Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly planning to implement new fees and restrictions for third-party software downloads outside its App Store in response to an upcoming European law designed to open up its closed iPhone app ecosystem.
This move, applicable only in Europe, aims to comply with the March deadline set by the EU. Under the plan, users in Europe will be able to download software onto their iPhones without relying on the App Store, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Apple's strategy is seen as a test of the legislation's enforcement, as the company faces global challenges to its control over third-party software. The tech giant asserts that its tight control is crucial for iPhone security, while critics argue it is anticompetitive, collecting high commissions and competing unfairly with its own apps.
Apple's approach to the EU law would allow the company to maintain oversight of sideloaded apps, enabling it to review each one. The company also intends to charge fees to developers offering downloads outside the App Store.
However, these plans have not been officially announced and may be subject to change. The potential restrictions and fees could reignite tensions with app developers who anticipated more freedom under the new European law.