Will Apple allow sideloading of apps on iOS in the EU by the end of Q1 2024?

As the deadline approaches for new EU regulations, the question remains: will Apple allow sideloading of apps on iOS by the end of Q1 2024? This change could significantly alter the app landscape, enabling users to install apps outside of the App Store. While Apple has historically maintained strict control over its ecosystem, regulatory pressure may force a shift. For users concerned about security, it’s essential to stay informed. To learn more about the potential risks of sideloading, check out more insights into iPhone security and hacking.

Now this is close to actual sideloading (if you don't look at the pesky 'Eligibility and requirements' section).

https://developer.apple.com/support/web-distribution-eu/

I’m really interested in how you’ll resolve this.

@esusatyo I'm going to resolve this as NO, I don't know any 3rd party store or web page which I can use without any hacks. Feel free to share if it's possible and was possible also in Q1

@MrLuke255 Again, this is not what your description and title is evaluating. They’ve allowed it now.

@esusatyo So, the only reasonable resolution seems N/A. Sorry for the mess.

It seems that a store is approved now: https://rileytestut.com/blog/2024/04/17/introducing-altstore-pal/

I made a related market on the potential outcomes of the US DOJ vs Apple lawsuit:

It’s allowed.

The term ‘sideloading’ is so stupid. On any other platform it’s just ‘installing’ but of course Apple wants to make that sound scary.

Updates: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-announces-ability-to-download-iphone-apps-from-websites-in-eu.2421702/

@MrLuke255 Are you going to resolve this soon?

@esusatyo As soon as I will be able to install an app on my iPhone from a different source than the App Store, but without any hacks

@MrLuke255 You’ve been quite unclear here. If there’s no third party marketplace launches this month, how’d you resolve this? We’ve been able to do it for a week now, but no third party developer launched such thing.

@esusatyo How were you doing it? Any website with any app would also work for me. Maybe even this method you use, please explain

@MrLuke255 You’re mistaking “being allowed to” and “being able to”. The rule has already changed to you’re allowed to but no one is doing it yet. Your question is predicated on whether or not you’re allowed to, not whether you’re able to.

If the government says tomorrow you’re allowed to eat cats, but no restaurants are serving cats on the menu, it doesn’t mean that cats aren’t legally allowed to be sold. It’s just that restaurants decided that they won’t offer it. but it doesn’t mean that they’re not allowed to.

Your question here is asking whether or not you are allowed to install apps outside of App Store and it should’ve resolved yes days ago.

@esusatyo Apple still only allows installing apps that it has signed. Granted they now allow it independent of the App Store, they require the publisher to enter a contract with Apple that involves paying fees on app installs.

If these fees were in the thousands of dollars, I think you'd agree that Apple doesn't allow "sideloading", as that would be so unrealistically high, that it would equate to saying that they will not sign any app, and App Store remaining the sole repository.

The fee is 50 cents, and there are additional terms. Whether this is an unrealistically high bar to pass remains to be seen. If noone takes them up on their offer in 2024, it most likely is.

At least as far as I know. Granted, I haven't gotten into the nitty-gritty. Please correct me.

@kgello I guess this is a great example of a question that does not have great resolution criterieas. I bet on a lot of other markets that has a similar theme, and no one else worries about the fees.

Also, OP hasn't been responding when I asked him to clarify whether "Allowing to" is the same as "Has an app that does it". Those two are two different things, and as of today, some companies are able to do what the title of this market suggests.

predicted NO

Alternative app stores != Sideloading.

Doubly so when all apps on the alternative app stores have to be vetted by Apple.

@PaulBenjaminPhotographer I'm going to resolve the same as @firstuserhere (unless he thinks it should resolve NO 😅 ), according to his definition (in a linked question) sideloading is installing from outside of the App Store, not from a file for example.

predicted NO

@MrLuke255 What is the difference between these Alternative App stores and the various Apple app stores?

If Apple has veto power, which seems to be the current plan, it isn't side-loading in any meaningful sense of the word.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading

"When referring to iOS apps, "sideloading" means installing an app in IPA format onto an Apple device"

predicted YES

@PaulBenjaminPhotographer I feel like I should adhere to the definition used in question description. I'm open to a discussion and can leave resolution to the moderation

@MrLuke255 "not from a file"--this sounds very confusing to me. If you want to install anything you need to download an executable binary file. One criteria you might use:

Will resolve as YES when there is an app that I can install through a website without going through the App Store on an up-to-date, unmodified iPhone. Things that require technical proficiency, such as signing packages, will resolve this as NO,

@MrLuke255 any reason you haven’t resolved this yet? Seems quite clear to me the resolution criteria has been reached.

predicted YES

https://altstore.io/

predicted YES

@weissz It looks like this method was available even before this question was created and uses developer mode which might be considered a hack(?)

I planned to resolve when an alternative store can be installed without the need of PC/Mac and enabling Developer Mode. It should happen in the near feature as APIs are already available in Developer Beta

predicted YES

@MrLuke255 Hold on one second here. Read your question and then your description again: