Newly Proposed Bill Could Force Apple To Allow Users To Sideload Apps

All operating systems can be hit with malware, but one of the advantages Apple has over Google is that they are strict with their apps and users cannot download apps from third-party app stores or sideload them, at least not officially. This means that there are less chances that users could accidentally download an app with malware hidden in it.

That being said, it seems that a newly proposed bill in the North Dakota Senate could change that. The bill, introduced by  Sen. Kyle Davison (R-Fargo), is seeking to ban companies like Apple and Google from forcing developers to use their app stores and also their in-app payment systems. It will also seek to prevent these companies from retaliating against the developers for choosing alternative methods.

Google already allows Android users to install alternative app stores and sideload apps, so the one that would be affected the most would be Apple. Unsurprisingly, the company isn’t thrilled by it and its privacy software manager Erik Neuenschwander had previously testified against the bill, claiming that it would “destroy the iPhone as you know it”.

He also points out that this would effectively allow bad apps into the App Store which Apple had worked so hard to keep out. That being said, the bill hasn’t been passed yet and according to Chairman Sen. Jerry Klein (R-Fessenden) said that no action will be taken yet as “there’s still some mulling to be done.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones, General
Tags: Android, Apps, Google, iOS, iPhone, Legal