Is it possible to install an APK on iPhone?

APK on iPhone

What is an APK?

APK (Android Application Package) is a compressed format in which the installation files of the applications for the Android system and the entire ecosystem that revolves around it are packaged: Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV. They are usually distributed through the official Google Play Store, which takes care of their unpacking and direct installation on the computer.

However, they can also be obtained by going to an application developer, such as WhatsApp, whose APK is available for download from its official page so that any Android user without access to the Google Play Store can install it manually. A procedure allowed in the Android system and for which it is enough to request authorization from the system settings to install applications that do not come from the official store.

What is an IPA file?

Now, with regard to iOS, the system that controls the iPhone, it is established that the application installation files have the IPA format, and just like what happens in Android and are managed by the official App Store, but this time exclusively.

The App Store unwraps and installs them so they can work on the iPhone. Unless you jailbreak the phone or use the alternative store AltStore, among others, which allows manual installation of IPA files for iPhone.

Trick: How to install AltStore on the iPhone

These kinds of files circulate on the Internet, but unlike the Android world, they are not usually published by their developers. Many of them even contain pirated versions of legal applications to which non-existent functions are added in the official application, such as WhatsApp Plus or Spotify++.

However, these types of practices are not certified by Apple because they threaten the security of your iOS system or the personal information of the phone user. In addition, it may cause a cancellation of the service provided by the application if unauthorized use is detected.

In short, it is not possible to install APK files on an iPhone and its equivalent IPA format is not guaranteed to work properly because they are not controlled by Apple.

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