Apple's EU app sideloading expected to debut in iOS 17.4 and testing could begin soon

Ever since the iPhone was first released in 2007 the only way to install apps has been via the App Store, unless you went down the jailbreaking route of course. But that's all expected to change soon with customers in the EU likely to be allowed to sideload apps as soon as March.

That's the case thanks to an EU Digital Markets Act requirement for Apple to allow sideloading by March 6, and it's believed that Apple is getting ready to add support for sideloading in the upcoming iOS 17.4 release. That update hasn't begun beta testing yet, but MacRumors reports that it expects the first beta to be released as early as next week.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook famously said that allowing app sideloading on the iPhone "would destroy the security of the iPhone and a lot of the privacy initiatives that we've built into the App Store." But that's a stance that is going to have to change by March 6. It isn't yet clear exactly how Apple will handle sideloading however, and it's likely that the company will still require that app developers pay it a commission based on sales made via iPhone apps. Apple recently began to allow developers to direct users to payment methods outside of the App Store, but it still requires a 27% commission on those sales, and something similar could be enforced with sideloading, too.

It's important to remember that these sideloading changes will only apply to iPhones in the EU but international lawmakers are also considering forcing Apple to open the App Store and iPhone up in their countries, too.