Bad times for Apple, more precisely for its policy in relation to the App Store and installing apps on iOS. Let’s remember that although with the first generation of the iPhone, those from Cupertino opted for web services and ignored the possibility of installing applications, it took them very, very little time to see the monstrous volume of stores that have an application store and of course it was the only way to install them.

Since the launch of the App Store with the arrival of the iPhone 3G this business unit has not stopped giving very good news (read huge income) to the Cupertino coffers. First with the sale of the applications themselves, and later with the birth and emergence of that endemic evil that has plagued software and games, in-app purchases and subscriptions for a long time. So it’s understandable that Apple has tried to keep iOS a private fiefdom since its inception, more concerned with maintaining the famous walled garden than preventing events that shouldn’t happen.

Obviously, this policy is inconsistent with antitrust rules that apply in most of the world. However, there is a very important aspect here, namely that the existing legislation in this regard, which comes from a long time ago, did not take into account a number such as application stores, a market that is actually relatively new (it began to gain a presence more than ten years ago) . And yes, I know, ten years may seem like a long time, but let’s remember the speed at which regulators are moving to understand that in their eyes this is a very recent phenomenon.

However, we are gradually seeing moves towards ending this situation, with Apple imposing its store and introducing its payment gateway. Europe, the United States, South Korea… more and more geographies are attacking the restrictions imposed by Apple, whether for downloading apps or making payments. And as we can read in PhoneArena, Japan will also allow Apple to allow app installations without going through the App Store.

We already told you a few months ago that Apple is testing sideloading applications on iOS, although we later learned that this novelty could only reach Europe. However, after the latest court decision in the confrontation between Apple and Epic Games, it is possible that this function should also arrive in the United States sooner rather than later. And if action in this regard is confirmed in Japan, We’ll see the list of countries in which Apple can continue to control the walled garden shrink significantly in short order.