Third-party App Stores will only work for 30 days if you leave the EU

In a document spelling out the limitations of the third-party App Store process, Apple has made clear how long third-party app stores installed on an iPhone will continue to work when the user leaves the European Union.

Starting on March 7, European Union customers will be able to buy iPhone apps from third-party stores. Beyond limitations for the app vendor, there are some applied to users as well.

A support document published on Thursday details that Apple will not be able to support users that are dealing with alternative app marketplaces not functioning as expected, nor be able to help with malfunctioning apps.

Furthermore, Apple is clear that privacy may be an issue, and the company will not police fraudulent apps.

Should a purchaser leave a European Union country, an app downloaded from one of these app stores can only be updated for 30 days — but it will function beyond that time frame. Users can still use the marketplaces to manage previously installed apps, but they must physically be in the European Union to install marketplaces and new apps from those stores.

The support document clearly states Apple's disdain for the concessions it is required to make in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. It further discusses app notarization, what happens when a third-party App Store closes down, content that may be allowed on third-party app stores that Apple doesn't permit, and more.

The ability to run alternative app marketplaces or download apps from outside of the App Store is enabled by iOS 17.4. Apple released iOS 17.4 to the public on Tuesday.

12 Comments

sirdir 193 comments · 18 Years

About 8 months ago

Thank you so much Apple! You blocking me from re-downloading an app I paid for or even updating it when I move out of EU-land es CLEARLY you looking out for me, not you showing your ugly control-freak face. After 25 years of almost 'Apple only' lifestyle, I'm quickly reaching a point where I had enough…

nubus 609 comments · 8 Years

sirdir said:

Thank you so much Apple! You blocking me from re-downloading an app I paid for or even updating it when I move out of EU-land

Indeed. For Apple to say "we're all about security" and block updates to already downloaded apps. Why? Is Apple really afraid that cruise ships will sail full steam to Saint Martin for thousands of US citizens to start downloading Spotify from EU marketplaces? This is a new low. We didn't need this.

Massiveattack87 102 comments · New User

S&P 500 hits all time high.
Nasdaq hits all time high..and AAPL.... -%.
EU
DOJ antitrust
China
No love for AVP...

What else do we get additionally? Any other bad news?

ecarlseen 46 comments · 9 Years

Should a purchaser leave a European Union country, an app downloaded from one of these app stores can only be updated for 30 days -- but it will function beyond that time frame. Users can still use the marketplaces to manage previously installed apps, but they must physically be in the European Union to install marketplaces and new apps from those stores.

I wonder how they'll know if the user is in the EU.

Location services?

IP address?

Turning off location services and using a VPN may work around this. It will be interesting to see how hard and far Apple will be willing to go to push enforcement.

londor 262 comments · 20 Years

sirdir said:

Thank you so much Apple! You blocking me from re-downloading an app I paid for or even updating it when I move out of EU-land es CLEARLY you looking out for me, not you showing your ugly control-freak face. After 25 years of almost 'Apple only' lifestyle, I'm quickly reaching a point where I had enough…

Why do you buy a product fully knowing the way it works and its capabilities and then complain it does not work how you wanted it to work? Buy something that fits your needs. There are plenty of options out there.