Apple allows iPhone users to download apps from websites

Last week Apple pushed out iOS 17.4, which allows EU users to download and install apps through third-party app stores, commonly known as "sideloading".

Not only that, for EU users, Apple further adjusted the sideloading function, users can not only download apps from the third-party app store, but also download and install apps from the website, which means that iOS sideloading in the EU is exactly the same as Android.

Apple confirmed that the tweak will go live later this spring, when EU users will be able to install apps without relying on the app store.

However, it should be noted that developers distribute apps from their own websites, and the developers themselves must meet Apple's requirements.

According to Apple's rules, developers who are able to distribute apps from their own websites must be a member of the Apple Developer Program for two consecutive years and do so with more than one million installs of their apps on iOS in the EU, as well as commit to Apple's requirement to disclose their data collection policies.