Starting in March, Apple will enable other app stores to be used on devices purchased in the EU.
Currently, iPhone users may only download apps from the company's own App Store.
Apple has long claimed that its policies safeguard consumers' security.
However, it has been accused of establishing a monopoly, forcing users and developers to utilize its own channels, and charging developers up to a 30% fee.
It has resulted in developers being barred from the millions of users who use Apple devices because they either fail to fulfill Apple's App Store rules or refuse to pay its fees.
The measures will not apply in the UK at this time, but the UK's Digital Markets Bill, which is now being debated in Parliament, is expected to subject Apple's activities to comparable regulatory scrutiny.
Epic, the creators of Fortnite, notably removed their blockbuster game from the App Store after disagreeing with its standards. It has not been available on the App Store since 2020, although it may be played on the web.
In theory, this change might allow iPhone owners in Europe to recover the Fortnite software through a separate app shop.
The decision comes as the EU's Digital Markets Act takes effect. The new law aims to control the largest corporations that serve as gatekeepers to services such as search engines and app stores in order to make the market more equitable for established enterprises and smaller ones.
Apple also said that it will expand browser choice, allowing EU customers to opt out of using the company's Safari web browser from the first time they open it.
However, it warned that while it was setting high requirements for all new alternative applications and stores, it feared the move would increase user security risks and expose them to malware, fraud, and scams disguised within programs from other sources.
This article was originally published on the BBC.