Alternative iOS app marketplace calls it quits
One of the leading alternative iOS app marketplaces is shutting down already. On 16 February, Setapp Mobile, one of the first alternative app marketplaces for iPhone apps in the European Union, will close its doors. That’s what developer MacPaw reports to users.
From that date, all apps will be removed from the platform and will no longer be accessible. Users are advised to secure their data in good time before the service shuts down.
According to MacPaw, Apple’s constantly changing and complex terms of trade are the reason why the marketplace cannot be profitably continued. Setapp Mobile was presented as a “bold and groundbreaking” way to distribute apps outside the official App Store, but it was left with only a small offering of about 50 apps and little momentum.
While European rules under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have required Apple to formally open up the iPhone system in the EU to alternative app marketplaces and sideloading, it appears that these opportunities are hardly used in practice. Few marketplaces have been launched, and users often experience technical barriers or inconveniences with installation and updates.
In addition, there are additional restrictions and costs associated with alternative distribution channels – such as a Core Technology Fee imposed by Apple on downloads and updates – which makes it difficult for new providers to be economically viable.
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