Apple announced a new policy that will affect users who have been outside the European Union (EU) for more than 30 days. According to an update on its support page, Apple will not allow iPhones to update software installed by third-party vendors if the iPhone is left outside the EU for an extended period of time. This means users have to go back to the EU to get the latest updates for their apps.
The regulatory change took place shortly after the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force. Initially, users were told that they “will not be able to use certain features” if they travel outside the EU for a short period of time. However, Apple has now announced that there will be a 30-day celebration period before the update is finalized, which may not be suitable for frequent travelers.
Despite this change, users can still use other app stores to manage their installed applications. Some developers plan to create third-party stores, such as Mobivention and MacPaw’s Setapp store. However, Epic Games may face problems developing its game store after Apple revoked its developer license for being “unreliable”.
Under the Digital Market Law, EU users can install other app stores and applications available to them on iOS 17.4 or later. Apple ID countries must be set to an EU country and be physically located in the EU.
Apple assures its users that their device’s eligibility for the Alternative Application Market will be determined based on the device’s functionality and not solely on the eligibility criteria submitted to Apple to protect customer privacy. Users can continue to use previously installed apps from other app stores for up to 30 days after leaving the EU, but they must be in the EU to install new apps from stores there.