Apple will incorporate ‘sideloading’ in iOS 17 only for European devices, according to Gurman

24 Apr. (Portaltic/EP) –

Manzana plans to allow the ‘sideloading’ in iOS 17, to make it possible to download apps from third-party stores only on devices for the European Uniondue to the obligatory compliance of the Digital Services Law.

The European Union Digital Markets Law unifies a set of mandatory criteria for ensure that digital platforms behave fairly online and it is supported that users can choose between more and better services. Also, along with the Digital Services LawWanted guarantee the protection of the rights of users of member countries and foster innovation, growth and competitiveness in the single market.

Within this framework, the regulations oblige companies such as, in this case, Apple to allow free competition between operating systems. As a consequence, users must be authorized to download applications in third-party stores, and not necessarily in the official stores of each system, something known as ‘sideloading’.

Thus, as stated by the Bloomberg analyst and journalist Mark Gurman in the podcast The MacRumors Show, Apple will have to abide by this regulation allowing ‘sideloading’ in member countries of the European Union. However, Gurman has assured that, according to sources close to the company by Tim Cook, they will not impose it globally and, therefore, it cannot be carried out in the United States either.

“I don’t think they will expand it globally if they don’t have to,” Gurman stated, while explaining that he believes that ‘sideloading’ will be implemented as same way other changes have been implemented in the App Store for legal reasons. In fact, the analyst has added that in any case Apple will want to “minimize your output as much as possible.”

Likewise, regarding the novelties that the new operating system will bring iOS 17, Gurman has developed that it will be an update that will include “quite interesting” features with new features for native iOS apps. However, it has specified that the technology company they will not present anything “revolutionary”, as it did with iOS 16 and the changes to the lock screen.

Apple will announce in detail the news regarding the update of the iOS operating system, and many other aspects of the company such as its expected mixed reality viewer, the next June 5 during their annual meeting at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023.