Will Apple allow alternative app stores by the start of 2024?
67
627
αΉ€1.9K
resolved Dec 31
Resolved
NO

Apple recently announced that they will allow third-party app stores by the start of 2024, in accordance with EU regulations coming into effect then.

https://9to5mac.com/2022/12/13/apple-alternative-app-stores-iphone/

This market will resolve YES if I can download a third-party app store and then install an app from that app store on my iPhone, and NO otherwise. A situation where the apps need to be signed by Apple would still resolve YES, as long as the alternative app stores are still largely independent. For example, if there's a flat "verification" fee that the developer of an app on the app store pays, but sales from the alternate app store do not go to Apple, that would count as third-party. The alternate app store needs to be free to download and installable without having a separate computer (since many iPhone users do not have separate computers).

My iPhone is not jailbroken and will not be jailbroken; this needs to be a feature supported by Apple. I will run the most up-to-date non-beta iOS version though.


In the event that it is region locked to the EU, and I am not in the EU, I will also resolve this YES if someone who is based in the EU provides concrete proof of this being possible (eg. a video of it being done). The same goes if this is limited to some other region, such as China or India.

This market can resolve YES early, in the case where I can successfully do this before the start of 2024.

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Not available yet unfortunately. Sounds like it might be possible in a few months, but not now.

bought αΉ€30 of NO

Betting "No" given the market close date of midnight December 31st / January 1st.

https://9to5mac.com/2023/07/04/third-party-app-stores-deadline/

Apple will have until March 5 next year to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act, which in theory means that it will have to permit either third-party app stores, or sideloading of apps, by that date.

In the event that this is technically possible (it is supported by the iOS version), but no one has actually released an app store yet (because it takes time to develop), I plan to resolve YES. Does anyone have a disagreement?

So Roblox can start calling their games games instead of β€œexperiences”?

Are you in the EU?

@ahalekelly Good question! I may or may not be living in the EU at the time of this resolving. (Genuinely don't know, but I would guess >50% chance.)

In the event that it is region locked to the EU, and I am not in the EU, I will also resolve this YES if someone who is based in the EU provides concrete proof of this being possible (eg. a video of it being done).

I'll add this to the market description (hopefully no one disagrees with this ruling; if you do, let me know and I'll send you mana for the difference).

bought αΉ€100 of YES

@Gabrielle Ok thanks! I made a market for whether this will be region locked.