Apple released its latest iOS 17.2 beta update to the public this week, and reportedly tucked away within the code is evidence that sideloading apps, a.k.a. downloading apps from third-party app stores, could soon be coming to the best iPhones.
That's according to the eagle-eyed team at 9to5 Mac, who spotted a new public framework called “Managed App Distribution" in the iOS 17.2 beta code. At first, the outlet posited this API could be related to modernizing MDM solutions for installing enterprise apps, but a few holes in that theory quickly began to emerge. For one, iPhones already possess this capability. The API also contains a reference to a region lock, a component that doesn't really make sense for MDM solutions, but it would be necessary for enabling sideloading apps in particular countries in accordance with local regulations.
