From CNET: Apple is preparing to give outside app stores access to its iPhones and iPads in the European Union to comply with a new competition law, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
As part of the changes, Apple users would be allowed to install third-party apps without going through the company's App Store, bypassing the tech giant's app restrictions and the up to 30% commission it charges on App Store purchases, according to Bloomberg's report.
The reported moves -- a reversal of longstanding Apple policy -- are in response to the EU's Digital Markets Act, sweeping new internet rules designed to create fair and open competition in the digital realm. Large tech companies that fail to comply with the new rules could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue -- potentially reaching billions of dollars.
While other phone makers such as Google and Samsung also have their own app stores, they often allow sideloading, where users can find and download apps from sources other than their device's primary app store. However, Apple has only allowed iPhone and iPad apps to be downloaded from its App Store, arguing that sideloading could hurt phone security.
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