Bending to the will of the Digital Markets Act, Apple has made another adjustment as the company just announced some changes in response to the feedback that it received from the developers. The Cupertino firm is going to launch a new Web Distribution feature later this year that will allow the developers to offer their apps directly through the website. Android users can already do that by downloading APKs.
Apple has made several adjustments to the App Store following the Digital Markets Act
Apple talks about how marketplaces will now get the chance to offer different apps from the developers of that marketplace. The company also mentioned how, previously, the operators were required to allow submissions from other developers. However, now that the new change is coming, a company can operate any app marketplace and only decide to offer its own apps on the marketplace, which is great. For instance, we could see an Epic Games Store where only Epic products and services are offered to users.
In addition to that, Apple is also letting developers choose a different path. The company will be adding the previously mentioned Web Distribution feature that will allow developers to put the apps on their websites. So, if you want to download WhatsApp but don't want to do it from the App Store, you can just go to WhatsApp's website and download the appropriate version for your phone.
However, developers on Apple will have to opt into the new business turns, and there is also a Core Technology Fee of just €0.50 for each first annual install over one million in the past year. With that said, any app that is being distributed over the web will need to meet the company's notarization guidelines. In addition, apps can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in the App Store Connect. The company is also going to make several APIs available for integration with system functionality for the developers to ensure that the system is not being misused in any way.
Last but not least, Apple has decided to give developers more freedom regarding how they can link to an external webpage to complete a transaction of digital products or services on an external webpage. The company claims that the developers can actually go ahead and design their own promotions, discounts, and other deals. This means that they will not have to use the templates that Apple has assigned them. This change is now in effect, and you can take advantage of it as you would prefer.
I honestly never thought that Apple would be making adjustments to such an ecosystem, but then again, the EU is not something that should be taken lightly, and it has proven it time and again. Here, we hope that the developers can play nicely and that we don't see any more lawsuits against each other. The tech world can be a tricky place to navigate, but this definitely is something that can be handled harmoniously by all involved parties.
About the author: I have been tinkering with Android devices ever since the early days of the HTC Desire. Over time, I have grown a fondness for the ecosystem and now I cannot live without it. Although some might believe that I have sold my soul to Android, but I believe it is not the case. You can find me writing tutorials and posting guides on a number of different smartphones. When I am not writing here, I am wasting myself away in books, journals, or on Steam.
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