Under the new European Union regulations, iPhone and iPad users should enjoy the same freedoms as Android with the installation of other application stores.
The DMA signature, or Digital Market Act, in the European Union is a real small earthquake for the tech world. It is this DMA that should allow Messenger, WhatsApp, iMessage and other messaging services to become interoperable. It is also this agreement signed yesterday by the negotiators of the Parliament and the Council which must authorize the installation of stores of alternative applications.
A new law for Apple
The watchword of the DMA is to offer consumers maximum choice on the services they wish to use, regardless of the platform, with the least possible impact on their personal data. The interoperability of messaging applications goes in this direction, but that’s not all. The DMA must also allow the user to choose his browser, his virtual assistant and his search engine.
For example, on an iPhone, we must be able to use Google Assistant rather than Siri, DuckDuckGo rather than Google and Microsoft Edge rather than Safari. But it is above all the changes to the App Store that should have the greatest impact on Apple.
Under the DMA, Apple will be required to allow consumers to install apps by ” sideload », that is to say without going through an application store, and Apple will therefore have to authorize the installation of another application store. Developers will need to be able to use an alternative payment system for in-app purchases. In other words, all this should allow Epic Games to offer Fortnite with its payment system on the iPhone without going through Apple.
To maintain the security of the iPhone so dear to Apple, these unlocking options can be hidden in the iPhone settings, without being activated by default. Thus, only users who wish to use an alternative application will be able to obtain the procedure, with no impact on other consumers.
The calendar
After these negotiations, the text must now be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Once this is done, the DMA will register in the Official Journal of the EU and the new regulations must apply within six months at the latest.
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS application. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.