According to Bloomberg, Apple intends to allow consumers to install third-party app stores on iOS. The change would be a significant departure for the brand, which has only permitted iPhone and iPad users to download software from the App Store.
These plans are being fueled by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to implement "laws for digital gatekeepers to safeguard free markets" when its limits become mandatory in 2024.
The law requires Apple to enable not only third-party app stores, but also Android-like sideloading, which allows users to directly install apps obtained from the internet. Apple executives have previously described the ability to sideload apps as "a cybercriminal's best friend".
Allowing its payment tool to be circumvented would jeopardise Apple's billions of dollars in income from charging up to 30 percent commission on its App Store transactions.
Opening up to other app stores might pose a significant threat to Apple's rapidly increasing services industry, but competitors would first have to convince consumers to abandon the security and convenience of using Apple's own store.
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