{"id":42443,"date":"2024-03-08T15:56:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T20:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=42443"},"modified":"2024-03-14T15:32:48","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T19:32:48","slug":"app-marketplaces-will-stop-working-if-you-travel-outside-the-eu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/08\/app-marketplaces-will-stop-working-if-you-travel-outside-the-eu\/","title":{"rendered":"App Marketplaces Will Stop Working If You Travel Outside the EU"},"content":{"rendered":"

Benjamin Mayo<\/a> (AppleInsider<\/a>, MacRumors<\/a>):<\/p>\n

iOS 17.4 in the European Union brings Apple’s first operating system release that complies with the regulatory framework of the Digital Markets Act. This includes support for alternative app stores — or as Apple calls them, ‘alternative app marketplaces’ — which allows iPhone users to download apps from outside the walls of the Apple App Store for the first time.<\/p>

The availability of functionality is geo-restricted to the EU only, and Apple has detailed for the first time how it detects this<\/a>. But perhaps more surprisingly, it also turns out that existing app marketplaces you have downloaded to your device will stop working if you leave the EU for too long.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

As long as your Apple ID origin is one of those countries, and you physically reside in them, the app marketplace features will be available.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Mysk<\/a>:<\/p>\n

This is not the case for the App Store. A German account can install apps and purchase content from the German App Store even if you’re gone for “too long”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

klabb3<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

IIUC this is a deliberate act of aggression by Apple - which is important to note. Apple already has regional accounts, so the infrastructure for this is in place already, for preexisting reasons. My Apple ID is still within US after months of being in the EU. They have not “kicked me out” yet.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Optically, this is the behavior you’d expect from companies that stopped innovating and are clinging onto power with the power of lawyers. It seems like an incredibly small hill to sacrifice your reputation on.<\/p>\n

Are their long term ambitions to live off the 30% cut? Because it sure as hell appears like they’re fighting an existential battle, which doesn’t inspire confidence in their visionary leadership. Perhaps the best thing for Apple<\/em> is to take away their comfort blanket, so they’re setting sights on innovation again.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Dare Obasanjo<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Apple’s VP of Malicious Compliance has been firing on all cylinders when it comes to “compliance” with the DMA.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Eric Schwarz<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Apple really<\/em> doesn’t want you using alternative app marketplaces[…]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Kirk McElhearn<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Currently, you can get app updates even if you’re not in the country where your Apple ID is registered. If they shut that off, that’s very dangerous.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Peter Steinberger<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Apple will not block apps from alternative app stores, just disable updating, making it fail slowly and making it look like the vendor is bad. 👍<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Jeff Johnson<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

What if the app needs a security update? Apple claims this is all about security, but it’s obviously a lie.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

John Gruber<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

What a confusing mess this is shaping up to be.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Juli Clover<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Apple today clarified<\/a> that iPhone users in the European Union can continue to update and use apps from alternative app marketplaces for a 30-day period when leaving the EU.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Oliver Haslam<\/a> (Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\n

Whether or not that will be something the European Commission takes issue with, remains to be seen. After all, an EU citizen is an EU citizen even after<\/em> they leave the EU.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n