From September 16, Apple iPad users in the EU will be able to download alternative app stores

Apple is set to make a significant change by allowing third-party app stores on the iPad starting next week, on September 16, as part of the upcoming iPadOS update. This shift is driven by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to promote market fairness and competition. The act identified several tech giants as “gatekeepers” due to their control over key platform services (CPS), with Apple being one of them.

Last year, the European Commission named six major companies, including Apple, as gatekeepers because they manage CPS such as mobile operating systems, app stores, and web browsers. Initially, the Commission flagged Apple’s iOS, the App Store, and the Safari browser as gatekeeper services. However, in April, Apple’s iPadOS was added to the list of CPS, even though its user base didn’t meet the threshold typically required for DMA regulation. The Commission noted that the iPad’s ecosystem, particularly for business users, creates a strong “locked-in” effect, giving Apple considerable control over app distribution.

Apple had a six-month window to ensure that iPadOS would comply with the DMA, leading to this latest announcement. Beginning with iPadOS 18, users in the EU will have the option to install apps from third-party app stores. Furthermore, developers will be able to release browsers for the iPad that use their own engines, moving away from Apple’s WebKit.

The steps Apple took earlier for iOS compliance offer a preview of what iPad users in the EU can expect. Currently, five alternative app stores are available for iOS users in the EU. One notable example is the AltStore PAL, which allows users to download apps like the Delta video game emulator, UTM virtual machine app, and iTorrent. However, for security reasons, Apple still notarizes apps before they can be released on these alternative stores, and developers must sign new agreements with Apple, which include a contentious “Core Technology Fee” beyond certain revenue limits.

Epic Games has also taken advantage of these new regulations, launching its own iOS app store in the EU, where users can download popular games such as Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys. Epic has expressed intentions to extend these offerings to the iPad soon, providing users with even more options.

While third-party web browsers like Chrome and Firefox have been available on iPads, they have always been bound by Apple’s WebKit engine for loading content. However, with the new DMA rules in place, tech companies may soon release alternative browsers with their own engines specifically for EU users, though none have done so yet.

This change marks a significant departure from Apple’s traditionally closed ecosystem, offering more flexibility and choice to iPad users in the European Union while complying with evolving regulations aimed at fostering competition in the tech industry.