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iOS 17.4 in the European Union brings Apple’s first release of the operating system that is harmonized with the regulatory framework of the Digital Markets Act. This includes support for alternative app stores — or as Apple calls them, ‘alternative app markets’ — allowing iPhone users to download apps outside the walls of the Apple App Store for the first time.
Availability of the functionality is geographically limited to the EU only, and Apple has detailed how it detects this for the first time. But perhaps more surprisingly, it also emerged that existing app markets you’ve downloaded to your device will stop working if you leave the EU for too long.
In a new support document, Apple explains that the availability of the app market is intended only for users in the European Union.
Apple says that in order for its system to consider you eligible, your Apple ID country or region must be set to one of the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
COUNTRIES FOR iOS 17.4 Alternative App Markets
In addition, you must be physically located in the European Union. Geolocation verification happens on the device and your exact location is not shared with Apple’s servers.
As long as your Apple ID originates from one of these countries and you physically reside in them, the app market features will be available. When available, you’ll be able to install an alternative app store through your browser to download apps outside of the Apple App Store.
However, what may be unexpected is that your eligibility may be revoked if the system notices a change in your location. Apple says there is a ‘grace period’ for short trips, but for longer stays outside the eligible EU market, access to app markets will be revoked. (Update: Apple has now specified that this time period is set to 30 days.)
In this state, you will not be able to install new app markets, and any apps you previously installed from an alternative app market will no longer be able to update themselves. You will need to return to an eligible physical location or delete the app and re-download the equivalent from the Apple App Store.
This potential customer support issue is another reason why third-party developers may be reluctant to embrace a third-party app store system. At the time of writing, no alternative app markets are actually available (although a few have been announced).
Also, as another reminder, this all applies to the iPhone only. iPadOS 17.4 does not support this as only the iOS App Store is considered a significantly large ‘gatekeeper’ in the eyes of EU law.
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