In a significant development, Brazil has mandated that Apple must enable sideloading on its iOS devices within the next 90 days, following a court order. This ruling challenges Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem, often referred to as its "walled garden." The judge highlighted that Apple has already complied with similar mandates in other countries, suggesting a global trend towards more open app installation practices.
Apple, however, is preparing to appeal this decision. Sideloading, the process of installing apps directly onto devices without using an official app store, has been a standard feature for Android users through APK files. Yet, Apple has historically resisted this practice, citing privacy and security concerns as their primary objections.
The issue of sideloading was thrust into the spotlight following Epic's lawsuit against Apple over five years ago, which questioned the tech giant's control over its app ecosystem. Apple's stance on privacy has remained firm, even as they introduced significant changes like the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in 2022, which required developers to seek user permission for tracking, impacting the gaming industry and drawing regulatory attention.

Despite Apple's arguments, the push for sideloading, third-party app stores, and other open practices continues to gain momentum. Countries like Vietnam and regions like the EU are increasingly demanding that Apple adopt more flexible policies. This shift indicates that the era of Apple's exclusive control might be waning.
While Apple navigates these legal challenges, mobile gaming enthusiasts can explore new releases. Check out our list of the top five new mobile games to try this week for some exciting options from the past seven days.