Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Apple plans to let rival app stores on iPhones in EU

Apple plans to let rival app stores on iPhones in EU

Apple Inc is preparing to allow alternative app stores on its iPhones and iPads in the European Union as soon as late next year to comply with a new European competition law it had fought, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Opening up to outside app stores could present a major threat to Apple's fast-growing services business, but rivals would first have to surmount the hurdle of convincing consumers to leave the security and simplicity of using Apple's own store.

The magnitude of consequences depends on how the U.S. company complies with additional mandates in the European law, known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and other companies with app stores could receive boosts to sales as a result of Apple's planned change on rival storefronts.

Apple declined to comment. Meta, Amazon and Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment but a coalition of app makers said Apple must fully comply with the DMA to truly open competition.

As part of the reportedly planned change, Apple customers could ultimately install apps without using the company's App Store. But Apple has not made decisions on whether to comply with other provisions of the law, such as allowing for alternative payment systems to its own.

Permitting its payment tool to be bypassed would threaten billions of dollars in revenue Apple collects from charging a commission of up to 30% on App Store purchases.

About $10 billion worth of transactions flowed through the App Store last year, according to estimates from Sensor Tower, a mobile analytics company. At least 70% of the funds go to app makers.

Angelo Zino, a stock analyst at CFRA, said he expects under 0.2% of Apple's total sales to be affected by competing app stores in Europe.

"The ultimate impact will be minimal as most consumers are creatures of habit and are very satisfied with the platform," he said. "We expect a majority of consumers will keep the status quo by utilizing (Apple's) existing app store."

Enforcement of the European Union's DMA is expected to begin in mid-2024. The law requires big tech companies to open their systems to competitors in hopes of increasing consumer choice. The big gatekeepers, as the law describes them, face fines of up to 10% of annual global revenue for violations.

The iPhone maker has said that allowing sideloading, bypassing its App Store, exposes users to security and privacy dangers. But some regulators and critics, such as "Fortnite" maker Epic Games, have said those concerns are overblown.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted Tuesday that U.S. Congress must pass proposed legislation similar to DMA, or it "would leave American developers in serfdom."

Alphabet’s Google has allowed sideloading on phones powered by its Android operating system for years. But to take advantage, users must adjust settings and swipe past security warnings, meaning 90% of downloads still come from Google's official app store, Epic has alleged in court.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×