Apple will allow users in the EU to download third-party apps

Apple, in accordance with EU antitrust requirements, will allow EU users to download applications from third-party stores, which will have to provide the company with a guarantee of 1 million euros. The company criticized the law, stressing that it could pose a threat to users' privacy.

Phil Schiller, head of Apple's App Store, said that the global iOS 17.4 update due in March will allow users in the EU to download apps from third-party stores, but that the experience is "not as good as in the rest of the world": the company will have to identify frauds and respond to them at a slower pace, reports Bloomberg.

“Apple has to create technology that allows one app to install other apps, and that carries risks. This can pose a serious threat to the privacy, security and integrity of your device,” said Schiller.

He added that in this important election year around the world, rife with malware and technology-related threats, downloading apps from alternative app markets could pose "new risks" for users that are not in line with Apple's security standards. The company will not extend its content guidelines to third-party marketplaces, he stressed.

The company also said that only third-party companies are allowed to install their app stores on Apple iOS devices after thorough checks within the European Union. As the source explains, developers of the third-party application store will have to provide Apple with a financial guarantee of 1 million euros per year.

According to Bloomberg, Apple gets about a quarter of its revenue from Europe, and in 2023 the region will become the company's second largest source of revenue (25%) after the US (42%). The agency says the new law will eliminate commissions of up to 30% that Apple has been charging developers since the launch of the App Store in 2008. They will now pay the company 17% of revenue from in-app sales, with that rate dropping to 10% for most.

The EU Digital Markets Antitrust Act (DMA) was approved by the European Parliament in July 2022. Its goal is to limit the dominance of big tech corporations like Apple and Google. The companies themselves repeatedly criticized the law, even tried to change it, but in vain. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said several times that the law is not in the best interest of consumers.