Apple to allow iOS app installs from websites, but small devs don’t qualify
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Apple will let European app developers distribute iPhone and iPad applications to users directly from a website, instead of through an app store. It's the latest app-installation option announced by Apple as it seeks to comply with new European rules, but this one will only be available to developers who had an app installed by over 1 million users the previous year.
In an announcement today, Apple said it plans to introduce "a new way to distribute apps directly from a developer's website." The Web Distribution option will become available after a software update "later this spring," letting developers "distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website owned by the developer."
"Apple will provide authorized developers access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of their apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, back up and restore users' apps, and more," the company said.