge developers for access to iOS even with side loading.
Furthermore, Gurman stated that changes would also come to NFC chip and camera access, Find My network for rivals to the AirTag, web browsing engines, and other areas of Apple’s software.
Apple’s biggest competitor to iOS, Android, is no stranger to this despite having the Google Play Store as the most common app store on Android.
There are also other app stores such as the Huawei AppGallery, Samsung Galaxy Apps, and Amazon Appstore
