Apple’s upcoming iOS 17.4 iPhone update will bring big changes for some iPhone owners. For the first time, Apple is allowing European users to download third-party app stores and install apps from sources other than the company’s official App Store.
But this change comes with significant security risks, as Apple highlights in a new whitepaper outlining plans to vet these apps through a new step called iOS notarization.
Apple will allow third-party apps to be installed on iPhones in Europe to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act 2022 (DMA), which aims to enforce fair and open competition in the technology sector. are doing. The company has also come under increasing pressure in recent years to open up iOS as an alternative app store following a high-profile legal battle with gaming giant Epic Games. The maker of Fortnite has sued Apple and Google over their respective app store policies that take up to 30% of revenue from purchases made within the app and through the app marketplace.
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Apple has long maintained that its App Store policies protect users from malware and other digital threats. A new white paper reiterates that position while introducing guardrails, including a new notarization of the iOS vetting process, aimed at protecting iPhone users who download external apps.
The white paper explains that the program uses automated and human reviews to ensure that third-party apps are “free of known malware or other security threats, generally work as advertised, and that users The company said it will check to make sure it is not exposed to serious fraud. This review also applies to all app updates to prevent malicious parties from introducing malware later. This is an extension of the notarization process that Apple uses for its Mac software.
Notarization is not as robust as the “nutrition label” for information listed on the App Store, due to a significant lack of disclosure regarding content and in-app purchases. However, give your users more context about your app by providing a description and screenshots before they install your app. If an app is flagged as malware, Apple will strongly warn users before launching it.
If you want to create third-party apps for iPhone, you’ll still need to sign up for the Apple Developer Program, which includes registering your legal name, phone number, and address. In some cases, Apple may request further identification, such as a government identification number.
Those who participate in the developer program must sign a license agreement that requires them to comply with local laws and avoid fraudulent practices. This policy also requires apps not to send spam or abuse users. If you violate the agreement, Apple will terminate the agreement and your app will be blocked (but not the developer). Apple noted that in 2022, the company suspended more than 400,000 App Store developer accounts for fraudulent activity and prevented the creation of more than 100,000 other fraudulent accounts.
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After all, there are limits to the control Apple can exercise outside of the App Store. However, the company has developed baseline standards for alternative app marketplaces that serve as guidelines to protect users. These include devoting resources to monitoring and eliminating malicious apps and providing customer support. In the white paper, Apple notes the amount of work it has done to maintain the App Store since its launch in 2008, and calls on other storefronts to do the same. .
Apple will allow developers to accept payments outside of the App Store, but warns users that the company’s financial protections do not apply. These include easy cancellation of subscriptions, parental controls such as “Please Buy”, and protection from being charged a different amount than advertised. If a user is the victim of predatory behavior, “AppleCare agents will have limited (if any) ability to assist the user,” the white paper says.
Apple’s document also contains horror stories for users and developers, including a warning that alternative app marketplaces could host pirated apps that steal the work of honest developers, but it also includes a warning that alternative app marketplaces could host pirated apps that steal the work of honest developers. New DMA regulations allow access to apps on mobile devices. But it’s also worth noting that it’s in Apple’s interest to keep people on the App Store, given that it’s a key part of Apple’s lucrative services business. It’s unclear when or if other regions will gain access to apps outside the App Store, but the system provides a blueprint that Apple can apply to other regions.
