Apple wants users to think about their children if they plan to install apps outside the App Store

Apple has been in a lot of trouble lately as the company comes under scrutiny for its App Store-related activities and other business activities. The issue of installing apps outside of the App Store (sideloading) on ​​iPhones is the company’s latest focus, with CEO Tim Cook speaking out against this in a recent interview.

Now, Apple has posted a guide on its website , titled “Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps”. The Cupertino-based company outlines all the reasons why consumers aren’t allowed to have alternative app stores or the ability to sideload apps.

For starters, the iPhone maker cites a 2020 Nokia report that found that Android devices are more likely to be infected with malware than iPhones.

“One study found that Android devices were 15 times more infected with malware than iPhones, with one main reason being that Android apps ‘can be downloaded from anywhere’, while users Everyday iPhones can only download apps from one source: the App Store,” according to an excerpt of the guide.

It is interesting to see that Apple cites the Nokia 2020 report even though it’s only mid-June, CEO Tim Cook claims that Android devices have “47 times more malware” than iOS, that’s because the announcement This appears to be quoting a 2019 report from Nokia. Looks like Apple realized the mistake and used the newer statistic. Of course, the company’s stance is that Android devices are much more susceptible to malware infections.

“Allowing sideloading degrades the security of the iOS platform and exposes users to serious security risks not only on third-party app stores, but also on App Store,” Cupertino said. Store”. They added that even special users who just want to download apps from the App Store could be tricked into sideloading malicious apps.

Apple says sideloading will lead to attacks on iOS, given the huge number of users and sensitive information stored on the iPhone. The company also gave some hypothetical examples of how sideloading apps can go wrong, such as a filter app holding users for ransom and a sleep tracking app using it. and sell your data without your permission or without your knowledge.

Apple also focuses on children when it comes to why you can’t have alternative app stores on their platform and why developers should pay. They say sideloading will make it harder for users to take advantage of parental control features like Purchase Requests and Screen Time.

The Mac platform allows users to install apps themselves, but Apple claims iOS requires a tighter locking method. The company says a different approach is needed on iOS because “user behavior and expectations are different”. They also ask users to think about children, and insist that iOS devices need to be safe enough for children to use without supervision. Does that imply that Macs aren’t safe enough for children to use themselves?

The company also outlines all the measures it takes to protect users from malicious apps in the App Store, such as reviewing 100,000 apps per week, automatically scanning submitted apps for malware, and automatically scanning submitted apps. malware and built-in user protections such as sandboxes. Of course, these measures and the sideload ban are no guarantee that malware won’t be an issue on iOS.

The Washington Post recently reported nearly 2% of the top 1,000 grossing apps were scams. The Nokia 2020 report referenced by Apple noted an increase in iOS malware, although 1.7% of all devices had malware, but this has increased from less than 1% in 2018. 2019.

Reference: Android Authority