Apple must open iPadOS to sideloading within 6 months, EU says

I'm genuinely surprised by this. I figured the differences between tablets and phones, combined with Apple's efforts to distinguish between 'iPadOS' and 'iOS', would be enough to get them a win on this point. If the shared app store is part of the problem I wonder if that makes it a liability for any new apple ecosystem to tie into the App Store, like Vision OS for example.

Why would IpadOS not be held to the same DSA rules as IOS? Apple has applied the same model of gatekeeping (walled garden) to both the iPhone and the iPad. DSA attaches requirements to the gatekeepers if they are big enough.

Software similarity and market positioning don't really come into consideration once the role of gatekeeper has been established.

Doesn't this mean that game consoles should be gatekeepers too like from sony/nintendo/microsoft?

I 100% think this is the case, my guess as to why they're not targeted yet is just that they're less visible to regulators.

I'd like to know if there's another explanation.

Consoles are not defined as general-purpose computers (except for a time, the PS3), and there aren't many complaints from the game industry at large about access discrimination or unaffordable devkits any more, there's tons of indie games for just about every major platform these days. So, too much effort for too little gain, there is no artificial competition impediments any more.

The only complaints tend to come from gamers - DRM, "console exclusive" titles and lootboxes, mostly, but of these three the only realistic field where the EU can/will/should intervene is the lootbox crap.

It's the same for iPad, not defined as general purpose, no complaints about unaffordavle devkits (xcode is free), tons of indie apps.

Xcode is free but a developer account isn't (nor is an Xbox Dev account either for that matter)

You can sideload apps with a free account, but only 3 signed at once and for a max of 7 days. There are also some entitlements you can’t use.