Major change for iPhone users as Apple relaxes rules

Massive rule changes are coming to the iPhone and other Apple items in a landmark ruling that will impact every company product going forward.

It comes as Apple issued a major hacking warning to those who have its products, as well as discouraging customers from carrying out a 'dangerous act' that millions of us do daily.

Now, the latest announcement from the American company concerns the App Store - and more specifically, not having to use it.

As it stands, Apple only allows apps to be downloaded onto its devices via the official App Store.

But new legislation means that from spring 2024, the likes of iPhone and iPad users can download apps that don't want to appear on the App Store for whatever reason.

It means that very soon, you can go direct to developers to get what you want as part of Apple's new Web Distribution feature.

It'll come at a cost for developers, who will have to accept Apple's new App Store terms which guarantee a 50 cent payment to the company for every first time someone installs their app.

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Apple rules stipulate that any developer wishing to go with direct downloads must be of 'good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more' as a way to stop the risks relating to apps that comes with nasties like viruses, ransomeware and spyware - a practice known as malware.

The rule also massively restricts who can offer their apps for direct download, with it mainly restricted to those already established as big names in the tech world.

Currently, the changes will only be available in the European Union (EU), with it coming in as a result of the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Apple said: "Apple will authorise developers after meeting specific criteria and committing to ongoing requirements that help protect users. Authorised developers will get access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of developer’s apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, back up and restore users’ apps, and more.

"Apps offered through Web Distribution must meet Notarization requirements to protect platform integrity, like all iOS apps, and can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect.

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"Using App Store Connect, developers can easily download signed binary assets and host them on their website for distribution.

"To install apps from a developer’s website, users will first need to approve the developer to install apps in Settings on their iPhone.

"When installing an app, a system sheet will display information that developers have submitted to Apple for review, like the app name, developer name, app description, screenshots, and system age rating."