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Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

macrumors.com

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Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#81

Post by LordKeren »

realusername wrote: post #35
Spivak wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which part? I don't think the EU can rule that Apple can't charge publishers to be on iOS. This isn't malicious compliance, sans the size requirement it's exactly what they asked for. This keeps happening where people keep hitching "I don't want to pay Apple" to every wagon except a law that requires Apple to make access to iOS free. "Allow other payment processors": Okay you still pay 27% "Allow other stores": Okay…

Just the size requirement makes it useless, why would anybody bother with a web distribution if they already have 1 million (!) installs on the appstore where they already have all their customers?

The front runners for doing this would probably be Google and Meta. Large companies that publish several ad-supported apps. Side stepping the App Store would let them revert Apple’s privacy protections for tracking

However, I believe another statute of Apple’s implementation is that developers must pick. App Store or Self Distribution— an app cannot be both

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#82

Post by chaostheory »

Thorrez wrote: post #74
shiandow wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suppose the next stage of malicious compliance will be to allow absolutely everyone to publish apps everywhere , but with some technical warning that is designed to be ignored.

What's malicious about that? That the warning is designed to be ignored? If they deleted the warning, would that be much different?

The same reason it’s frowned upon to install random apps from the internet onto your PC. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#83

Post by LordKeren »

resource_waste wrote: post #47

Oh man Apple is finally getting a feature Android had for 10+ years! Maybe in like 20 years iphones will finally have the features a $100 android has and will be up to bare basic standards. I def look sideways at people who buy a used $300 iphone when you can get a safer, higher quality, more feature phone with more for $150. This is different from someone buying Nike Jordans because they are status insecure, because…

You shouldn’t let people’s decisions around phone purchases bother you

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#84

Post by Etheryte »

The terms and conditions for web distribution [0] are concerning to say the least. In short, you have to have at least one million first installs annually on iOS to even qualify, in addition to other terms such as "good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more". I doubt Epic and the like would be considered in good standing as far as Apple is concerned. Also, quote unquote, developers will pay a core technology fee of €0.50 for each first annual install over one million in the past 12 months.

I don't see this ending well for Apple in any measure. It seems they think the EU lawmakers will just go away if they stick their fingers in their ears hard enough, but that's not how the EU works. The gears of EU turn slowly, but grind finely.

[0] https://developer.apple.com/support/web-distribution-eu/

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#85

Post by rekoil »

markus92 wrote: post #78
okso wrote: post #73

Apple keeps a strong control nevertheless, as detailed in the page "Getting ready for Web Distribution in the EU." > Apps offered through Web Distribution must meet Notarization requirements to protect platform integrity, like all iOS apps, and can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect. Further, the conditions for eligibility seem to block access to new startup…

The one million requirement is where you start paying them the 50cts per install, right?

It is indeed.

Can't have this being used by those who might not net Apple any money, they're locked out obviously. Fair and reasonable. /s

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#86

Post by nottorp »

yaris wrote: post #79
nottorp wrote: post #72

As an Apple customer in the EU, I'm staying on iOS 17.3 until they rewrite 17.4 4-5 times based on how many times they get fined again for malicious compliance.

"Always wait for a point release". It seems for this we need to wait for the _next_ point release. It should become clearer for EU side of the movement also - it is far from certain that Apple to be the one f*cked.

I don't trust the EU much to fix the things that I personally care about indeed.

Namely: unrestricted access for new, small entrants. Less restrictions on utilities. Stuff like that.

My favourite pet example: I want DaisyDisk for iOS. What does Cook need threatening with to allow that?

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#87

Post by MatthiasPortzel »

bogwog wrote: post #67

> Alternative app marketplaces. Marketplaces can choose to offer a catalog of apps solely from the developer of the marketplace. How does that count as a "marketplace"? > Web Distribution ... will let authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website owned by the developer All of this just makes it crystal clear what Apple's goal is: to prevent competition. It's not about security li…

Before this, if you had an alternative marketplace, you had to accept submissions from other developers. You are still allowed to accept submissions from other developers, but are no longer required to.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#88

Post by pavlov »

shinryuu wrote: post #75

> Web Distribution, available with a software update later this spring, will let authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website owned by the developer. iPhone users don't really own their own device, do they...

The iPhone revolution was that your phone used to be owned by the carrier, but now was owned by Apple, and Jobs got away with it.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#89

Post by MatthiasPortzel »

Etheryte wrote: post #84

The terms and conditions for web distribution [0] are concerning to say the least. In short, you have to have at least one million first installs annually on iOS to even qualify, in addition to other terms such as "good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more". I doubt Epic and the like would be considered in good standing as far as Apple is concerned. Also, quote unquote, developers…

They’re the same terms as those required for an alternative app marketplace.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#90

Post by andersa »

nottorp wrote: post #86
yaris wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Always wait for a point release". It seems for this we need to wait for the _next_ point release. It should become clearer for EU side of the movement also - it is far from certain that Apple to be the one f*cked.

I don't trust the EU much to fix the things that I personally care about indeed. Namely: unrestricted access for new, small entrants. Less restrictions on utilities. Stuff like that. My favourite pet example: I want DaisyDisk for iOS. What does Cook need threatening with to allow that?

That's actually exactly what the DMA is supposed to solve. So maybe you just need to wait.
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