Apple asks for community support against the EU

Apple’s chief software officer at a web summit in Portugal voiced Apple’s objections to the EU draft.

Apple Chief of Programs Craig Federighi also traveled to the Web Summit in Portugal and via Cupertino’s objections to an EU draft that would allow consumers to install software from outside the App Store.

Apple said such a move would target iPhones by cybercriminals (they would attack with malware and hijacking campaigns), which is why the company sent its top executives to Europe to gather community support and prevent the draft from becoming law.

Under the DMA, Brussels will require mobile device manufacturers to ensure that third-party software can be installed. Critics say Apple and Google will use their dominant role to cement their position further. Apple says it’s simply about keeping users safe.

The so-called sideloading option has been available on Android for a very long time, but Apple still believes that this option will have serious consequences for iOS. Federigi put it specifically in Portugal: sideloading is a cybercriminal’s best friend. He added that an infected device can infect entire networks, and pests can cripple government, business and public systems.

The EU draft must also be approved by EU legislators and countries before it becomes law in 2023, perhaps.

Many large companies call Apple’s anti-competitive practices, in which they have to give up to 30 percent to Apple after making purchases from the App Store. With sideloading and external stores, I can avoid that by definition.