Apple is expected to enable app sideloading, which will allow iPhone users to install apps from sources outside of the official App Store in iOS 17, according to a new report. This follows the European Union's Digital Markets Law, which requires platform operators to obtain application licenses from third-party developers.
The report comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in the latest PowerOn newsletter. Gurman noted that "Apple is working on a software revision to open up the iPhone to sideloading (downloading apps outside of its official store) to comply with new European regulations for next year."
Android, the only viable competitor to iOS, already allows users to install apps from third-party stores with just a few clicks. While Gurman won't share the details of Apple's plans, it is likely that it will implement a similar policy.
Other features supposedly coming with iOS 17 include updates to services like CarPlay, Siri, and Messages. Other changes would bring improvements specifically to new iPhones, like the iPhone 14 Pro and its dynamic island, and enable new camera features on upcoming iPhone 15 phones.
If the EU says so
The move comes as Apple is ready to switch its iPhones from using its proprietary Lightning cable to USB-C. The EU has taken several regulatory actions that, while targeted at technology manufacturers in general, affect Apple in particular, due to the hardware and software choices the company has made over the years, particularly with respect to to iOS and iPadOS.
If these various rumors come true, the iPhone 15 lineup will not only use the same connector as all modern Android phones or Windows laptops, but users will also be able to download apps from non-Apple websites, or even from a competing app store. .
These changes would make Apple's 2023 iPhones markedly different beasts from their 2022 predecessors. Find X6): Apple could attract customers who might otherwise consider buying one of the best Android phones around. of the best iPhone.