The Digital Markets Law, approved by the European Union, will bring one of the biggest changes ever to the iPhone. At issue is the possibility of installing applications from unknown sources, something that should come to fruition with the launch of iOS 17.2.
Although Apple has always opposed this measure, the European regulator will force the North American technology company to go against its principles. If for Android users this is a banal task, for the iOS universe it will be something completely new.
With iOS 17.2 it will now be allowed to install apps outside the App Store
The Digital Markets Law has, among other objectives, to encourage competition and equal opportunities between the various participants in the technological market. In fact, the fact that Apple does not allow the installation of apps that are not from its official store is seen by the EU as an obstacle to healthy competition.
Now that the law is in force, this was one of the changes that Apple should have already made to its products. However, the technology company asked European bodies for more time for its implementation, claiming that its systems are not yet ready.
This request was granted by the European Union, but on the condition that the change is implemented no later than the release of iOS 17.2. Therefore, this update, which is expected to arrive in early 2024, will open the door to a new reality on the iPhone.
Remember that Apple has always been against this possibility and justifies it with the risks it poses to users. As they are not validated by the company itself, there is no way to guarantee that apps are free from malware or other types of malicious software.
User safety has always been Apple’s flag to defend its position on the topic. Now that it is forced to contradict this position, it will be interesting to see how the company will justify the change.
Penalties for non-compliance with this law would not be beneficial to Apple. In this scenario, the company could be fined 20% of its global revenue or even be banned from the European market.