It would be amazing knowing if as a tourist one can have access to a different browser in iPhone or sideload crazy apps that block ads without questioning.
If it’s anything like the EU setup, it’s based off of where your iCloud account is based out of. At least I think that was what it was last time I went looking.
You need to have an iCloud account registered in the EU/Japan, AND be physically located in EU/Japan.
Changing the iCloud account region requires you to contact Apple, surrendering all of your current account balance, and providing them with an EU/Japan billing method + address. Users have also reported mixed results with VPNs in getting around the physical location requirement.
Alternative app distribution is available in the countries or regions of the European Union or Japan.
Apps installed through alternative app distribution undergo a Notarization process to ensure every app meets baseline platform integrity standards, but it is up to each alternative app distributor to review apps in accordance with their own processes and policies.
Your device eligibility for apps from alternative distribution is determined using on-device processing with only an indicator of eligibility sent to Apple. To preserve your privacy, Apple does not collect your deviceʼs location.
In the European Union [iPhone and iPad]
The country or region of your Apple Account must be set to one of the countries or regions of the European Union, and you must physically be located in the European Union.
In Japan [iPhone only]
The country or region of your Apple Account must be set to Japan, and you must physically be located in Japan.
If you leave your eligible country or region
If you leave your eligible country or region, you can continue to open and use apps that you previously installed through alternative app distribution. You can continue to update apps from alternative app distribution for up to 90 days after you leave, and you can continue using alternative app distribution to manage previously installed apps. However, you must be in your eligible country or region to install alternative app marketplaces and new apps through alternative app distribution.
Notarization for iOS and iPadOS apps is a baseline review that applies to all apps, regardless of their distribution channel, focused on platform policies for security and privacy and to maintain device integrity. Through a combination of automated checks and human review, Notarization helps ensure apps are free of known malware, viruses, or other security threats, function as promised, and don’t expose users to egregious fraud.
Uh, well you can already have a different browser. I know Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Brave are all on iOS. Brave has built in adblocking, but AdGuard is also available if you want to block ads in Safari. I’m in North America, but I assume they are available worldwide.
I wouldn’t call them different browsers, more like skins or “chrome”. All iOS browsers are built on Apple WebKit. This essentially makes all of them reskinned versions of Safari.
Sure they may have some clever UI, accessibility, or platform specific functionality. But they are nothing like any of those browsers on other operating systems.
Oh true competition. Nice.
It would be amazing knowing if as a tourist one can have access to a different browser in iPhone or sideload crazy apps that block ads without questioning.
Hell, no. If there were “true competition,” Apple would sell out and move to a new industry entirely.
If it’s anything like the EU setup, it’s based off of where your iCloud account is based out of. At least I think that was what it was last time I went looking.
Nope, Apple is way more anal than that.
You need to have an iCloud account registered in the EU/Japan, AND be physically located in EU/Japan.
Changing the iCloud account region requires you to contact Apple, surrendering all of your current account balance, and providing them with an EU/Japan billing method + address. Users have also reported mixed results with VPNs in getting around the physical location requirement.
About alternative app distribution - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/en-us/118110
Still, sounds like opening the floodgates.
From the support articles:
Uh, well you can already have a different browser. I know Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Brave are all on iOS. Brave has built in adblocking, but AdGuard is also available if you want to block ads in Safari. I’m in North America, but I assume they are available worldwide.
I wouldn’t call them different browsers, more like skins or “chrome”. All iOS browsers are built on Apple WebKit. This essentially makes all of them reskinned versions of Safari.
Sure they may have some clever UI, accessibility, or platform specific functionality. But they are nothing like any of those browsers on other operating systems.
Oh I did not know that.
They still all use the safari engine though, unless something has changed and I missed it.
No, and it’s annoying because Safari’s extensions I’ll let you install ad blockers, but they won’t work on Firefox even though it’s still Safari
Extensions work on Orion
So I guess it’s a Mozilla problem and not Apple