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Apple has now released a new user guide that details what life would be like for iOS users if Apple were forced to allow sideloading of third-party apps.
The document, released today, is titled “Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps” and describes Apple’s view of the importance of a curated and managed App Store being the only way iOS devices can download new apps.
A study found that Android devices had 15 times more malware infections than iPhones. A primary reason for this is that Android apps can be downloaded from virtually anywhere, while everyday iPhone users can only download apps from one source: the App Store.
iPhones know a lot about us
In the report, Apple goes into detail about how important the iPhone is to many of us, not only because of the way we use it but also because of the amount of data it knows about us. Because we carry them everywhere, they know our location, have built-in cameras and microphones, and are the primary way we communicate with our friends, family, and colleagues. In the report, Apple takes readers on a tour of the potential dangers of life without the App Store. For example, it prevents unauthorized purchases by children, protects personal photos and videos from prying apps, ensures users don't pay for pirated versions of apps, and much more.
Apple: iPhone would become a major target
The iPhone is used by over a billion people, so it would become a big target compared to the other platforms like the Mac. Apple also describes the ways in which macOS and iOS are different and are used differently by their users. In the report, Apple says they take a heightened approach to security on the iPhone compared to the Mac because the expectations and behavior are different. In the report, Cupertino describes some of the measures the company took in 2020 to protect user data and prevent fraudulent purchases:
- On average, 100,000 new apps and updates are reviewed every week by a team of over 500 dedicated experts, in different languages.
- Nearly one million problematic new apps and a similar number of updates were rejected or removed; more than 150,000 for being spam, imitations, or misleading users; more than 215,000 for violating privacy policies; more than 48,000 for containing hidden or undocumented features; and about 95,000 for fraudulent violations, primarily for containing "decoy" features designed to commit criminal or other prohibited acts.
- Apple stopped over $1.5 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions.
- Apple excluded 470,000 teams from the Apple Developer Program due to fraud-related reasons.
- Apple also rejected nearly 205,000 developer login attempts due to fraud concerns.
- Apple deactivated 244 million customer accounts due to fraudulent and abusive activity, including fake reviews.
- Apple also rejected 424 million attempted account creations due to fraudulent and abusive patterns.
There are many reasons for Apple’s App Store and against sideloading. If you want to read the full report in English, you can find it here here. (Photo by Denys Prykhodov / Bigstockphoto)
