iPad users will miss out on third-party app stores, browser engines, and more

Chance Miller | Jan 26 2024 - 11:32 am PT

Yesterday, Apple announced some major changes to the App Store and the broader iPhone platform in the European Union, including support for alternative app marketplaces. There’s one piece of nuance that Apple is now clarifying.

Some of these changes are coming to all of Apple’s platforms, while others are coming only to the iPhone and not the iPad.

There is reason for this nuance. Apple explains that the European Union ruled that iOS is a gatekeeper platform as part of the Digital Markets Act. This applies only to iOS on the iPhone. iPadOS on the iPad is a completely different platform in the eyes of Apple and the European Commission.

On the other hand, the Digital Markets Act designates the entirety of the App Store as a gatekeeper service. In the eyes of the European Commission, this includes the App Store across all of Apple’s platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.

With that in mind, Apple has bifurcated these changes based on the requirements of the DMA. Changes coming to the App Store are coming to all of Apple’s platforms, while changes to the iPhone are coming only to the iPhone, even if iOS shares a lot of the same codebase as iPadOS.

Here’s what that means in practice.

The ability to install third-party app marketplaces and download apps from third-party app marketplaces will be an option only on the iPhone.
The new prompt in Safari that asks users to pick a default browser is coming only to the iPhone.
Support for third-party browser engines is coming only to the iPhone.
The ability to set default NFC and wallet apps will only be available on the iPhone.
Changes to App Store policy to allow alternative payments and lower commissions affect the App Store across all Apple platforms.
Changes to the App Store guidelines to allow game streaming apps impact all of Apple’s platforms.