If you thought the release of the latest iPhone software, iOS 17.4, meant things could return to normal in the iPhone world, think again. apple Just announced New details on how the iPhone has changed. In response to the EU's Digital Markets Act, Apple's rule change updates how app marketplaces work on iPhone. These changes are for EU residents now, but governments around the world will be looking closely to see if they should adopt similar legislation. Look at this space.
March 13 update below. This post was first published on March 12, 2024.
Previously, Apple said that if you're an App Market operator, you need to allow submissions from other developers. Today's change means that marketplaces can choose to offer apps from only one developer.
“We're providing more flexibility to developers distributing apps in the European Union (EU), including introducing a new way to distribute apps directly from the developer's website,” Apple says.
Provided the developer agrees to the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps, they have new options for their Apps.
First, they can look for alternative app markets. “Markets can choose to only provide a list of apps from the marketplace developer.”
Or they can link to purchase. This means that “when users are directed to complete a transaction for digital goods or services on an external web page, developers can choose how to design promotions, discounts, and other deals.” Apple-provided design templates, optimized for major purchases and promotional use, are now optional.
This is a big difference, as it gives developers more freedom in how they handle digital goods.
Then, within weeks, comes the biggest change of all. Apple describes it this way: “Web Distribution, available with a software update later this spring, will allow approved developers to distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a developer-owned website. Apple will provide approved developers with access to the Application programming that facilitates distribution of their applications from the web, integration with system functions, backup and restore of users' applications, and more.
It is difficult to comprehend the extent of this dramatic change. Until now, you could download Progressive Web Apps, but the right apps had to come from only one place: the App Store.
With this change, when it happens, EU users will be able to go to a website and click on a download link. Things are moving quickly for the iPhone.
Updated March 13. Proof, if proof were needed, that the latest changes to the iPhone due to DMA are having an immediate impact, came today from a browser company.
brave, Which describes itself As “the browser that puts you first,” he says there has been a significant increase in iPhone installs since the launch of the iOS 17.4 update. In a post on site New virtual on March 6y“.
It also posted a graph showing that daily installs, which were between 7,000 and 8,000 in late January, rose to 11,000 once iOS 17.4 was released.
This is because one of the elements that Apple has added to comply with the legislation is the new splash screen that appears to users when they open Safari for the first time after installing the update. For the first time, Apple is providing a list of the most downloaded browsers, in random order, for users to choose from.
As you know, these requirements are specific to the European Union at the moment, but other countries could implement similar changes in the future.
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