Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, recently gave a speech in connection with the 2021 Web Summit where he talked about how dangerous it is for people to be allowed to manually install apps on their iOS devices. More specifically, there has been talk about how problematic the EU’s proposal to allow third-party stores to be on iOS as this would open up to scammers to attack iOS users worldwide. Federighi said, among other things, that sideloading is cybercriminals’ best friend, and if that’s the case, it will properly open the doors to malware.
Federighi believes that if Apple allows third-party stores into iOS, it will be easier for fraudulent developers to spread malware via apps because Apple cannot guarantee a comprehensive review of the apps in question. Apple has in some cases been a bit sloppy with its review process and allowing apps that shouldn’t be in the App Store, but the situation will be worse with third-party stores where it will be easier to download fake versions of popular apps.
There has been talk about how Apple can implement sideloading on iOS without any major risks to the user. More specifically, using the same Gatekeeper as macOS as the operating system checks the signature of an app developer to see if the software is genuine. But it can be difficult for the company to implement such as connecting the USB-C port to the iPhone.
Of course, there is a reason why Apple doesn’t want to allow third-party stores and sideloading on iOS. That would allow developers to bypass Apple’s frequently criticized 30 percent fee on digital purchases, helping Apple’s ongoing feud with Microsoft in the lead for being the world’s highest-rated company.
By the way, you’ll find Federighi’s 7-hour 31-minute snack in the clip below.
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