It seems regulatory issues continue to haunt Apple (including a recent UK law conflict), but this time the tech giant is making sure it doesn’t let it slide.
Apple is strongly opposed to a recent EU regulatory ruling, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to allow third-party app stores on top iPhones. According to a whitepaper published by the company, this sideloading was severely criticized as something that would be incredibly dangerous to consumers.
And while Apple is forced to comply, it claims it is working to protect EU consumers from any security risks posed by these new regulations. According to Apple’s new white paperit introduces new protections to ensure the security of third-party app stores while complying with the DMA.
One such feature is called Notarization for iOS, where “Apple will electronically sign every app distributed on iOS in the EU… Before signing an app, Apple will analyze each app to ensure it is free of known malware and other security threats. Generally functions as advertised and does not expose users to serious fraud.”
Despite Apple’s criticism that the DMA does not protect its users, the tech giant specifically states in its whitepaper that the Notarization Review Guidelines will not cover the content and commerce policies in the App Store Review Guidelines.
This means that “apps that distribute pornography, apps that encourage the consumption of tobacco or vaping products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol, or apps that contain illegal content” will not be regulated in third-party app stores, as they are would be in the Apple Store.
Apple has valid concerns, but…
Normally, I am in favor of regulating corporate entities because any decisions made by them will always benefit the profit margin of the company at the expense of the consumer. And while I am generally in favor of the DMA and the way it seeks to maintain a competitive spirit in the markets and prevent monopolies.
However, Apple does have a point about some of the blind spots in these regulations, namely that third-party apps can be difficult to regulate in terms of the security risks they pose, as they won’t be as tightly controlled as Apple’s own apps. app Shop. But even Apple doesn’t seem too concerned about those same risks, as it doesn’t even bother to regulate those app stores for malicious content.
There’s also the fact that Apple’s nearly 14,000-word manifesto fails to mention that it has benefited immensely from fees for sales through competing app stores, which is another reason why the tech giant is fighting so hard on this front.
In other words, Apple makes some solid points about the security issues behind forced compliance with the DMA, which need to be addressed. But let’s not think that the arguments are entirely altruistic.