/ The alteration is coming alongside the merchandise of iPadOS 18 connected September 16th.
By Jess Weatherbed, a quality writer focused connected originative industries, computing, and net culture. Jess started her vocation astatine TechRadar, covering quality and hardware reviews.
Sep 13, 2024, 12:33 PM UTC
Apple volition fto iPad users successful the European Union download apps from alternate app marketplaces starting adjacent week, coinciding with the merchandise of iPadOS 18 connected September 16th. The alteration comes aft the iPad operating strategy was designated a “core level service” in April nether the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) — the same rules that forced the institution to let third-party app stores connected iPhones earlier this year.
Apple had six months to guarantee iPadOS was compliant with DMA obligations, which see allowing users successful the EU to download apps from extracurricular the Apple App Store, uninstall preloaded iPad apps, and take their ain default apps similar browsers. It besides opens up iPadOS, similar iOS, to apps that usage alternative browser engines different than WebKit, but we’re inactive waiting connected this.
The iPhone shaper initially argued that iPadOS didn’t conscionable the required idiosyncratic threshold for DMA, but it was nevertheless determined to beryllium an “important gateway connected which galore companies trust to scope their customers,” according to EU antitrust main Margrethe Vestager.
A fistful of third-party app stores person already launched for iPhone users successful the EU specified arsenic Setapp Mobile, AltStore PAL, and the caller Epic Games Store, which has already committed to supporting iPads. So clasp choky Fortnite fans, you’ll soon person a larger show enactment for on-the-go gaming.