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Complying with European Union requirements, Apple has been forced to make some key decisions for future iPhones this year. A big change came when the brand revealed it will be switching from the Lightning port to a USB Type-C. However, a new change that Apple is working on could have even bigger implications on the software front. A new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, suggests the tech giant is looking at opening iOS to third-party app stores as well as app sideloading, though the options might be limited to the EU initially.
For the uninitiated, sideloading is the process of manually installing applications from a setup file. This is the equivalent of you using a .exe file to install a program on a Windows machine, or an APK file to install an app on Android.
On the other hand, third-party app stores will allow users on iOS to install apps from platforms other than the Apple App Store. This is also often seen on Android, where OEMs may load phones with their own app store in addition to the Google Play Store. Samsung has one, and Xiaomi also includes the ‘GetApps’ store on all its phones.
While we still don’t know when the decision will be implemented, it could change how the iPhone works for many users. For instance, sideloading support now means that users will no longer be limited to just the App Store for the apps they wish to use on the iPhone. Similar to Android, they will be able to install package files.
Users will also likely be able to transfer these package files between devices, meaning multiple iPhones will eventually run a file transferred from one user to another. If that sounds like a possible security risk, you should know that it actually is the case. Tampered APK files are one of the major reasons why Android is still considered an easy target for attackers by enthusiasts.
It is very easy for someone without the proper knowledge or expertise to simply use an APK file to install an app, with the APK version often offering extra functionality. However, many of these apps also contain malicious code.
While recent Android versions and their strict emphasis on permissions improves this to an extent, iOS was a much more secure environment for most users. With only one entity controlling what apps get to your phone after a strict security check, it was hard to get malicious code through to individual devices. Unfortunately, a single entity overseeing everything can also be seen as a monopoly, especially when your target audience is over a billion devices. This is exactly why the EU’s new norms have pushed Apple towards such a move.
It will be interesting to see how Apple tackles this vulnerability once the changes roll out. The Bloomberg report expects the changes to be a part of the next major iOS update, which will be 2023’s iOS 17. However, companies are reportedly not required to follow the norms of the new Digital Markets Act until 2024, which is also the deadline for the USB Type-C port switch.
Apple has also not revealed its call on opening up iMessage, its popular messaging service, to third-party services. This is also a requirement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Apple has so far been against opening up iMessage to third parties like RCS, something CEO Tim Cook also has been vocal about in the past. The EU has reportedly threatened brands with fines of up to 20 per cent of a brand’s annual global revenue for violating its terms repeatedly. We still do not know if these changes will be specific to Europe or all iPhones. We can expect more clarity in 2023 when Apple officially starts making some of these announcements.
