OR Appeal announced that it will allow the sale of apps iPad via third-party app stores in the European Union from Monday 16 September, coinciding with the release of iPadOS 18.
The move comes as part of Apple’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires the company to allow its devices to use alternative application systems.
Apple’s iPad operating system was designated an “essential platform service” under DMA rules by the European Commission in April, along with iOS, the App Store and Safari. So Apple was given six months to update iPadOS and comply with the rules. Apple later confirmed that it will transfer all changes to the app ecosystem made in iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall.
After iPadOS 18 is installed, iPad users in the EU will be able to install alternative app stores, and developers will be able to release alternative browsers based on their own browser engines, rather than Apple’s WebKit.
There are currently several third-party app markets available for iPhone users in the EU. One of those is Epic Games, which has already said it plans to bring Fortnite and its other games to the iPad. Other changes imposed on the company include the ability for users to delete preloaded Apple apps and choose alternative default apps, including browsers.