MacPaw 'Setapp' Wants To Be One Of The First Third-Party iOS App Stores

Unlike the rest of the world, The European Union has what it calls the DMA, which stands for the Digital Markets Act.

It's a regulation enacted by the EU, with the goal to promote fair competition in the digital market. It primarily targets large online platforms, designated as "gatekeepers", that meet specific criteria, such as having a significant market share and acting as an intermediary between businesses and consumers.

DMA ensures a level playing field for smaller businesses by preventing gatekeepers from abusing their market power, increasing consumer choice and innovation in the digital market.

And Apple checks all of DMA's list that defines a gatekeeper.

With the EU has formally adopted the DMA, among others, Apple has to allow third-party companies to launch their own mobile app stores on iOS in Europe.

And the first notable contender, is MacPaw.

The software developer announced a beta version of its Setapp store, with plans to launch it on April.

What makes Setapp unique is that it’s a subscription-based platform with a collection of curated apps rather than a traditional store. In other words, users pay a set monthly price for access to the store and can download as many apps as they want.

"We are setting a new path for the software industry towards a better and more diverse app ecosystem. This will offer customers more choices and a better overall user experience," wrote Oleksandr Kosovan, CEO and Founder of MacPaw.

"With Setapp our promise is simple: to offer software and tools that streamline your workflow, ignite your creativity, and amplify your impact. We carefully curate our collection, ensuring that every app, every feature, and every update aligns with our philosophy of meaningful efficiency."

Initially, Setapp has been made available on the Mac App Store for $9.99 per month.

Users can access over 240 individual apps, ranging from productivity apps to work apps, to creative apps, and more.

And on iOS, MacPaw said that its beta version of the app store shall feature productivity and business tools, creative and design software, lifestyle and productivity apps, utility apps, and specialized professional tools.

Key elements of the DMA:

• Defines objective criteria to identify gatekeepers.
• Imposes various do's and don'ts on gatekeepers.
• Allowing users to uninstall pre-installed apps and choose default apps.
• Ensuring fair access to data for third-party businesses.
• Prohibiting self-preferencing and unfair practices.

Before the DMA came in effect, Apple's iOS ecosystem has been largely closed, with the App Store being the only official way to distribute apps on iPhones and iPads.

The dominance of the App Store has allowed Apple to historically maintained a tight grip on app distribution for iOS devices. This includes the ability to curate apps, control distribution and monetization, and more.

The DMA came into effect on November 1, 2022, and became fully applicable on May 2, 2023.

The European Commission is responsible for enforcing the DMA, meaning that the DMA only applies within the EU and doesn't have a direct impact on other regions.