How would that even work? Apps distributed outside the App Store would not (necessarily) be submitted to Apple to review, and the developer of sideloaded apps may not be identifiable to charge fees too.
I suppose they could mandate some sort of signing system for sideloaded executables but I have a feeling the EU would consider that a further abuse.
It will all come out in the wash, but if the rumours are true Apple seems to be going about this in the worst way possible.
This is equivalent to getting a speeding ticket while your car is on a flatbed
I should be able to run any software I see fit on a piece of hardware I own without a corporation acting as a gatekeeper. I hope the EU finds this unacceptable because it’s frankly bullshit.
If this is a priority, buy different hardware.
You never purchased an iOS or iPadOS device with Apple promising unlimited side loading.
And speaking of which, unless you’re a member of the EU, no sideload for you.
As a power user, I find Apple’s approach to sideloading insulting as a customer and blatantly anticompetitive.
I buy an Apple phone because the phone market is effectively a duopoly: Android or iOS. I choose iOS over Android because of its much longer security support window and better accessory ecosystem (AirPods Pro + Apple Watch in particular), and also because I don’t want absolutely everything in my life to be owned by Google.
None of that detracts from the fact that Apple’s position on this issue hurts its customers and is fucking annoying. And their claims of “it’s for security” are disingenuous at best.
Oh well. You gotta decide which is more important to you. Seems that you won’t get both.
Sure, but I should be able to have both. We used to have both, and it was taken from us by monopolistic megacorps.
So, I accept that the situation is what it is, but I’m allowed to be pissed off about it. I’m also allowed to support regulations that would force Apple to give their users options.
I know all this, still want Apple to get dragged kicking and screaming to a place that’s not so damned anticompetitive.