App Developers Can Now Sign Up for Consultations on Complicated EU App Ecosystem Changes

Friday February 2, 2024 4:22 pm PST by Juli Clover

Apple this week announced that developers can sign up to meet with an Apple team member to discuss the changes being made to iOS, Safari, and the App Store in the European Union.

apple ios app store safari changes
Developers can request a 30-minute online consultation to ask questions and provide feedback about Apple's changes. Topics of discussion include alternative distribution on iOS, alternative payments in the ‌App Store‌, linking out to purchases on a webpage, new business terms, and more.

Apple is also offering in-person labs in Cork, Ireland for those who are interested in starting an alternative app marketplace.

Apple is making sweeping changes to the app ecosystem in the European Union in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Alternative app marketplaces can be used to install apps on the iPhone, and Apple is supporting alternative payment methods in apps across all of its App Stores.

Tags: App Store, Apple Developer Program

Popular Stories

Apple Announces iPhone Duo Apps Can Now Be Submitted to App Store

Monday October 5, 2026 7:15 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced that apps optimized for the iPhone Duo can now be submitted for App Store approval, ahead of the foldable device launching on Friday, October 23. While existing App Store apps will automatically run on the iPhone Duo, only apps built with the iOS 27.1 SDK or later can dynamically resize to fill the entire space of the inner display, whereas unoptimized apps will have...

• 44 comments

X's Standalone Messaging App XChat Disappears From App Store

Monday September 14, 2026 3:25 pm PDT by Juli Clover

X's XChat app is no longer available from the App Store. The app does not come up when searching for it in the App Store, and clicking a link to it on the web returns an unavailable error. XChat allows X users to communicate with one another using end-to-end encryption and disappearing messages. The app's description says it is a "private, focused space built for conversation." XChat launched...

• 28 comments

Apple Announces 'Indie Games Week' on App Store

Monday October 12, 2026 7:48 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced it is Indie Games Week on the App Store, in celebration of the "incredible catalog of imaginative games made by independent teams with big dreams." Apple said seven acclaimed indie games are debuting on the App Store. No Man's Sky will be making its mobile debut on iPhone and iPad on October 28, and the six other games are Sifu, Vampire Crawlers, Little Kitty, Big City, 9 ...

• 20 comments

Top Rated Comments

Morichan

35 months ago

It’s complicated because of you Apple! We should make it clear.

Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Arislan

35 months ago

I just want to be able to sideload apps. I don't need another store. Android's alternate stores are just absolute trash and I don't see iOS ones being any better.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

contacos

35 months ago

The real question is if Apple even „consulted“ with the EU about these changes

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

MiniApple

35 months ago

the intend of the law/regulation is important in the EU.

Thus I think it is very likely the EU will force Apple to make further adjustments to Apple's DMA/DSA "compliance" and/or they'll adapt their rules.

And just to be clear, it's only complicated, because Apple made it so.
Apple wants to keep as much profits and control, while making alternatives unappealing as much as possible obviously for business reasons.

Hopefully it will end up at least like MacOS, where you can stay in the walled Apple garden if you wish, but alternatively can install any app you want from other sources if you desire to to so.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Abazigal

35 months ago

And just to be clear, it's only complicated, because Apple made it so.

I would too, if I ran an App Store and were told to stop collecting 30% from developers for no reason other than "just because". Do you expect me to just roll over and capitulate without a fight?

The DMA is really not a good piece of legislation, and I don't think it should be justified or normalised. Apple must not only allow EU competitors to leverage the iOS platform for free, but also ensure that competitors don’t act in bad faith to harm Apple users (because that would affect a key selling point of Apple products). It's ridiculous.

The DMA should be called out for what it is - an attempt by EU officials to slow down a handful of U.S. companies in order to give homegrown companies a heads-up. It's really just protectionism by another name.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)