Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- AltStore Pal is the first Apple-approved alternative iOS app store.
- EU-based iPhone users can utilize AltStore Pal for a symbolic fee.
- Developers must host their apps on their own servers, not AltStore Pal’s.
AltStore Pal is finally available to iOS users in the EU (via The Verge), enabling them to download apps that don’t necessarily comply with Apple’s App Store guidelines. Those running iOS 17.4 or a later OS version can access the third-party app store by paying €1.50 (plus tax) per year. The original AltStore — which requires a desktop computer and a hackier setup — is still available worldwide for free.
AltStore has been a prominent iOS third-party app store for years. Developed by Riley Testut, the marketplace hosts a wide range of apps that Apple may not allow on its own storefront. Now that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has forced Apple to authorize third-party app stores on iOS, Testut has released AltStore Pal as a standalone version.
Considering Apple still charges a Core Technology Fee (CTF), Testut had to make AltStore Pal a paid offering to fund these payments. Interestingly, developers wishing to feature their work on AltStore Pal will have to host their apps on their own servers. Consequently, AltStore Pal users downloading apps from different developers will have to add and authorize the different “sources” individually.
Expectedly, iOS will display multiple warnings when a user attempts to install a third-party app store to discourage them from proceeding. Furthermore, iPad users in the EU are still limited to Apple’s App Store, as the DMA hasn’t pushed the tech overlord to do otherwise.
In recent guideline changes, Apple has also started allowing game emulators on its App Store. As a result, the famous Delta emulator — developed by the same developer — has also made its way to Apple’s App Store. Through it, iPhone users around the world can play NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS games without needing to jailbreak their devices or resort to complex app sideloading methods.
