Apple has kept the iPhone app distribution system closed, allowing users to download the apps only from the App Store. But the company might be adding some gates to this walled garden to let people sideload apps on iPhones soon.

A Bloomberg report noted that the Cupertino-based company will build the groundwork for such functionality with iOS 17. Reporter Mark Gurman said in his newsletter that Apple is overhauling its software for sideloading and we might see some announcement related to that at the upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June.

Last year, another Bloomberg report hinted towards Apple’s new approach towards sideloading, owing to a change in regulation in Europe. EU’s Digital Market Act (DMA) will come into effect in 2024. The act forces big tech companies to allow alternative app stores on their platforms, so developers have a choice when it comes to app distribution and users have the choice of downloading apps from different sources.