Last year, the EU introduced new rules for big tech companies deemed gatekeepers as part of its Digital Markets Act (DMA). Among the targeted companies are Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, but also Apple. While Google only had tochange a few detailsabout the way it handles Android with some smallAndroid 14upgrades, Apple was forced to drastically change its iPhone app store model, opening up its platform for third-party app markets and allowing more types of previously forbidden apps.
With the DMA slated to go into full effect this week, Apple has released a special update to make its software compliant with the EU’s new rules, iOS 17.4. As someone who predominantly uses Android and happens to live in the EU, I was curious to see just how much closer this brings iPhones to an Android-like experience. Here’s what I found out.
New EU laws aim to curb ‘gatekeeping’ by big tech companies
Google is one of six companies being targeted by the European Commission
The new iOS doesn’t look much different from the old one
Barely anything has changed on the surface
Right after I installed iOS 17.4 on my trusty iPhone 13, I noticed there aren’t any pointers to the big changes under the hood. The one thing I was immediately prompted to set up was Stolen Device Protection, which makes it harder for thieves to take over your Apple account even when they’ve obtained your PIN. This feature is available around the globe, though, and it’s a much-needed improvement I wish we would also get on Android.
The other thing that I was quick to notice was a new prompt to select my preferred browser when I first launched Safari. I was presented with a selection of 12 alternatives, including big names like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia, but this is nothing new to me. In the EU, Android has had to show a similar screen for a long time now. On iOS, I ended up switching back to my old default after testing what happens when I select Chrome: Safari.
Here’s what happens if you were to switch to Chrome following the update
That’s right, I’m a Safari user on my iPhone. I have Google Chrome installed for bookmark and history syncing if I need to reference something I looked up on another device, but I mainly use Safari for everything else on the phone. I think Safari offers the most intuitive interface once you’ve got your head wrapped around its gestures.
The other reason is that using a different browser isn’t really a thing on iOS. Under Apple’s rules, all browsers have to use the Safari rendering engine, which means that all the others are just a different interface slapped on top of web content rendered by Safari.
Browsers and payments apps have yet to pop up
Other browser engines and contactless payment apps are still missing
With iOS 17.4, the browser situation is changing in the EU, as other developers are allowed to use their own engines. However, neither Google nor Mozilla have released such versions of their browsers for the iPhone just yet, and there are some roadblocks. The biggest one is that these special versions of their browsers would only be available in the EU, forcing companies to devote a disproportionate amount of resources to a comparatively small market and maintain two different versions of their products in the EU and the rest of the world.
Apple also said that other browsers will only be greenlit “after meeting specific criteria and committing to a number of ongoing privacy and security requirements,” which all in all sounds like a lot of work for only 450 million prospective users. Nevertheless, Googleseems to be working on a Blink-based version of Chrome for iOS, so there could be hope.
Chrome for iOS offers some smart features you don’t get on Android, like a bottom-based address bar, but it’s still just Safari dressed up with a different UI
A similar problem affects payment apps that want to use Apple’s NFC chip directly, bypassing Apple Pay. I ended up switching banks after I was forced to use a poorly designed and expensive third-party app provided by my bank for mobile payments on Android, so I’m not sure any financial institute would do itself any favors if it walked away from the well-designed and fully integrated Apple Wallet system. Banks may have to pay a fee to Apple for every transaction, but developing their own payment app isn’t free, either.
The app stores aren’t here yet
Third-party app markets are now allowed, but there aren’t any just yet
The theme continues with app stores themselves. While Epic and at least two more companies have announced plans to launch their own app stores, they’re not available just yet. Given the convoluted process that Apple set up for third-party app stores, it may take a longer while until they’re available, too.
Launching an app store for the iPhoneinvolves a lot of steps, including a “stand-by letter of credit in the amount of €1,000,000” from a reputable financial institution. This requirement almost certainly puts a stop to open-source projects like F-Droid, an alternative to the Play Store on Android filled only with FOSS apps. But even beyond that, app stores have to agree to some rules, including Apple scanning newly submitted apps for technical compatibility, weeding out those that may attempt to use private or hidden APIs.
Apple advertises what makes its App Store great on first launch after the update
On top of this, for-profit marketplace developers have to pay a “Technology Fee” for each first annual install of €0.50. Depending on how the app store makes money, a sudden spike in popularity could backfire. At least there are fee waivers for non-profits, government agencies, and educational institutions.
All these things are much easier to accomplish on Android, where basically anyone can start an app store — not to mention the fact that you’re able to simply download an app from the web, without any app store involved in the process. There are security and convenience reasons to stick with the Play Store and other trustworthy sources, but the Play Store is competing with other app distribution forms much more directly.
The new changes don’t apply for iPads
The EU rules only affect iPhones
Another thing that may make the new EU rules uninteresting for many people is the fact that they don’t apply for iPads. People who have both an iPhone and iPad may still prefer to stick with the original App Store. An app they buy on the App Store once can be used across both iOS and iPadOS, while they’d have to make two separate purchases on their iPhone and iPad otherwise.
Android tablets and Android phones offer the same app stores, third-party or not
It’s also not exactly confidence inspiring that Apple will revoke access to alternative app stores when you leave Europe for too long. A European exchange student staying in the US for a year may suddenly need to reinstall big bulks of their apps once Apple deems that they haven’t been home long enough, with some possibly not available at all.
While Android may not have a thriving ecosystem ofgreat tablets, you can easily install the same third-party app stores on your phone and tablet — no matter where you live.
iOS is now closer to Android, in theory
Only time will tell if third-party developers will take advantage of the new rules
In theory, iOS is now much closer to Android than it’s ever been, but in practice, this change is still invisible. Right now, I can’t install any third-party app stores or browsers with different engines. It’s slightly simpler to change my default browser during my first Safari launch, but without any truly different browsers available, that’s moot. The regional limitations are another downer, making the digital world even more fragmented than it already is.
In the long run, it remains to be seen whether third-party app stores can truly thrive in the EU. Epic Games will almost certainly gain popularity purely because it will be the only way to get Fortnite on iOS. There is also a market for business-focused stores with special requirements for device management and more, which is whatGerman firm Mobivention wants to focus on. Mac app subscription service Setapp is also planning its own iOS app store in Europe. It’s just a shame that these fun and potentially innovative solutions may not come to the global market anytime soon.
