Apple’s recent release of iOS 17.4 beta brings a significant change in compliance with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This update, tailored exclusively for EU users, introduces the ability to sideload apps—allowing users to download and install applications from sources outside the official App Store. However, this feature is currently limited to iPhones, excluding iPads from this newfound flexibility.
Despite the shared foundation of iPadOS and iOS, Apple has made a distinct choice to restrict sideloading and related features to iPhones. This means that iPad users are unable to install third-party app stores or download apps from them. Furthermore, options such as selecting alternative browser engines or changing the default wallet payment app remain confined to iPhones.
The EU’s DMA plays a central role in these developments, targeting major tech platforms as “gatekeepers” with the aim of fostering a more competitive market by reducing restrictions. iOS is classified as a “gatekeeper” platform under this act, necessitating these changes. Interestingly, the EU perceives iPadOS as a separate entity from iOS, potentially explaining Apple’s decision to limit sideloading to iPhones.
In addition to impacting sideloading, the DMA also influences Apple’s App Store, another designated “gatekeeper” service. In alignment with EU regulations, Apple has adjusted its commission structure. Initially, developers face a 17% commission, which reduces to 10% after a year for most developers and subscribers. These revised commission rates apply to the App Store across all Apple devices, including the iPad.
Apple’s selective implementation of the DMA raises significant questions about the future of app distribution and user freedom. While iPhone users in the EU gain some much-awaited flexibility, iPad users are left without these benefits, experiencing a sense of being treated as second-class citizens within the same ecosystem.
The upcoming months are likely to witness ongoing debates and legal challenges as regulators and users closely examine Apple’s interpretation of the DMA and its impact on fostering a fair and competitive app market.
