Jess Weatherbed
Alternative iOS app stores won’t work (for long) outside of the EU.
With iOS 17.4, iPhone users in the EU can now access third-party app marketplaces — pending availability which is expected any day — but extended overseas travel could change that. According to Apple:
If you leave the European Union for short-term travel, you’ll continue to have access to alternative app marketplaces for a grace period. If you’re gone for too long, you’ll lose access to some features, including installing new alternative app marketplaces. Apps you installed from alternative app marketplaces will continue to function, but they can’t be updated by the marketplace you downloaded them from.
Apple hasn’t clarified how long this “grace period” is, which is deeply unhelpful for anyone trying to cope with the restriction.
