Apple releases first iOS 17.5 beta update for iPhones; EU users can now download apps directly from websites

The new iOS 17.5 beta update for iPhone enables direct app downloads from websites for iPhone users in the EU.

iOS 17.5 beta update for iPhones has been released. Check details. (Unsplash)

Apple has now released the first iOS 17.5 beta update for iPhones, adding a slew of new features. The update, rolled out yesterday, has been seeded to developers, allowing them to test the software's new features as well as report any bugs or glitches to Apple. It follows the rollout of the iOS 17.4 beta update in February that added a personalized splash screen and a new CarPlay feature. Know what's new in the iOS 17.5 beta update.

iOS 17.5 beta update: What's new

The highlight of the iOS 17.5 update is the change in setting which now allows users in the EU to download apps directly from the App Store. Meeting the EU's demands and complying with the Digital Markets Act, Apple recently allowed sideloading on iPhones. This means they now have the option to download apps from outside the App Store. Until now, this was only possible through alternative marketplaces, but not anymore.

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With iOS 17.5 beta update, iPhone users can download apps directly from websites. To make their apps eligible for the same, developers need to make sure of several things:

1. They should be a member of the Apple Developer Program for more than 2 years.

2. The developers must have an app which has 1 million installs on iOS in the EU.

3. They must publish transparent data collection policies.

4. They must go through Apple's notarization process.

If developers comply with the above-mentioned conditions, then they will be provided with an API by Apple that will enable them to put up their apps for download on the web. As per a MacRumors report, the apps can then also be updated, restored and backed up.

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