According to Reports, Apple is getting ready to let Third-Party App stores run on iOS

iOS 17 might result in significant changes to Apple's mobile ecosystem.

According to reports, Apple is getting ready to let rival app shops access iOS. The company's software and services teams are rebuilding the platform to "open up crucial parts," according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. Apple is likely to give users of the iPhone and iPad the opportunity to download third-party programs without using the App Store as a result of this endeavor. Developers would thus be able to escape the infamous 30 and 15 % payment charges levied by the business. The upcoming fees, according to Gurman, are primarily intended to appease European Union legislators who just passed the bloc's comprehensive Digital Markets and Services Act. They will be introduced first on the continent before perhaps spreading to other regions.

In response to Engadget's request for comment, Apple remained silent.

Apple intends to have the adjustments prepared for release alongside iOS 17 next year, claims Gurman. The Digital Markets Act must be fully complied with by businesses by 2024. The law presents significant difficulties for Apple since it makes many of the roadblocks that the corporation has used to make it difficult for users to switch from iOS illegal. For instance, the act mandates equitable access for outside developers to fundamental operating system functions as well as compatibility between various messaging platforms. Importantly, it also requires platform holders to permit sideloading.

Apple has pushed against sideloading time and time again, claiming it poses a security and privacy concern. According to Gurman, the business is debating whether to impose specific security standards on applications released outside the App Store. He speculates that these apps "may also need to be verified by Apple – a procedure that could carry a price."

The Digital Markets Act has the potential to bring about other significant changes to iOS. Apple might allow third-party developers access to key APIs and capabilities, including those that govern the iPhone's NFC and camera systems. Historically, the iPhone's NFC chip has only been accessible through the company's Wallet app and Apple Pay service. Additionally, the business is debating whether to abandon its long-standing demand that third-party browsers utilize its WebKit technology. Additionally, Apple might give rivals like Tile more access to its Find My Network.

However, it seems there are other golden gooses the tech giant may be far less willing to part with. In particular, Gurman claims that iMessage RCS integration is not currently on the table. For years, Google has promoted the messaging standard, even publicly chastising Apple for not using it. It's difficult to predict if Apple will agree to the same terms in the US. Gurman points out that the work the company is doing may "set the foundation" for developments of a similar nature in other areas. The Open App Markets Act, the equivalent of the Digital Markets Act being considered by American legislators, has not yet been approved.