The entry into force of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has forced Apple to make the most significant changes in iPhone history and its operating system. The company has submitted its compliance plan for the European Union, opening its ecosystem for the first time to third-party app stores and new payment systems. However, this opening has not been without controversy, sparking intense debate over security, competition, and the future of digital platforms.
The ‘walled garden’ opens its doors: what changes with the DMA?
The DMA designates Apple as a “gatekeeper,” requiring it to allow greater competition on its platform. The most substantial changes for users in the European Union include the ability to download apps from alternative app markets to the App Store, the use of third-party payment systems within apps, and greater interoperability of its services. This directive aims to dismantle the control that regulators claim Apple exercised in an anti-competitive manner over software distribution on its devices.
Security and privacy as the main line of defense
From the start, Apple’s central argument against forced opening has been the risk to user security and privacy. The company warns that allowing sideloading (installing apps from outside the App Store) exposes users to greater risks of malware, phishing, scams, and illegal content. Apple has implemented a series of safeguards, such as a “Notarization” process for third-party apps, but maintains that these measures cannot match the protection offered by its centralized and curated system. Cybersecurity experts note that while the risks are real, user ability to make informed decisions will be key in this new era.
A new deal for developers, with fine print
For developers, the DMA brings a mix of opportunities and new challenges. On one hand, the option to use alternative stores and payment systems could reduce commissions paid to Apple. However, the company has introduced a new fee structure, including a “Core Technology Fee” (CTF) that requires payment of €0.50 for each first annual installation of an app once it surpasses one million downloads, regardless of whether it is distributed through the App Store. This measure has been heavily criticized by small developers and companies like Spotify and Epic Games, who argue that the new model could be even more costly and discouraging than the previous one, undermining the law’s intent.
User experience: between freedom and fragmentation
End users now face a crossroads. The arrival of alternative stores promises access to apps previously unavailable on the App Store and encourages greater competition in pricing and services. However, this new range of options may also create fragmentation and confusion. Users will need to manage multiple stores, different payment processes, and be more diligent in evaluating the reliability of the apps they install. Apple’s historically strong focus on user experience faces the challenge of maintaining simplicity and coherence in a much more open and complex ecosystem.
The struggle for the future of the digital ecosystem
Apple’s implementation of the DMA is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in the relationship between big tech and regulators. Brussels has already expressed concern over whether the new conditions imposed by Apple truly comply with the letter and spirit of the law, opening the door to potential investigations and penalties. This confrontation defines the current debate on the balance between innovation, competition, and security, a struggle whose outcome will shape not only Apple’s ecosystem but the entire global digital market.
Sources:
- Apple Newsroom: Responding to the Digital Markets Act’s impacts on EU users
- European Commission: Commission opens non-compliance investigations against Alphabet, Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act
- Applesfera: Qué es la ‘Core Technology Fee’ y por qué los desarrolladores están tan enfadados con esta “tasa Apple”
- INCIBE (Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad de España): Sideloading, ¿en qué consiste esta práctica y qué riesgos conlleva?
- El País: Bruselas estrecha el cerco sobre Apple: investiga si las nuevas condiciones de la App Store incumplen la ley antimonopolio
