Little by little, thanks to current legislation, Apple is being forced to offer increasingly open systems, and this trend will continue from the first half of next year 2024. Without an exact date, the North American company will have to allow third-party applications that are not found on the iOS devices. App Store to install on iOS devices, to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Version 17 of Apple’s operating system has already introduced a number of new features, but one of the biggest will arrive in a few months with update 17.2, as can be read in 9to5mac. As the site states, this measure will have to be carried out to specifically comply with the chapter dedicated to this Side loadingwhich is nothing more than the ability to download and install applications from sources other than official onesin this case the App Store.
A historic change for Apple, despite its reluctance
This law was issued by the European Union last year in 2022 to ensure that big tech companies do not ban sideloading to reduce competitiveness. To do this, the installation of these types of applications must be allowed, something that, as we know, is currently not possible on Apple devices.
Historically speaking Not only has Apple not allowed this practice, but has no qualms about demonizing it. Tim Cook (Apple CEO) has repeatedly reiterated that installing applications outside the App Store poses a threat to the security of iPhone or iPad owners. They have even gone so far as to say that “sideloading is cybercriminals’ best friend”, but nevertheless they will be forced to comply with this legislation with a set deadline of March 2024.
