Apple's Phil Schiller Discusses Risks of Alternative App Stores on iPhone

Starting with iOS 17.4, currently in beta, Apple is allowing alternative app marketplaces on the iPhone in the EU. Apple made this change to comply with new regulations under the EU's Digital Markets Act, which takes full effect next month.

app store awards 2022
In an interview with Fast Company's Michael Grothaus published today, Apple's former marketing chief and current App Store head Phil Schiller said there are privacy and security risks associated with these alternative app marketplaces:

"These new regulations, while they bring new options for developers, also bring new risks. There's no getting around that. So we're doing everything we can to minimize those risks for everyone," Schiller told me in a recent discussion about the privacy and security impact of the European Commission's Digital Markets Act.

One of these risks is the potential for users to download malicious or unsafe apps, although Apple will be notarizing all apps through a combination of automated processes and a basic human review in order to prevent these apps from being available on alternative app marketplaces as much as possible. Still, Apple has said notarization will not be as thorough as its App Store review process and guidelines that developers must adhere to.

ios app store notarization eu
Another risk is that the App Store's strict rules surrounding objectionable content might not extend to alternative app marketplaces, according to Schiller:

"We have dealt with a lot of input from families, from governments, on things that we need to do to try to either not allow certain kinds of objectionable content on our App Store, or give users control over that experience to decide what’s best for themselves—and we have rules around that," Schiller says. "Those rules will not apply in another marketplace unless they choose to make rules of their own, [with] whatever criteria they come up with. Does that increase the risk of users, and families, running into objectionable content or other experiences? Yes, it does."

Schiller's comments reiterate many of the risks that Apple outlined on its website:

If not properly managed, alternative distribution poses increased privacy, safety, and security risks for users and developers. This includes risks from installing software from unknown developers that are not subject to the Apple Developer Program requirements, installing software that compromises system integrity with malware or other malicious code, the distribution of pirated software, exposure to illicit, objectionable, and harmful content due to lower content and moderation standards, and increased risks of scams, fraud, and abuse. Apple has less ability to address these risks, and to support and refund customers regarding these issues. Even with safeguards, many of these risks remain.

The full interview can be read on Fast Company's website.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

Apple's Next iPhone SE Launching on Wednesday - Here's What We Know

Friday February 14, 2025 4:04 pm PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an Apple announcement that's coming on Wednesday, February 19, and it's looking like that mystery announcement will be the next-generation iPhone SE. We've been hearing about the iPhone SE 4 for quite some time now, and we essentially know everything to expect. If you want a sneak peek at what's coming, read on. Naming Apple first introduced the iPhone SE in...

Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
14 months ago
Well anything in life is a risk but if I want to jump out of a plane or install some 3rd party app, that’s my decision to make.

Next
Score: 68 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
14 months ago
This guy is genuinely just Apple marketing-speak in human form. I’ve never heard or read one insightful thing from him.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bankshot Avatar
14 months ago
Every time Apple execs go through this song & dance about how risky it is to install software outside the App Store, they’re basically saying that the sandboxing built into iOS is garbage and doesn’t work. You can’t have it both ways. That, and we all know about the huge numbers of copycat scam apps that get through Apple’s review process.

The whole argument is disingenuous, and is clearly only about one thing: the risk of Apple losing that juicy revenue stream.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
14 months ago

Well anything in life is a risk but if I want to jump out of a plane or install some 3rd party app, that’s my decision to make.

Next
You are not wrong, but from Apple's perspective, not only do they not want to lose control, but when security issues inevitably occur, people will blame Apple for it, so I think they want to minimize that.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
14 months ago
???

Once again, the Mac already has third party access to apps direct from developers, in app bundles, etc. It's ALWAYS been this way. Odds are good that most anyone reading this has at least ONE app they've downloaded from a third party and NOT through the Mac App Store. Unlike these app stores he's referencing, this is GLOBAL availability to get Mac apps however anyone wants to get them... from ANY source.

iDevices sync passwords to iCloud which syncs them to Mac Keychain. The same passwords are generally as accessible on the Mac. Can you auto-login to your bank, your credit cards, etc on your Mac? Does it auto-fill passwords to the most secure sites you use? If so, some nefarious software able to access such stuff on iDevices can access such stuff on your Mac. The "organized crime syndicates" would have already harvested such passwords from Macs years ago.

How many long-term Mac owners have suffered financial catastrophes, had "bank accounts drained", lost their home and possessions, had their children taken into slavery, endured locusts/frogs/plague/famine because of evil doings of Mac apps in the 40 years since Mac was born?

Let the "Apple is always right" crowd sing the same chorus but all it takes now is patiently giving it a few months to see if millions of people in the EU are devastated by this new flexiblity. The EU has MORE people than the U.S. So, if the risk is as high as spun over and over and over again, the fire & brimstone destruction should be abundantly obvious very soon.

Another EU law basically "forced" the switch from lightning to USB-C. That was always spun as very negative by Apple and thus chorused by Apple fans as terrible too. That too was not spun as being about the money (proprietary port and licensing revenue). Remember wobbly? Lint-magnet? Broken tongues galore? It's been many months now. Where's the abundance of broken tongues? Where's the abundant USB-C port replacement kiosks springing up like cellular kiosks? I'm STILL finding lint in my pocket. The pre-change spin made it seem like I'd never have to clean the lint filter in the dryer again, but there it is every time... exactly as it was before the USB lint vacuums were installed.

Just like USB-C, this is much ado about nothing in terms of how it will destroy millions of people's lives in the EU. What it will do is undermine a very lucrative stream of easy cash for Apple. And that's the actual reason they are against it. Nobody with complete control of any kind of market wants to facilitate competition. And they always make up very good (sounding) rationale why they should retain complete control of a market they 100% own. Why? Because "We want to 100% retain this easy & very lucrative cash cow" doesn't come off as well.

Again, doubt it??? Just stand by and gloat when millions of EU people are devastated by this change. Then, Apple and Apple fans can spin "I told you so" to no end. It will only take a few months to either witness the rampant destruction or realize it was only another big pile of spin. The risk from this is limited to those places where third party options are possible (so not the U.S.). And even the fans in the EU who believe the spin can opt to just keep getting apps only from the Apple App Store until they see what happens.

My guess is there will be a handful of cases that will seem like big news... just as there are a handful of cases for Mac... just as there are handful of cases of iPhones spontaneously combusting. Otherwise, countless millions are about to enjoy getting the same great apps for less money (robust competition almost always drives prices DOWN) and will have access to stuff that Apple- for whatever reason- has decided people shall not have via their store (such as Epic games). I hope the EU people enjoy their better values and broader selection of apps. As an American myself, I envy your Mac-like freedoms for the iDevices you own.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
till Avatar
14 months ago
Yeah it's so easy to find "objectionable content" by searching for an alternative app store, downloading it, installing it, opening it, and searching for an app.

Or you could just open Safari.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)