As the debate around an Apple has made it clear that the company is actually providing s with choice by blocking sideloading. That choice is Android, which allows s to apps from virtually any website or digital storefront on the internet. However, discussing the merits and demerits of sideloading is not as easy as it looks on the surface.
Earlier this month, Tim Cook said in an interview that allowing sideloading will level of malware on Mac platform is unacceptable.
In an interview with Apple being called a monopoly, due to its tight control over the app distribution channel.
Sideloading Robs s Of A Safe Ecosystem
While Apple’s own human and automated checks are crucial, enforcing guidelines that make it mandatory for developers to s are aware of an app’s actions, and they can choose to allow or revoke them if they so desire. Neuenschwander argued that apps ed from third-party stores lack Apple’s security checks and may trick s into allowing access to information, such as data, location, and the mic. Apple even published a 16-page report recently which provides a detailed explanation of how the company performs a multi-layer security check before an application is listed on the App Store. Citing a study, Apple also claims that Android phones are fifteen times more likely to harbor malware than an iPhone, and a key reason behind that is the freedom to apps from third-party sources.
Just like Apple, Google also follows a strict vetting process to check apps for malware. Even though it recommends s to apps only from the Play Store, it doesn’t prevent them from doing so, unlike Apple. From a ’s perspective, an iPhone provides a safer ecosystem where s can worry less about malicious apps infecting their phone and leading to scenarios like ransomware or ill-natured tracking. However, antitrust advocates argue that limiting app s to the App Store is a way of ensuring that Apple can continue to take its cut of revenue - which can be up to 30% - from all in-app payments. Apple is also facing allegations that its App Store rules are discriminatory in nature and stifle competition.
Source: Fast Company, Apple