iOS 17 is reportedly going to allow sideloading apps, meaning you’ll be able to download apps from third-party app stores.
According to Mark Gurman, a historically reliable leaker, in his latest PowerOn newsletter, Apple is expected to allow sideloading apps in iOS 17. Gurman had the following to say about the matter, “Apple is working to overhaul the software to open up the iPhone to sideloading – the downloading of apps outside of its official store – to comply with new European regulations by next year.”
The ‘new European regulations’ Gurman references refers to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act that requires platforms to allow apps from third-party developers to be installed. If this does come with iOS 17, this will put iOS much more in line with Android, which already allows users to install apps from third-party app stores. This would be a big change for Apple products, though, as the App Store has been the only way of installing apps on iPhone since the very beginning of iOS, outside of jailbreaking.
This update would come just as one of multiple expected changes to iPhone courtesy of EU regulations. For one, iPhone has been rumored to make the change to USB-C over Lightning because of regulations in the EU, and while it is expected iPhone 15 will come with USB-C, this has yet to be confirmed. Nonetheless, regulations are likely to force Apple’s hand when it comes to certain issues, so there’s a good chance we will see things like sideloadable apps and USB-C charging come to iPhone in the coming months and years.
Of course, though, this is still just rumor and speculation for now, so we’ll have to hang tight and wait for the formal announcement and release of iOS 17 before we can know for sure if sideloading is coming to iPhone.
