WWDC 2023: Apple may open up iPhones to sideloading apps with iOS 17

Apple's move would be in response to EU law, kicking in from 2024, which requires technology companies to allow the installation of third-party apps and let users change default settings

American technology giant Apple is likely to open up iPhones to sideloading with the iOS 17 platform, which would be announced at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 on June 5. It essentially means consumers would be able to download and install third-party software to their iPhones without using the Apple App Store.

The move would be in response to European Union law, called the Digital Markets Act, kicking in from 2024. The law requires technology companies to allow the installation of third-party apps and let users change default settings.

The changes to allow third-party apps download and installation service on iPhones are expected to initially be available only in Europe, but it would lay groundwork for other regions – if similar laws are cleared in more countries.

In response to the tough new EU laws, Apple had argued that sideloading could put unsafe apps on consumers’ devices and undermine privacy. According to a news report in Bloomberg, Apple may mandate certain security requirements even if it allows software distribution outside its store to help protect the devices against unsafe apps. Such apps also may need to be verified by Apple — a process that could carry a fee. Currently, within the App Store, Apple takes a 15 per cent to 30 per cent cut of revenue.

In the same report, it is said that Apple may open its private application programming interfaces, or APIs, to third-party apps. It essentially means third-party apps and services would interact with Apple’s hardware and core system functions. For example, the payment app from a third-party developer would be able to use the near-field communication (NFC) chip in iPhones for mobile wallet and related services similar to Apple Pay and Wallet app.