Apple is reportedly working to allow iPhones and iPads to access third-party app stores in order to comply with new European Union requirements scheduled to go into effect in 2024, but such a move won’t hurt the company too much.
Apple is working to allow direct downloads, or “sideloading” of apps from the web, including potentially third-party app stores, onto iPhones.
Currently, the iPhone’s App Store is the only way to download software onto iPhones.
At first glance, this would seem to address the biggest antitrust complaint Apple has faced over the past decade… In the very unlikely worst-case scenario for Apple, if alternative app stores in Europe resulted in a total loss of App Store sales in the region, it would only dent Apple’s services business by about 4%, its total revenue by about 1%, and its earnings per share by 2.5%, according to a Morgan Stanley estimate published Wednesday.
Apple reported $394 billion in total sales, with $78 billion coming from services, in its 2022 fiscal year, which ended in September.
MacDailyNews Take: Adding the ability to access third-party app stores for iPhone and iPad also removes a selling point for Android phones and tablets, a crucial selling point for some, that is likely to result in further acceleration of Android to iPhone upgraders. So, third-party app stores for iPhone and iPad won’t hurt Apple too much. In fact, it might even benefit Apple.
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