Report: Meta Wants to Distribute Apps via Facebook Ads in Europe

Meta is reportedly working on a new alternative to the App Store and Google Play Store for downloading apps in Europe. The Verge is reporting that Meta wants to make mobile apps available to download from Facebook ads, with a pilot program possibly launching later this year.

The EU’s Digital Markets Act, which will go into effect in Spring 2024, will force Google and Apple to allow third-party app stores on their mobile platforms. While Android users can already sideload apps and access third-party app stores, that’s not the case on iOS where Apple has been arguing that it would be bad for security.

“We’ve always been interested in helping developers distribute their apps, and new options would add more competition in this space. Developers deserve more ways to easily get their apps to the people that want them,” a Meta spokesperson told The Verge.

According to the report, Meta is telling app developers that the ability for users to download apps from Facebook ads without having to open an app store will improve engagement with these app install ads. Moreover, Meta is reportedly planning to allow developers in its pilot program to use the billing system of their choice, and the company won’t be taking a cut on transactions.

It’s hard to anticipate how the impact the EU’s Digital Markets Act will have on mobile platforms, but Meta isn’t the only big tech company interested in mobile app distribution. Microsoft is also planning to launch a mobile game store on iOS and Android, and the company is counting on its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard to pursue this strategy.