11mo ago

iPhone app sideloading: Apple reportedly plans to charge fees and review apps downloaded outside of the App Store - 9to5Mac

9to5mac.com iPhone app sideloading: Apple reportedly plans to charge fees and review apps downloaded outside of the App Store - 9to5Mac

Apple will soon announce policy changes to conform to the Digital Markets Act in Europe, with an impending implementation deadline...

Technology @lemmy.world

Apple plans to charge fees for sideloading

9to5mac.com /2024/01/24/iphone-app-sideloading-fees-app-review/

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27 comments

I should be able to run any software I see fit on a piece of hardware I own without a corporation acting as a gatekeeper. I hope the EU finds this unacceptable because it’s frankly bullshit.
- Android has entered the chat.
  But yeah, the closed iOS experience is why i stay away from Apple.
  
  To be most specific, LineageOS (open source Android) on a Google Pixel phone. Google's Pixel hardware is open.
- If this is a priority, buy different hardware.
  You never purchased an iOS or iPadOS device with Apple promising unlimited side loading.
  And speaking of which, unless you’re a member of the EU, no sideload for you.
  
  I know all this, still want Apple to get dragged kicking and screaming to a place that’s not so damned anticompetitive.
  
  As a power user, I find Apple’s approach to sideloading insulting as a customer and blatantly anticompetitive.
  I buy an Apple phone because the phone market is effectively a duopoly: Android or iOS. I choose iOS over Android because of its much longer security support window and better accessory ecosystem (AirPods Pro + Apple Watch in particular), and also because I don’t want absolutely everything in my life to be owned by Google.
  None of that detracts from the fact that Apple’s position on this issue hurts its customers and is fucking annoying. And their claims of “it’s for security” are disingenuous at best.
- lol. you think you own your technology. how cute.
  
  TIL you can be a snob by acknowledging that EULAs exist.

How would that even work? Apps distributed outside the App Store would not (necessarily) be submitted to Apple to review, and the developer of sideloaded apps may not be identifiable to charge fees too.
I suppose they could mandate some sort of signing system for sideloaded executables but I have a feeling the EU would consider that a further abuse.
It will all come out in the wash, but if the rumours are true Apple seems to be going about this in the worst way possible.
- On macOS, an app has to be signed by the developer and then “notarized” by Apple, and the notarization involves some sort of automatic malware scanning. It isn’t a human review. You can circumvent these requirements as a user, but not as a developer. I presume this is as far as Apple might be able to go on iOS in the EU.

This is equivalent to getting a speeding ticket while your car is on a flatbed

Anyone who didn’t see this coming? It was pretty obvious they’ll never ever allow unlimited side loading.
- Well the new system will be way worse than current sideloading (which just requires a reinstall once a year)
  
  Once a year if you have a paid developer account, which is $100/year. It’s otherwise every 7 days and capped at 3 simultaneous apps. And in either case you need a Mac or Windows machine available as well. I suspect it’ll be an improvement for anyone without a paid developer account.
  - At least, according to https://sideloadly.io/ - I haven’t touched sideloading for a few years (with AltStore + AltServer).

27 comments