The news that Apple will allow direct download of applications from the web to iOS devices in the European Union represents a significant milestone in the history of the App Store and application distribution in general. This change, part of Apple’s adaptation to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), significantly changes the distribution of apps on the iPhone, but, aside from the striking aspect, what exactly does it represent?
Changes in the distribution of iPhone applications
Apple has announced significant changes for developers in the European Union. Now they will be allowed distribute applications directly from their websiteswhereas before they had to do it from the App Store, an alternative store, or their own app store.
To do so, developers must meet certain criteria, such as being a member of the Apple Developer Program for two consecutive years or more and having an app with more than one million first installs on iOS in the EU during the previous year. In addition, they must undertake to comply with certain requirements, such as publication of transparent data collection policies.
Distributed web applications, like all others, must in accordance with Apple’s notarization requirementswhich provides basic protection against malware, and can only be installed from a web domain registered with App Store Connect.
In parallel with these changes, third-party app stores can now offer apps exclusively from their own catalog. This means that, for example, a game studio could create an app store on iOS that exclusively offers their games.
What is the panorama after these changes?
This movement undoubtedly opens new doors for developers, allowing them more autonomy in the distribution of their applications and their promotion. As much as possible, Apple will try to prevent the spread of malicious software by certifying with a public notaryalthough it will be up to us as users to see what we install.
Although this may seem like a big change, the truth is that if we compare it to alternative stores that are already available, the difference may be smaller than it appears at first glance. It remains to be seen how the installed applications will be updated via the web.
In addition to the ability to offer the app without intermediaries, the two main changes will be about privacy and content. Although the App Store has strict policies to protect our privacy, third-party stores may take a different approach in this regard. In applications distributed directly from the web, the rules are the ones that every developer wants to apply.
Similarly, there is content. The App Store does not allow, for example, apps that display nudity or other similar content. Third-party stores may apply different policies to this type of content, but in the web app, the policies disappear.
Like other changes we’ve seen lately, we’ll have to wait a while before we can gauge their true extent. Undoubtedly, the app distribution system on the iPhone will change, the question remains whether it will be better or worse than it was a few weeks ago. We will see how the situation develops.