Apple to Allow iPad Users in EU to Download Apps From Third-Party App Stores From September 16
Apple has announced it will allow iPad apps to be sold via third-party app stores in the European Union from Monday, September 16, coinciding with the release of iPadOS 18.
The move follows Apple's tolerance in the bloc for alternative app stores on iPhones, which happened earlier this year in compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Apple's iPad operating system was designated by the European Commission as a "core platform service" in April under the rules of the DMA, joining iOS, the App Store, and Safari.
Although iPadOS user numbers fell below the threshold for inclusion under the DMA, the Commission retains some flexibility in its designations and noted significant lock-in effects, especially for business users. The Commission gave Apple six months to update iPadOS and make it compliant with the DMA. Apple later confirmed that it would bring all of the app ecosystem changes made to iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall.
After installing iPadOS 18, iPad users in the EU will be able to install alternative app stores, while developers will be able to release alternative browsers based on their own browser engines, instead of Apple's WebKit.
Currently there are a handful of third-party app marketplaces available to iPhone users in the EU. One of them, Epic Games, has already said that it plans to bring Fortnite and its other games to iPad. Other enforced changes include allowing users to delete Apple's pre-loaded apps, and choose alternative default apps, including browsers.
Popular Stories
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface.
The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas.
Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial
The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging."
Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs.
We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else.
iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices.
Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac:
Model
Starting Price
Model
Starting Price
Change
iPhone 16
$799
iPhone 17
...
