{"id":35400,"date":"2022-03-28T16:35:54","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T20:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=35400"},"modified":"2024-03-14T15:34:30","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T19:34:30","slug":"proposed-digital-markets-act-to-require-sideloading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/28\/proposed-digital-markets-act-to-require-sideloading\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed Digital Markets Act to Require Sideloading"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tim Hardwick<\/a>:<\/p>\n

European lawmakers have provisionally agreed upon a new law that would force Apple to allow user access to third-party app stores and permit the sideloading of apps on iPhones and iPads, among other sweeping changes designed to make the digital sector fairer and more competitive.<\/p>

[…]<\/p>

Today’s announcement<\/a> focuses on services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage, which will have to “open up and interoperate with smaller messaging platforms, if they so request,” according to the EU. “Users of small or big platforms would then be able to exchange messages, send files or make video calls across messaging apps, thus giving them more choice.”<\/p>

[…]<\/p>

In addition, Apple would have to allow users to uninstall its Safari browser and other stock apps so that they can replace them with third-party alternatives if they so wish.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Damien Petrilli<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

+ sideloading
\n+ alternative stores
\n+ can’t force any payment system
\n+ NFC must be accessible
\n+ must be able to set all default apps<\/p>\n

Yup. Apple lost on all fronts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Nick Lockwood<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Remember cookie banners and GDPR compliance? Companies will simply find the most user-hostile possible interpretation and then implement it in a way that makes it such a burden to use that everybody opts out.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Jon Porter and James Vincent<\/a>:<\/p>\n

“We believe that the owner of a smartphone should have the freedom to choose how to use it,” said European Commission spokesperson Johannes Bahrke in an emailed statement. “This freedom includes being able to opt for alternative sources of apps on your smartphone. With the DMA, a smartphone owner would still be able to enjoy safe and secure services of the default app store on their smart phones. On top of that, if a user so chooses, the DMA would allow a smartphone owner to also opt for other safe app stores.”<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

The DMA has not yet been voted into law by the European Parliament but is expected to be approved without much trouble. That could mean the DMA coming into force as early as October this year. Members states of the EU will then be able to choose how exactly to interpret the EU act into national law.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Steve Troughton-Smith<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

An implementation deadline of October is going to mean all hands on deck for Apple to get all of this done for iOS 16.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n