Apple Lays Out Eligibility Criteria & Limitations Of Third-Party App Marketplaces In EU

Under the new rules, users may lose access to these marketplaces if they travel outside the EU for an extended period.

In a significant development, Apple rolled out support for alternative app marketplaces on iPhones on Wednesday, aligning with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The iOS 17.4 update brings this change exclusively to the EU region. To guide users through this transition, Apple has issued a document detailing the eligibility criteria for accessing the alternate marketplace and outlining potential restrictions.

What Changes Does This Bring & In Which Regions

Under the new rules, users may lose access to these marketplaces if they travel outside the EU for an extended period. Furthermore, updating apps from third-party marketplaces beyond the EU region will not be possible. Apple emphasises that the user's Apple ID must be set to an EU country or region, and the user must be physically located within the EU. To enforce these requirements, Apple will employ on-device processing without collecting the device's location.

Leaving the EU for an extended period will result in certain feature limitations, including the inability to install new alternative marketplaces and update pre-installed third-party apps, although the existing apps will remain functional.

In a recent development, Apple has provided details regarding a grace period for users temporarily travelling outside the European Union (EU), without specifying the duration criteria for short-term and long-term travel.

The eligibility for accessing alternative app marketplaces is limited to specific countries and regions within the EU, encompassing Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

It's noteworthy that Apple has explicitly stated that users encountering issues with alternative app marketplaces will not receive customer support. Additionally, the company will not address privacy and security concerns related to scams, fraud, and abuse in these marketplaces.