Η Apple today announced three additional changes for developers in the European Union, one of which will allow developers to download applications directly from websites.
Apple recently enabled alternative third-party apps in the European Union through the new version iOS 17.4, allowing third parties to offer apps from different developers, including its own apps.
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Essentially, Apple now allows people to third-party applications offer only their own applications through the platform. For example, a game studio can create its own app store on iOS, offering exclusively its own games.
When directing users to complete a transaction on their site, developers can also now choose how to configure their offers, discounts and perks. As of today, Apple's templates for designing these links to websites are optional.
Developers will now have the Possibility distribute apps directly from their websites if they meet Apple's specific requirements. These include being a member of Apple's developer program for two consecutive years or more, and having an app with more than one million iOS installations in the EU in the previous year. In addition, they must comply with specific requirements, such as publishing secure data collection policies. Apps distributed in this way must meet Apple's requirements, like all other apps iOS, and can only be installed from a web domain registered with App Store Connect.
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Authorised developers will have Accessed at APIs that will facilitate the distribution of applications over the web, integration with system functionality, the creation of backups, data recovery and much more. Web distribution will become available after upgrade of Software towards the end of spring, allowing apps to be downloaded directly from a website for the first time on iOS.
The recent amendments are part of the Apple Digital Marketplaces (DMA) compliance plan and apply within the European Union.
Source: macrumors
