Apple's Strategy for Opening the App Store to the EU: According to reports, Apple plans to charge developers if they offer Sideloaded apps (which can be installed directly from sources outside the App Store.)
New EU laws will force Apple to open its App Store in Europe.
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As new tech regulations take effect in Europe in the coming weeks, Apple is preparing for a future where it will be required to allow users to download apps from sources outside its App Store. While the company hasn't shared details about how the process, called sideloading, will work, it appears it won't allow developers to avoid the company's app review fees and rules.
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According to the Wall Street Journal, the App Store owner “plans to charge developers for downloading apps outside the App Store” and will require some kind of review for downloads that aren’t made through its store. The ability to sideload apps, or install apps from sources outside the App Store, will only be offered to iOS users in the European Union to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Regulation.
Although Apple's plan has not yet been finalized, if it goes ahead, it is expected to draw criticism from app developers. The Digital Markets Regulation is set to go into effect on March 7, and while Apple has yet to share its plan for complying with the regulation, companies that have already clashed with Cupertino over the company's rules, such as Spotify, have already begun preparations. Spotify, a longtime opponent of App Store fees, recently teased the prospect of a European version of its app, where users will be able to pay for subscriptions and audiobooks within app .
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The Wall Street Journal also reports that Meta, another persistent Apple critic, is working on its own project that would allow it to distribute developers’ apps through Facebook ads. The project, referred to internally as “Project Neon,” could allow the Facebook-owned company to compete more directly with the App Store, at least in Europe.
Source: engadget
