Another brick in Apple's walled garden has been thoroughly dislodged, as Brazil joins the ranks of countries demanding that iOS open up to sideloading. Apple now faces a 90-day deadline to comply with this court order, following in the footsteps of similar rulings in other nations. The judge in the case highlighted Apple's previous compliance with such mandates elsewhere.
Unsurprisingly, Apple plans to appeal the decision. For those unfamiliar, sideloading refers to the ability to download and install apps without using a conventional app store, a practice Android users have enjoyed for years through APKs, enabling the installation of third-party apps directly onto their devices.
Apple has historically resisted sideloading, much like their stance on third-party app stores. The issue was thrust into the spotlight over five years ago following Epic's lawsuit against Apple, which questioned the tech giant's ecosystem curation methods.
Apple's primary argument against the ruling centers on privacy concerns, a recurring theme in their opposition to sideloading and third-party storefronts. In 2022, Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) changes stirred the gaming industry, requiring developers to seek permission for advertising and limiting user profiling capabilities, which drew regulatory scrutiny due to Apple's own exemptions.
Despite their privacy-focused stance, Apple continues to face challenges, seemingly fighting a losing battle against the tide of sideloading, third-party storefronts, and other changes. In regions like Vietnam and the broader EU, the era of Apple's tightly controlled environment appears to be waning.
While Apple gears up for another legal battle, if you're eager to explore new gaming experiences, why not check out our list of the top five new mobile games to try this week? Discover some exciting launches from the past seven days!
