Apple to allow third-party apps on IOS
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s monopoly abuse is coming to an end. After a scandal involving Coinbase, Apple Inc's management decided to give ground to third-party application developers.
Apple is forced to change its lock-in policy to comply with new EU regulations that came into effect after the Digital Markets Act was passed. This law requires all tech companies operating in Europe to provide the ability to install third-party apps on their devices by 2024. All developers should have equal access to the core functionality of apps and services.
This means that iPhone and iPad users will be able to download new apps bypassing the App Store or install apps that are not available in the store without having to jailbreak their devices.
Apple has been trying to avoid these changes for a long time, explaining that downloading apps that are not listed on the App Store could lead to security issues. Monopolist still insists that after the restrictions are lifted, Apple users may lose control over their personal data and suffer virus attacks.
However, app developers will certainly feel some relief, because now they can bypass Apple restrictions (which, for example, block apps even with slightly erotic content). This also means that they will be able to develop iOS apps and list them on other stores (including Google Play), thus avoiding the 30% fee that Apple charges on all transactions in the official store.
Apple’s super-high tax has driven developers crazy for a long time. And the public wrangling with Coinbase and the ban of Fortnite Epic Games seems to have become the straw that broke the camel’s back.
This move could be quite a boost for the NFT community, as right now iOS apps for marketplaces like OpenSea and Magic Eden do not allow users to buy and sell through the app. Users can only view their NFTs, which significantly limits trading volumes on the Web3 platforms.
