Why It’s Not a Good Idea for the EU to Force Open iPhones to Allow Sideloading

Is the current setup of the system the right one, or would you like to see it fully opened up?

Should Apple allow sideloading? — Image courtesy of Jakub Jirák (based on source page 18)

One of the most significant advantages of Apple’s iPhones is their closed iOS operating system. But this has been widely debated for years without a clear answer. While fans welcome this approach, it is often the biggest obstacle for others. For Apple, however, this is a fairly specific thing.

The Cupertino giant keeps its platforms more or less closed, which allows it to keep them more secure and straightforward. In the case of iPhones in particular, people most often criticise the general closed nature of the operating system, which makes it impossible, for example, to customise the system as much as with Android or install unofficial app sources.

5 New Security and Privacy Options from iOS 16 You Need to Know

On the other hand, the only option is the official App Store, which means only one thing — if we ignore web apps, for example, Apple has absolute control over everything that can even look at…