EU developers can forgo the App Store entirely and distribute their apps directly to iPhone users from their websites, Apple said on Tuesday. This is a significant reversal from Apple’s original rules, which required developers who wanted to bypass the official App Store to market iPhone software to third-party software marketplaces.
In another big change, Apple will also allow EU developers to create app marketplaces that sell only their own software.
iPhone users in the EU can download apps directly from the developers’ websites
The EU’s Digital Markets Act, which came into force last week, forced Apple to allow competitors to the iPhone’s App Store and enable sideloading of third-party software. Initially, Apple’s compliance plan required iPhone apps to be in alternative markets rather than directly available for download.
That request, which brought complaints from developers, has now been reversed. Apple announced the policy change in a note to developers on Tuesday.
“Web distribution, available with a software update later this spring, will allow authorized developers to distribute their iOS apps to users in the EU directly from the developer-owned website,” Apple said.
This means that a third-party developer can place a link on their website from which iPhone users can install the app. Applications can even be distributed through online advertisements.
The developer doesn’t need to put the software on the app market (and potentially share the revenue with the company that runs the alternative app store).
The change also means that iPhone users in the European Union will have to become much more careful about what software they install on their devices. Distributing malware is about to get a lot easier.
Also application catalogs for one developer
Another rule Apple announced in February that drew the ire of EU developers was a requirement that rival app stores must offer software from multiple companies. A game developer could not create an online catalog of its own titles.
Apple also dropped that requirement in its revised “alternative app marketplaces” policy.
“Markets may choose to offer a catalog of apps exclusively from the marketplace developer,” Apple said Tuesday.
Expect big developers like Epic Games — which is in a bitter, years-long legal battle with Apple over App Store rules — to choose this option.
iPhone sideloading is now much closer to real sideloading
The new rules are much closer to what people mean by “sideloading” — installing apps directly on a device. Apple hasn’t revealed why it made these dramatic moves. It is possible, even probable, that they are the result of pressure from the European Commission.
The company has already announced another major change to its initial set of rules published in February. Last week, it cleared a significant financial hurdle to opening a competing iPhone app store in the European Union.
To be clear, all of this is something that only EU residents need to worry about. All others are still limited to Apple’s App Store.