Apple Warns That Some Screen Time and Sharing Features Won't Work With Alternative App Distribution in the EU
Apple in iOS 17.4 will begin allowing apps in the European Union to be distributed through alternative app stores rather than the iOS App Store, but the Cupertino company warns that this means certain features users have come to rely on will not work as they do for standard App Store apps.
Restrictions on In-App Purchases in Screen Time will not be available, for example, nor will Family Purchase Sharing for apps and subscriptions that are made outside of the App Store. Ask to Buy is not a supported feature, and universal purchase, a feature that allows apps to work across all of a user's devices, is not offered.
Apple will not be able to offer these features because it will not be facilitating purchases of apps distributed through alternative app stores.
Screen Time, parental controls, and Spotlight will continue to function, according to Apple, but parents will need to adjust to not having access to purchasing restrictions for apps installed outside of the App Store.
Apple also warns that it will not be able to assist users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management and cancelation, violations of user data privacy, abuse, or fraud and manipulations.
Developers or the alternative app marketplace an app was downloaded from will need to handle issues like refunds and subscription cancelations. iPhone and iPad users will be able to choose not to install apps outside of the App Store, of course, and these changes are limited to users in the European Union.
Popular Stories
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest.
Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update.
The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense...
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely.
Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States.
A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026:
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID...
