SNEAK PEEK
- Apple is looking forward to iOS apps’ installation from external sources as a result of forthcoming EU regulations.
- The move will allow developers to establish apps based on NFTs besides expanding the ability to carry out crypto payments via iPads and iPhones.
- The company is all set to open iOS to competing app stores; however, in Europe only.
Apple is set to open its ecosystem, something that seems to benefit applications based on non-fungible tokens. The move may also grow the possibility of carrying out crypto payments.
According to reports, Apple is looking forward to allowing apps’ installation from external sources that are beyond its personal App Store on both iPads and iPhones. The changes are a result of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which asks tech-based firms to comply with the restrictions by 2024.
The launch to support external applications from marketplaces, as well as third-party sources, is set to initiate exclusively in Europe. Moreover, the functionality is possible to be outgrown to various other territories based on whether or not such nations follow related regulations.
Apple is eyeing to release the feature in the iOS 17 software update, which will release in the upcoming fall, according to the annual launch schedule.
Currently, the company is considering whether to enable third-party apps to utilize their personal payments infrastructure rather than pushing developers to direct payments via the payments setup of Apple. If the shift is applied, it will become easy to spend crypto via iPad and iPhone apps.
The changes have happened during the increasing resistance to the close ecosystem of Apple, which clashes with the ethos of Web3 decentralization but has also resulted in limitations on how apps can use NFT assets. The company upgraded its developed guidelines in October and mentioned that it is impossible to utilize NFTs to gate access to content or features inside apps.
Buying NFT is subject to the 30% fee of Apple, which is an impossible limitation to impose on the secondary market. Talking about markets like Magic Eden and OpenSea, their iOS apps enable users to only browse non-fungible tokens and not purchase or sell them via the app.
Recently, Coinbase shared that it was disabling NFT transfers via its Wallet app because Apple urges users to pay 30% of the network gas fees.
Dan Finlay, co-founder of MetaMask and a former employee at Apple, showed support for Coinbase. He recommended that MetaMask might be the next to be affected by Apple’s rules. Besides Web3 developers, there are others as well who are against Apple. Epic Games sued the company after its famous Fortnite game was blocked.
Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, took to Twitter to share that lawmakers must urge Apple to open up its ecosystem in the US too.
Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, says Apple is preparing to open iOS to competing app stores – but only in Europe.
— Possibly Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) December 13, 2022
This would leave American developers in serfdom in the nation where Apple was founded.
Congress must pass the Open Apps Market Act! https://t.co/GnCChgi0hX
Elon Musk has also complained about policies of Apple and asked if the company is against free speech owing to Apple cutting its ad expenses on the social media platform. He further said that Apple was planning to remove the Twitter app, but later called it a misunderstanding after a meeting with Tim Cook, Apple CEO.
