Apple Prepares to Enable Sideloading in Europe by Splitting App Store Ahead of Regulatory Deadline

Apple is gearing up to introduce support for sideloading in the European Union (EU) in the coming weeks, in compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) deadline set for March 7. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will split the App Store into two versions, with the EU variant distinct from the standard version available in other regions. This move comes as part of Apple’s efforts to adhere to DMA requirements, which also mandate the facilitation of sideloading, enabling users to install apps from sources outside the official App Store. Additionally, Apple is expected to allow developers to integrate third-party payment providers and promote external offers not available within the App Store.

Mark Gurman previously predicted that Apple was working on enabling users to sideload apps not hosted on the App Store, and it appears this feature will be implemented by the first half of 2024. The process is likely to be tightly controlled by Apple, subjecting such apps to security checks before installation. The impending changes are anticipated to apply exclusively to the EU, with no indication yet of similar modifications being introduced in regions where third-party app stores and sideloading are not obligatory. Keywords: Apple, sideloading, European Union, Digital Markets Act, App Store, developers, third-party payment, regulatory compliance.