According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple will continue to impose limitations and fees on developers who allow users to sideload their apps within the European Union.
Only in the EU will users be able to download apps from outside the App Store for the first time thanks to app sideloading capabilities. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which attempts to control the ostensibly anticompetitive behavior of large tech companies, is what made the change necessary.
Apple is allegedly planning to adhere to EU law while maintaining strict control over the applications that are downloaded from sources other than the App Store. Although the WSJ today released new information citing people familiar with the company’s plans, Apple has not yet disclosed its final plans to comply with this aspect of the DMA. More specifically, it appears that Apple will continue to charge developers who offer their apps outside of the app store and to review every app that is made available there.
Apple levies a 27% commission on in-app purchases made in the Netherlands using alternative payment methods; this feature was first enabled by a regulatory ruling in the Netherlands. The specifics of the fee structure are as yet unknown. Only 3% less than its default fee, this does not include tax, so the net amount is greater than Apple’s fee for the majority of developers. This is in contrast to Apple’s commission.
Apple is said to have been working on the sideloading plan for more than a year, and the company has met with EU officials recently to go over the new regulations. Thursday, March 7 is the cutoff date for implementing the changes.
There are reports that businesses are already lining up to benefit from the upcoming adjustments. Spotify, for instance, is considering releasing its app through its website instead of the App Store, Microsoft is thinking about releasing a third-party app store just for games, and Meta is going to introduce a feature that allows users to download apps straight from advertisements.
