The arrival of iOS 17.4 has marked a before and after in the way iPhone users in the European Union will download and install applications. Due to the regulations of the Digital Markets Act, alternative app stores are arriving. But will they work globally? Let's see in detail.
iPhone's alternative app stores will not follow us outside of Europe
The application of the DMA (Digital Markets Act) is reserved for the European Union. Apple has already clarified that, although it has tried to neutralize the risks that the DMA introduces to our security (remember that we can block alternative app marketplaces), these risks still exist. And, in compliance with the law, it is only in Europe that Apple will enable access.
According to a support document published by Apple, for a user to be considered eligible to access these alternative stores, they must meet two fundamental criteria: have the country or region of their Apple ID set to one of the EU member countries and be physically located within the Union. A geolocation check that is performed on the device itself with total privacy, without sharing the exact location with Apple's servers.
And what does this mean? That this "eligibility" can be revoked if the system detects a change in the user's location. Apple mentions a "grace period" for short trips, but for longer stays outside the EU market, access to the alternative app stores will be revoked.
Neither new alternative app stores can be installed, nor any previously installed app from these stores can be updated. In this case, the alternative will be to download the same app or a similar one from the App Store.
So far, no alternative app marketplaces are available, although some have already been announced. This leaves users and developers waiting to see how this new feature will evolve and what impact it will have on the iOS app ecosystem (only on the iPhone), on our security, and on how we enjoy our iPhone in Europe.
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