Ahead of the EU’s Digital Market Act forcing Apple’s hand to permit alternative app download options, is the amount of malware in the existing grey-market for sideloading iPhone apps a portent for things to come? Or has Apple’s approach, despite its controversy, hit the right balance to keep iPhone users secure?
On 7th March, the European Union’s Digital Market Act (DMA) comes into effect, designed to encourage fair competition across key digital platforms within the single market. The regulation compels Apple (and other “gatekeepers”) to open their platforms to third parties.
Unlike Android where supported alternatives to the Google Play Store already exist—through third party stores like Amazon Appstore and directly downloading apps from the web, known as “sideloading”—iPhone has no authorized alternative to Apple’s App Store.
As part of its planned response to the DMA, for the first time Apple is set to allow EU-based iPhone users to install apps outside its own App Store from third-party marketplaces. Apple remains at pains to point out the risks of this approach to iPhone users, echoing its 2021 position paper on the risk of sideloading.
The current state of grey-market iOS sideloading methods may explain some of Apple’s hesitancy. Misusing functionality intended for developers, current alternative marketplaces for iOS offer modified versions of popular apps with pirated content, additional or removed features, ads removed, or privacy features adjusted. In a recent study, Netcraft identified malware in around 5% of sampled iOS apps on third-party marketplaces.
At first glance, these changes appear to be a considerable risk for Apple. However, Apple’s proposed solution keeps them in the driver’s seat with the ability to review all apps—whether distributed through Apple’s own App Store or third
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