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Is there a switch to turn this crap off? Especially on my parents’ iPhones. I don’t want to have to explain them “which App Store did you get this app from”. They have enough trouble grokking the app/web app distinction as is. I just don’t want them to be able to install other app stores, by mistake or otherwise.
Turn what off? Turn off the ability to install apps?
Regardless of how you may feel about the locked down Apple ecosystem, it's pretty clear (imo) what the question meant.
How do you get these alternative stores on your phone? I assume through an app you need to install. It's not just going to be there when you buy your phone.
It's almost certainly an opt-in feature. Do you have to tell your parents not to enable Developer Mode as well?
Opt-in works for me. As long as they don’t get something like the browser selection prompt - that is a nightmare. No problems with the Dev Mode menu (knock on wood) but I did have to tell them not to install VPN profiles…
Why do you imagine yourself having to explain them anything at all?

What do you care what store your parents download apps?

I am the one they call when something doesn’t work anymore. Getting them iPhones & iPads reduced those calls tremendously. I still have nightmares about the browser plugins they used to have installed on their Win XP PC.
And why would apps on other stores not work anymore (which by the way has nothing to do with the store they download it)?

Do you think people with android are having their phones or applications broken because you can install applications by random places on the internet?

That just...doesn't happen.

Your parents would have to specifically install the Epic Game Store.

If they did (which I doubt unless they're avid gamers) the only thing available for purchase there is game related.

*for the European market.

(the HN title is faithful to the original article)

Apple is doing everything it can to add friction to this process for Epic.

It rejected this store because of the button design.

Then approved it “temporarily” after Epic brought attention to the triviality of the decision.

Temporary, pending Epic changing the buttons.

I genuinely hope EU is going to punish this behavior, and I see no way it won't.

This is plain and simple malicious compliance.

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