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Apple is preparing to allow alternative app stores on its iPhones and iPads in the European Union later next year to comply with new European competition law, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.
As part of the changes, customers can install apps on their iPhones and iPads without using the company’s App Store, the report said.
But Apple hasn’t decided whether to comply with other provisions of the law, such as allowing alternatives to its own payment methods.
Allowing it to bypass its payment mechanism costs Apple billions of dollars in revenue it collects by charging up to 30% commission on App Store purchases.
In the past the iPhone maker has said that sidelining or ignoring its App Store exposes users to security and privacy risks. But some regulators and critics, such as “Fortnite” maker Epic Games, have said those concerns are overblown.
Rival Google has allowed sideloading on phones running its Android platform for years, and it issues warnings to users about security issues.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Apple’s software engineering and service staff have gone to great lengths to unlock key components of Apple’s operating systems, the report said.
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