iPadOS 18 Beta 2 Includes Alternative App Stores and Other EU Changes

Apple today announced that the second beta of iPadOS 18 extends alternative app marketplaces and other app-related changes to the iPad in the EU.

Apple EU iOS Changes
Apple first introduced these changes on the iPhone in the EU with iOS 17.4 earlier this year, to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act. The expansion of the changes to the iPad in the EU comes nearly two months after the European Commission said iPadOS is also a gatekeeper platform under these new regulations.

The other changes include alternative payment options in the App Store, a default web browser selection screen in Safari, the ability for web browsers to use web engines other than Apple's WebKit on the iPhone and iPad, and more. Apple's existing terms extend to the iPad, including the Core Technology Fee for alternative app marketplaces.

iPadOS 18 is currently in beta for developers, with a public beta to follow in July. The update should be widely released in September.

Popular Stories

iOS 26 on iPhone Feature

Here's When iOS 26 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: Out Now!]

Monday September 15, 2025 12:00 am PDT by
Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Today's the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week's iPhone event that...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...
apple n1 chip

Apple's New N1 Chip in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Has a Wi-Fi 7 Limitation

Saturday September 13, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
The latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air models are equipped with Apple's all-new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. However, the chip has a Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth limitation. According to FCC documents reviewed by MacRumors, the N1 chip in all of the new iPhone models supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Didn't Pre-Order a New iPhone Yet? Here's How Long the Wait is Now

Friday September 12, 2025 6:11 am PDT by
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. and many other countries today. If you have yet to place a pre-order, you might face a longer wait now, depending on your desired configuration. As of shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific Time today, nearly all iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations on Apple's online store in the U.S. are facing ...
airpods translate

AirPods Live Translation Blocked for EU Users With EU Apple Accounts

Thursday September 11, 2025 4:01 am PDT by
Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout. Apple says on its feature availability webpage that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" won't be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU....
iphone 17 lineup

iPhone 17 Models Launch on September 19 With These New Features

Friday September 12, 2025 7:58 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline "Awe dropping." The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes: iPhone 17 Display Changes The iPhone...
iphone air all colors

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Now Facing Extended Delivery Estimates

Saturday September 13, 2025 11:43 am PDT by
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began on Friday in the U.S. and many other countries. iPhone 17 Pro Max delivery estimates quickly slipped beyond the Friday, September 19 launch day for those who had yet to place an order, and now the rest of the new models have started to follow suit. As of shortly after 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time today, select iPhone 17, ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Models Are eSIM-Only in These Countries

Tuesday September 9, 2025 12:23 pm PDT by
Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries. The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple: Bahrain Canada Guam Japan Kuwait Mexico Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Un...
iPhone 17 Pro Air Boxes

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed

Sunday September 14, 2025 1:36 pm PDT by
T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple's boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday. Image Credit: Jon Freier Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, ...

Top Rated Comments

User 6502 Avatar
16 months ago

Is there a way to disable it?
Disable what? You’re not forced to install any alternative app stores. So if you don’t want any just don’t install any.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
16 months ago

Is there a way to disable it?
Disable what? Alternative app stores work only if you actively seek out and download/install an alternative marketplace app from Apple's App Store or directly from the website of the alternative app marketplace developer.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/118110

Alternative app marketplaces are unique kinds of iOS apps that you can use to install other apps on your iPhone.

Users in the European Union can install an alternative app marketplace on iPhone by downloading it directly from the website of the alternative app marketplace developer.



By not installing an app for an alternative marketplace, you will not enable the feature. In other words, the feature is by default disabled unless you enable it by installing an app for an alternative marketplace.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CookItOff Avatar
16 months ago
I disagree with but can understand the arguments for alternate app stores. But the redirecting payments for apps downloaded from the Apple App store seems akin to walking into Walmart and grabbing a bag of peanut M&Ms and then walking out without paying Walmart cause you went online and earlier and purchased the M&Ms from Mars Candy. ?‍♂️?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
16 months ago

I disagree with but can understand the arguments for alternate app stores. But the redirecting payments for apps downloaded from the Apple App store seems akin to walking into Walmart and grabbing a bag of peanut M&Ms and then walking out without paying Walmart cause you went online and earlier and purchased the M&Ms from Mars Candy. ?‍♂️?
That is a bad analogy.

The closest analogy would be going to Walmart to buy a magazine. And then the magazine publisher redirects any future purchases away from Walmart by giving you a discount if you subscribe by mail using one of those subscriber cards you always find in magazines.



Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TigerNike23 Avatar
16 months ago

Disable what? Alternative app stores work only if you actively seek out and download/install an alternative marketplace app from Apple's App Store or directly from the website of the alternative app marketplace developer.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/118110

Alternative app marketplaces are unique kinds of iOS apps that you can use to install other apps on your iPhone.

Users in the European Union can install an alternative app marketplace on iPhone by downloading it directly from the website of the alternative app marketplace developer.



By not installing an app for an alternative marketplace, you will not enable the feature. In other words, the feature is by default disabled unless you enable it by installing an app for an alternative marketplace.
You know that, I know that. The people on here know that. But Joe Blow doesn’t.

When he uses an alt app marketplace and gets an app that’s harmful to his iPad… who will he blame?

Apple, of course.

I’m in favor of multiple screens saying something to the consumer like “This app has not been approved by Apple. The user assumes any and all risk associated with this app. Apple does not recommend or support this app.”

The EU made its decision. Now we have to deal with dumb consumers blaming Apple.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bustycat Avatar
16 months ago
I don't know how could those two "persons" could give a thumbs down reaction to my previous comment. On the local iOS/iPadOS App Store here, the top games are full of scams, most of ChatGPT apps are scams, and those fancy weather apps spread false information that harm people in Taiwan every day!,,
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)