Applications installed from outside the App Store on the iPhone [EU Law]

A new law proposed by the European Commission could bring important changes to iOS and iPadOS. Applications installed outside the App Store on the iPhone and iPad would be a major change for the iOS and iPadOS operating systems developed by Apple.

European Union will adopt Digital Markets Act, which by its provisions will force the American company Apple to accept the installation of applications on the iPhone and iPad from other sources outside the App Store.

Digital Markets Act (DMA) was proposed in mid-December 2020, and these days it has become more concrete a stage until the final adoption. Of course, the law does not explicitly refer to Apple, but it will be forced to comply with European legislation for products sold in the EEA (European Economic Area).

As a short summary, currently iPhones are considered the most secure mobile phones against computer attacks. The security guarantee is given primarily by the restrictions present on iOS and iPadOS. The user can only install applications and games from the App Store. Apple's application and game store, where developers are carefully checked and must comply with many rules aimed at user protection.

What are the provisions of the DMA - The law that will force Apple to allow applications installed from outside the App Store on the iPhone

It is about an antitrust law that obliges the gatekeepers, i.e. the big controllers of online platforms for applications and games (Google, Apple, Microsoft) to allow the installation of software applications from third-party sources.

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The new DMA law also provides that users can install applications from other platforms, than those of gatekeeper. In other words, on iOS it is possible that in addition to the App Store (by Apple) we also see Google Play, Microsoft Store and other game and application platforms.

Another provision of the Digital Markets Act will oblige the gatekeepers to leave users the freedom to choose which platform for installing applications and games they want to use. They won't be able to set it as their default. As a small parenthesis, this provision is also applied to Windows, Mac, where users have the freedom to choose which Internet Browser they want to use by default.

However, the Digital Markets Act also leaves gatekeepers the freedom to remove platforms and applications that are considered potential risk factors for the security of user data, which may lead to functional problems of the hardware components or the operating system.

So it is very possible that Apple users will still be protected. Apple has a real doctrine for security and privacy, and the company will be able to block malicious applications on iOS and iPadOS.

As of now, the DMA laws must go through three stages, followed by a fourth stage when it will practically come into effect, in March 2024.