The legislation would also facilitate the formation of third-party app repositories for iPhone and iPad, along the lines of F-Droid or Aptoide for Android.Ĭonfirming the new developments to The Verge, European Commission spokesperson Johannes Bahrke said that the legislation, once enacted, would allow users to select alternative sources of apps on their iPhone. It also has a critical provision that would force Apple to allow iPhone and iPad users to download apps from any source they want through a process known as 'sideloading.' Android users already have the ability to sideload apps, enabling them to download and install applications on their phones and tablets from just about anywhere. Related: Why Apple Never Made An iPhone 2Ĭalled the Digital Markets Act, or DMA, the proposed legislation by the European Parliament includes a number of provisions to prevent monopolistic trade practices and improve competition. The system has made Apple one of the most valuable companies on the planet with a market cap of over $2 trillion, but things could change if EU lawmakers have their way. Apple's walled ecosystem that forces users to stick to the company's own App Store for app downloads has often faced massive criticism from observers and advocacy groups for stifling competition.

Apple has often treated the prospect of third-party app stores as an existential threat, even describing them as a major risk to the safety and security of iPhone and iPad users.

Aptoide iphone