iPad customers will miss out on third-party app shops, browser engines, and extra
Yesterday, Apple announced some main adjustments to the App Retailer and the broader iPhone platform within the European Union, together with help for different app marketplaces. There’s one piece of nuance that Apple is now clarifying.
A few of these adjustments are coming to all of Apple’s platforms, whereas others are coming solely to the iPhone and never the iPad.
There’s purpose for this nuance. Apple explains that the European Union dominated that iOS is a gatekeeper platform as a part of the Digital Markets Act. This is applicable solely to iOS on the iPhone. iPadOS on the iPad is a very completely different platform within the eyes of Apple and the European Fee.
However, the Digital Markets Act designates everything of the App Retailer as a gatekeeper service. Within the eyes of the European Fee, this contains the App Retailer throughout all of Apple’s platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
With that in thoughts, Apple has bifurcated these adjustments based mostly on the necessities of the DMA. Modifications coming to the App Retailer are coming to all of Apple’s platforms, whereas adjustments to the iPhone are coming solely to the iPhone, even when iOS shares loads of the identical codebase as iPadOS.
Right here’s what which means in observe.
- The flexibility to put in third-party app marketplaces and obtain apps from third-party app marketplaces will likely be an choice solely on the iPhone.
- The brand new prompt in Safari that asks customers to choose a default browser engine is coming solely to the iPhone.
- Help for third-party browser engines is coming solely to the iPhone.
- The flexibility to set default NFC and pockets apps will solely be obtainable on the iPhone.
- Modifications to App Retailer coverage to permit alternative payments and lower commissions have an effect on the App Retailer throughout all Apple platforms.
- Modifications to the App Retailer tips to permit game streaming apps affect all of Apple’s platforms.
All of those adjustments are coming as a part of iOS 17.4, which is currently available in developer beta testing.
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