iPhone users cannot use third-party app stores outside the EU for a long time

Original title: To combat the leakage of European iPhones, Apple users who have been traveling outside the EU for a long time cannot use the iOS 17.4 third-party app store

IT House March 6 According to news, iOS 17.4 has been released. This is the first time Apple has released an iOS system version that complies with the regulatory framework of the European Union's "Digital Market Law", including support for "third-party app stores" (Apple officially calls it "alternative app markets") , allowing iPhone users to download apps from places other than Apple's App Store.

Apple emphasizes that this feature is only available in the European Union, and that the company will detect the user's location. If the user leaves the European Union for a long time, it will cause "the existing app market that has been downloaded on the device to stop functioning."

Apple states that in order for a user to make their device eligible for use, the Apple ID country or region must be set to one of the following countries, and the user must also be physically located in the European Union because Apple will perform "geographic verification" on the device. Location Check":

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands , Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

That is to say, as long as your Apple ID is set in one of the above countries and you actually live in the EU, you can use the third-party app store function and use the browser to install an alternative to the App Store. Third-party application stores, and then download applications from them (as of the time of IT House’s publication, there is no actual third-party application store available, although there have been official announcements of several stores).

In addition, if your real location leaves the EU for too long, Apple will revoke your qualifications to use the third-party app store, but Apple has a "grace period" for short-term travel, although Apple did not explain it. How long is this exact time period.

In this case, users will also not be able to install new app stores, and all apps previously installed from third-party app stores will not be updated. At this time, they must either return to the eligible geographical location or delete them. Apps and re-download them from the official App Store.

It’s worth reminding that all of the above only applies to iPhone users (iPadOS 17.4 does not support this feature, as only the App Store in iOS meets EU “gatekeeper” conditions).

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