One of the major change that people are waiting to sideload apps in iPhone with iOS 17 after it’s launched in WWDC 2023. This feature would be restricted initially to EU region and then will be available worldwide.
Sideloading is a great feature to have in iPhone for app developers as it could make installing apps and testing it easy in iPhones. Presently, there are limitations in installing apps in iOS and iPadOS, but Apple has allowed users to sideload apps in Mac. So this change of Sideload apps in iPhone with iOS 17 would be a welcome change.
What is Sideloading in iOS 17?
This is a familiar term for Android users, as they have been doing it for ages. To install an app that is not available in Android play store, people search various repos and websites on the internet and download a compatible APK file.
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Once the file is available, they transfer that file to the internal storage of the phone and open it and install it. Doing this give access to apps that they may not be able to use earlier. The same feature is expected to be available in iOS 17 as well.
We are presently doing this on macOS. The DMG file is downloaded to the drive and opened and installed with the user permission.
Remember this before sideloading apps in iPhone
We know that this feature has been available in Android phones for long time. Sideloading apps have its own advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of sideloading apps
- Sideloading apps help to install applications that are not available in Apple App Store
- This helps developers to test the app without creating a build in TestFlight
- Testing and releasing an app becomes faster.
- Some apps help to customize your iPhone but if they are not available in App Store, sideloading would help.
Disadvantages of sideloading apps
- Sideloading a app that is not compatible with iPhone would brick the phone
- Data theft could happen as the app is not authorized by Apple
- Unwanted apps could slow down the performance of iPhone
- Warranty may get void if the app has damaged the phone.
Should you sideload apps in iPhone with iOS 17
It is well and good to have this feature, but it comes with its own risks. Until you are sure about what you are doing, and you know about the app that is being sideloaded, it should be good.
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We would suggest you do research on all the apps before sideload and check if it’s compatible with your phone and does other users have faced any issues loading the apps to their iPhone. Once all is confirmed, you can do it.
Can apps be sideloaded in iPadOS 17 as well?
Another common question is that, will the sideload feature be available in iPadOS as well when it is launched. Since iOS and iPadOS are very much related, we are expecting this feature to be available in iPadOS as well once it’s released in iOS.
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There would be an initial phase like a testing phase for this feature and Apple would be rolling this out slowly. It is not confirmed as if this feature would be available in the developer beta version launched in WWDC 2023. To confirm this, we may need to wait for the event to happen.
