Revolutionary changes in iOS: Sideloading is coming, Apple introduces new fees

26. 01. 2024 | Natalie Bezděková

A major announcement from Apple has confirmed that sideloading, or the ability to install apps from alternative stores, will be available to iPhone users with the arrival of iOS 17.4 this March. However, this news will only apply to users in the 27 countries of the European Union and will come with complex rules. In addition, Apple, seemingly disregarding European directives, is introducing a new fee for developers of the most downloaded apps.

Although it will be possible to download apps from alternative stores, users will have to go through Apple’s approval process, which involves manually granting permission to download additional apps after installation. This means that despite the expansion of sideloading options, Apple will still control the distribution of apps on its platform.

Apple’s security statement includes 22 mentions of the word ‘risk’, suggesting that the adoption of sideloading in the EU is seen as a necessity rather than a voluntary choice. Apple emphasises the protection of users from various risks such as malware, fraud and illegal content. In this context, it is introducing new security measures, including notarisation for iOS apps, authorisation of developers on app stores and disclosure of information on alternative payment methods.

The new rules on app distribution will only apply to Europe. Developers who choose to distribute apps through the App Store will pay a 17% fee on digital products and services instead of the previous 30%. For those who fall under the App Store Small Business programme, the fees will be reduced to 10%. In addition, a new Core Technology Fee is being introduced, which will be paid by developers for each app installation exceeding one million downloads in a year.

As part of the new options for users, Apple is opening up the NFC chip for alternative payment methods and allowing alternative browsers that don’t have WebKit at their core to be downloaded. This will be the first time users will encounter full-fledged web browser competition on their iOS devices.

Representing one of the most important updates for European users, iOS 17.4 is expected to be available in March this year. Apple is thus responding to pressure and demands from European regulators and users for more openness and competition on its platform.

Photo source: www.pexels.com

Author of this article

Natalie Bezděková

I am a student of Master's degree in Political Science. I am interested in marketing, especially copywriting and social media. I also focus on political and social events at home and abroad and technological innovations. My free time is filled with sports, reading and a passion for travel.

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    The day American democracy was shaken

    6. 01. 2025 | Natalie Bezděková

    On Monday, the US Congress formally confirmed the results of the previous presidential election, which Donald Trump won. Exactly four years before that, however, the Capitol was the scene of a violent attack by supporters of the then president-elect.

    The attackers assaulted police officers with fists, flagpoles and pepper spray, kicking or stomping on some as they lay on the ground. More than a hundred police officers sustained injuries, and four later took their own lives. On January 6, 2021, demonstrators broke into the Capitol building by smashing windows and breaking down doors. Some destroyed equipment in congressmen’s offices, took items as souvenirs, and even committed acts of rudeness against members who had to take cover behind desks with gas masks. The crowd also threatened Vice President Mike Pence, with some chanting calls for his hanging. The MPs were evacuated but later returned and completed the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.

    Many politicians have blamed outgoing President Trump for the riots. Mitch McConnell, then the Republican head of the Senate, called the crowd manipulated by lies spread by Trump and other influential figures. A January 2021 poll showed that nearly 60 percent of Americans did not want Trump to hold political office in the future. On the other hand, two-thirds of Republican voters expressed the belief that Biden’s victory was not legitimate.Trump initially responded to the riots with criticism, condemning the violence as “hyenism” and promising to punish the perpetrators. Later, however, his allies and the conservative media began to downplay the events and spread conspiracy theories. Some claimed that infiltrators from government circles had instigated the violence or that it was the work of masked Antifa members. Republican Andrew Clyde called the attack on the Capitol a “routine tourist tour,” while Tucker Carlson of Fox News produced a documentary claiming that the events were staged by Democrats to damage the conservative movement.Gradually, the rhetoric of Trump’s supporters changed. The perpetrators of the riots were portrayed as patriots, victims of the system and heroes. Trump described them as “beautiful people” and called 6 January “the day of love”. A key moment of this change was the release of the Justice for All recording, where Trump and the imprisoned attackers recited the national anthem together. The recording went viral on social media and was used at Trump’s campaign rallies. Trump has also promised to pardon all those convicted if he is re-elected president, a move that most Americans reject. A CNN poll showed that 59 percent of respondents disagree with the idea of pardons for those involved in violence. Yet the Capitol riots have not become a focal point of the assessment of Trump’s first presidential term. Only five percent of respondents cited the events of January 6 as a key moment in his administration, which analysts say enabled Trump’s political comeback.

    Joe Biden, whose victory Trump still has not acknowledged, in his text for The Washington Post stressed the need to preserve the truthful image of this event. He warned of attempts to manipulate the facts and downplay the whole incident. At the same time, he promised a peaceful transfer of power, which was overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Photo source: www.pexels.com

    Author of this article

    Natalie Bezděková

    I am a student of Master's degree in Political Science. I am interested in marketing, especially copywriting and social media. I also focus on political and social events at home and abroad and technological innovations. My free time is filled with sports, reading and a passion for travel.

    WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL?

    Support us to keep up the good work and to provide you even better content. Your donations will be used to help students get access to quality content for free and pay our contributors’ salaries, who work hard to create this website content! Thank you for all your support!

    Write a comment