The iOS “App Store” is here!

In response to the new regulations of the European Union’s Digital Market Act, Apple announced on January 25 that it would open iOS app sideloading to 27 EU countries and regions. Apple's new policy will be officially implemented in March this year. This major change means that third-party app stores other than the App Store will be allowed to appear on the iOS platform, which is an unprecedented change for Apple. Recently, software company MacPaw announced that it will expand its Setapp service to mobile operating systems in the European market. In other words, MacPaw plans to create the first third-party app store on the iOS platform. For ordinary users, they are one step closer to being able to install apps on iOS devices through channels other than the App Store. How is Setapp service implemented on Mac? The Setapp service under MacPaw is no stranger to many Mac users. MacPaw was originally a small company that developed software for Mac, as can be seen from its brand name. However, MacPaw quickly expanded the new business Setapp. Specifically, Setapp will package a large number of Mac third-party software, and users can obtain the right to use these software by paying a monthly subscription fee. For users, the Setapp service has two main advantages. First of all, MacPaw will screen and review the software selected by Setapp to ensure that the software passes the quality standard, does not contain ads, and has an excellent experience. In other words, Setapp's software library is equivalent to MacPaw's "strict selection". Currently, the Setapp service includes more than 200 software, focusing on efficiency and tools, such as the well-known Markdown editor Ulysses, mind mapping software MindNode, etc.

Advantages of Setapp

Price Advantage

• Setapp subscription costs $9.99 per month, which doesn’t seem cheap.
• But Mac software prices are generally higher, starting at tens of dollars, such as Ulysses for about $40 and MindNode for about $20.
• For users who heavily use Mac for office work and creation, you can use many productivity tools for $9.99, which is a good deal.
• Setapp’s price advantage is mainly achieved through cooperation and negotiation with software developers.
• The Mac application ecosystem is not absolutely rich. There are many small and medium-sized developers and few monopolies. Setapp has bargaining power to achieve a win-win situation for all three parties.
• The macOS platform is not absolutely closed. Application installation channels outside the App Store have always existed, and developers can bypass Apple tax.

The difference of Setapp for iOS

• Before Apple opened iOS sideloading, MacPaw had tried to launch Setapp service for iOS.
• On the iOS platform, Mac paying users can download the iOS application in the Setapp software library through the App Store, and then unlock the paid functions through the method provided by MacPaw.
• This method bypasses the Apple payment method and avoids Apple tax. Users can use the application at a low price.
• But the experience of this method is not good enough and there is a risk of being blocked by Apple.
• Currently, there are only more than ten iOS apps in the Setapp software library, which is difficult to meet demand.
• Using the iOS app in Setapp costs an additional $2.49 per month.

  

  But now that Apple has lifted the sideloading seal on the iOS platform in the EU, Setapp can openly transform into a third-party application market that can be installed on iPhones and iPads. That said, iPhone users in Europe will soon be able to happily use third-party app stores on their phones just like Android users.

Of course, judging from the content of Apple’s previous press releases, the third-party app stores on iOS are still different in some details from the Android App Store and Coolan Market that we are familiar with.

The current situation of third-party app stores on iOS

1. Apps in third-party app stores will undergo virus scanning and basic manual review by Apple’s notary system.
2. Developers creating third-party app stores are required to provide Apple with a €1 million letter of credit.
3. Apps distributed through third-party app stores will pay Apple a core technology fee of 0.5 euros each time they are installed more than 1 million times for the first time.
4. It is expected that third-party app stores will mainly provide efficiency and tool applications in the initial stage.
5. The payment model may adopt a combination of subscription and buyout.

Competition between third-party app stores and the App Store

1. Apple was forced to open iOS sideloading in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act, but it expressed dissatisfaction with the regulation.
2. Apple has set restrictions on third-party app stores, including core technology fees and reduced EU App Store commission rates.
3. Under the dual influence of technology fees and low commission income, it is difficult for third-party app stores to rise.

How to obtain the iOS version of "App Store" for Chinese users

1. Apple only opens iOS sideloading in the European Union, and other regions still maintain a closed system.
2. Third-party app stores for iOS cannot be used in China through regular means.

   

   Considering Apple’s resistance to open sideloading, Xiao Lei has reason to believe that Apple will impose stricter restrictions in this regard. iPhones that support sideloading, in addition to being a version sold in the EU, may also require users to log in with an ID in the EU, and may even limit the currency type of payment.

If Chinese users really want to experience the third-party app store on iOS, then I am afraid they have to buy a European iPhone and register a European ID. However, Apple's sideloading policy has not yet been officially implemented. It will take time to answer the specific changes it will bring to users' actual experience.

Written at the end

For a long time, compared to Android, the core advantage of iOS is to strictly enforce third-party applications through closure management and control, thereby bringing a more unified and stable experience. The App Store has long been the only app store that can be used through formal channels on the iOS platform. There have been some third-party forces that have tried to challenge Apple’s order before, but they have failed to work.

In the early years, Cydia used to be a well-known third-party app store on iOS, but it needed to be jailbroken before it could be used normally. As the iOS jailbreak trend receded, Cydia was eventually shut down completely. Apple officially provides developers with a TestFlight-like testing application platform that can bypass the App Store to install applications, but it has many restrictions and can only be used in a small range.

What will finally open up Apple’s “walled garden” is the antitrust stick of the regulatory authorities. Apple’s sideloading policy is extremely shrewd, and it creates pitfalls for third-party app stores. However, there are many companies that are dissatisfied with Apple's app distribution and commission policies. The lawsuit initiated by Epic in recent years is a fierce challenge.

Currently, in addition to MacPaw, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has also issued a statement saying that he will launch a third-party app store on iOS. They may not be able to shake the strong position of the App Store, but as long as they provide users with more choices, it is not a bad thing after all.

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