The emergence of external application stores for iOS is a first step in confronting Apple’s historical dominance in publishing applications (Reuters)
Following the issuance of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) from the European Union, the application store market began to transform, especially in the application system of the “iOS” operating system for iPhone phones, according to a report by “The Verge” website. .
This law determined that Apple had a monopoly on the application business model used in its store, which was categorically rejected by the European Union Council, and imposed on the American company to comply with the Council’s decision in order to continue selling its phones within Europe.
The emergence of third-party app stores for iOS is the first step in countering Apple's historical dominance in app publishing, a change that could redefine the digital content landscape and the ways iPhone users access apps.
It is noteworthy that external applications are official applications that can be installed on the phone without the need for the official application store to be present or used at all, which happens by using completely external application stores or even by downloading the source file for the application from the developer’s website itself.
The Android system has many different external store applications, whether they are official from Google or installed through various websites. The user can also install any application that has its own source file in his phone’s memory.
The new change occurring in the Apple App Store is similar to this, and allows developers to get rid of the restrictions that the company places on the applications that are installed through it, and it destabilizes the company’s control over its closed operating system.
The spread of third-party application stores
The first to start in this new field is Mobivention, a store that primarily targets B2B applications. However, the wider consumer audience is eagerly awaiting the entry of more familiar names such as Epic Games and Setapp.
But it is the AltStore platform developed by Riley Testut that stands out as a beacon of change in this market.
The “AltStore” platform, an alternative to the Apple App Store, initially gained momentum by introducing the “Delta” application (The Verge).
This innovative platform, an alternative to the Apple App Store, initially gained momentum with the introduction of the “Delta” application, an emulator for Nintendo devices, and now the platform is expanding further in its reach.
The idea of this alternative store is simple and revolutionary at the same time, because it provides an alternative to the official application store from Apple, but without the need to jailbreak the user’s device as some other stores require, which has led to the existence of an application market that is not only related to the publishing process, but is also linked to enhancing the user experience. the user.
Despite the difficulties facing this market, the “Alt Store” has made great strides in this field, as it has provided a platform for applications such as the “Delta” application, which has resonated with users, especially as it provides a gaming experience that revives historical classic games on Nintendo devices. .
The app's ease of use, along with the ability to connect external controllers, enhances its appeal, even when users navigate touchscreen controls that are less familiar to them.
Difficulties facing this market
Apple's compliance with the law was of course not enough for more external stores to appear, because the company makes things difficult and charges developers fees for installing applications, thus affecting the operating costs of these external stores.
The process of installing apps themselves from third-party stores on iPhones represents another challenge, as it exposes a more complex and less intuitive process compared to Apple's simple and smooth approach for the average user.
It goes like this: You start by clicking on a link from your browser to download the alternative store. From there, you receive an alert message telling you that the installation settings on your phone do not allow downloading stores from that developer.
Then you go to Settings, activate the option to install the store, return to your browser, click on the download link again, and you will receive another prompt asking you to confirm the installation.
Finally, you can open the store and browse its available apps. This complicated process can lead to a difficult and frustrating user experience, and may prevent any potential user from trying it.
The process of installing the same apps from third-party stores on iPhones represents another challenge (The Verge)
Security is also a major concern within the broader discussion about third-party app stores. Apple's argument is that these platforms could compromise the integrity of the iOS ecosystem.
Therefore, Apple's application review and certification process aims to reduce these risks and ensure that applications from external sources adhere to the basic security and quality standards of iOS.
All of this makes the process of moving to external application stores a matter surrounded by many doubts, as the user who is accustomed to the reliability and security of the official application store may hesitate to explore such new platforms, for fear of potential risks and lack of knowledge of the quality of applications within these stores.
As events unfold in the future, it has become clear that third-party app stores for iOS are at a crossroads. It presents a vision of a more diverse and open digital market, where innovation and user choices are paramount. However, it also faces the daunting task of matching the security, seamless user experience, and trust that Apple has fostered over the years in its official app store.
In this context, the success of third-party app stores will likely depend on their ability to reconcile these conflicting requirements: providing an innovative and unique app experience while ensuring security, privacy, and user trust.
Source: websites