Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that Android has significantly more malware than iOS and that “sideloading” smartphone apps is something “not in the best interest of users.” Virtually speaking at the VivaTech 2021 conference in Paris, France, on June 16, Cook claims that Android carries “47 times more malware” than Apple’s OS because of the way that iOS has been designed. Namely, that there’s only one App Store and that all Apps loaded to the Store undergo a strict review process.
Android-operating devices allow users to sideload apps, meaning that users can download apps directly from third parties or websites into their phones without having to go through the Google Play store. Obviously, unaware users can be caught off-guard by malware in sideloaded apps, especially if they are not completely certain about the origin of the apps in question.
Cook says that if Apple would allow sideloading as Google does with Android, “it would destroy the security and privacy of the iOS platform.”
The Digital Markets Act is a newly proposed European law that aims to prevent tech mega-companies from monopolising their position in the market. When asked for his thoughts on the proposed act, Cook signalled Apple’s opposition to it. Cook claims that the act would force Apple to allow users to install software outside of the App Store, i.e. sideloading.
“As I look at the tech regulation that’s being discussed, I think there are good parts of it, and then I think there are parts of it that are not in the best interests of the user,” Cook says about the DMA, quoted by Gadgets 360.
Despite what Cook says, the DMA is squarely aimed at companies with massive consumer bases – all the big names in tech: Apple, Google, Amazon, etc. The act is trying to get the companies to open their platforms to competitors. For example, allowing Google-developed apps to be downloadable on the App Store.
DMA will also seek to build fairer business environments for enterprises and individuals who depend on “gatekeepers” such as Google or Apple platforms to offer their services in a single market, at least in Europe.
However, other regions may begin to implement similar acts in order to seek more openness from the tech monoliths of today. Cook declined to provide any details about Apple’s upcoming products during the interview, and only saying that there’s always “something up [Apple’s] sleeve.”
