Apple has released a new user guide in which the company tries to explain why sideloading third-party app stores is not safe for iPhone users
Apple has released a new user guide in which the company tries to explain why sideloading third-party app stores is not safe for iPhone users, which could jeopardise the platform’s privacy and security. The report, titled ‘Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps,’ expresses Apple’s belief that a curated and scrutinised App Store should be the only place where iOS apps should be downloaded.
Apple emphasises in the document that because third-party apps for Android apps exist, there is a greater risk of an Android device becoming a victim of a virus or malware attack. Apple explains that it’s a fact and several reports have emerged pointing to a third-party Android app store as the source of malware that infected a large number of Android devices.
Apple explains that allowing sideloading of third-party app stores on the iOS platform “would open the door to a world where users may not have a choice but to accept these risks, because some apps may no longer be available on the App Store, and scammers could trick users into thinking they are safely downloading apps from the App Store when that is not the case. Sideloading would expose users to scammers who will exploit apps to mislead users, attack iPhone security features, and violate user privacy.”
Apple noted that users would be unable to rely on the Ask to Buy parental control feature if it took such a step. Scammers might then use third-party app stores to deceive children and parents by “obfuscating the nature of their apps, making both features less effective.”
Such incidents would put iPhone users in a constant state of threat, as they would have no way of knowing whether or not an app they download is safe, and they would continually be on the watch for a scam. As a result, Apple claims that people will utilise fewer apps from fewer developers.