Apple has warned its support staff to avoid talking to customers about the possibility of sideloading and third-party app storefronts in non-EU countries. Apple is about to release the iOS 17.4 operating system, which will make major adjustments to Apple's AppStore policy in the EU. But while Apple must comply with Europe's Digital Markets Act, it doesn't particularly want to roll out these changes to the rest of the world.
Mark Gurman wrote in Bloomberg's "PowerOn" newsletter on Sunday that Apple is telling its support staff "not to speculate on whether sideloading and third-party app marketplaces will appear in more regions."
In response to the EU DMA's requirements, Apple has made a series of changes, including support for third-party app stores, sideloaded apps, more browser engines, and developer access to Apple's NFC system.
Although the DMA came into effect on March 7, it only applies to the 27 EU member states. These features will not be available in other regions such as the US and UK. Anticipating that consumers in other markets will want the same feature, Apple is ready to tell customer service representatives to avoid talking about the topic in case of customer skepticism.
As for the possibility of Apple doing this, unless the company is legally forced to make this change, such as when the EU's DMA comes into effect, it's highly unlikely. Even so, Apple has continued to drag its feet on complying with the DMA, releasing a white paper on Friday detailing its efforts to protect EU users and highlighting the risks of opening iPhones to App Store competitors.