AltStore PAL Alternative App Marketplace Launches on iPhone in EU

[iOS Geek]

I especially hate that Delta now isn't coming to the App Store in Europe. Now as a European I'm forced to install this other store if I want it. Some people kept claiming that people who don't want to install other stores would never have to but this was always going to happen.

Yeah it really didn't take long to prove those people wrong. Would have been nice if those people could have at least just been honest with themselves and admitted that something like this could happen. They kept acting like things could continue as always for the people who wanted it the way it was. As of now...we have proof that isn't the case. The bs fragmentation begins.

And for those who say this legislation was good for consumers...with this...we also have proof that this isn't the case either.

 

[SteveJobsOfficial]

I especially hate that Delta now isn't coming to the App Store in Europe. Now as a European I'm forced to install this other store if I want it. Some people kept claiming that people who don't want to install other stores would never have to but this was always going to happen.

I'm 100% confident this exact argument was made because companies would supposedly willingly pull out of the App Store. That reality never happened. Delta has to be in an alternative store because Apple kicks developers out of the App Store in the EU if they want to distribute anything else at all (like AltStore) outside of Apple's market. This is entirely Apple's doing, not the consequence of a fully open market (which it still isn't).

 

[MikeZTM]

I'm 100% confident this exact argument was made because companies would willingly pull out of the App Store. That reality never happened. Delta has to be in an alternative store because Apple kicks developers out of the App Store if they want to distribute anything else at all (like AltStore) outside of Apple's market. This is entirely Apple's doing, not the consequence of a fully open market (which it still isn't).

Then why Delta is on US AppStore but not EU AppStore?
If an indie developer can pull this off, why a billion-dollar giants cannot do the same or even better?
Meta 100% want their app to replace your iPhone's main springboard.

 

[Orystal]

Two questions

Do we keep our applications at the end of the altstore subscription?

If I delete AltStore I can download it again without paying?

 

[TechnoMonk]

I'm 100% confident this exact argument was made because companies would willingly pull out of the App Store. That reality never happened. Delta has to be in an alternative store because Apple kicks developers out of the App Store if they want to distribute anything else at all (like AltStore) outside of Apple's market. This is entirely Apple's doing, not the consequence of a fully open market (which it still isn't).

Then why Delta is on US AppStore but not EU AppStore?

It has nothing to do with being open or not. Wait till it goes full circle and Apple gets blamed for shenanigans in Alt stores. People don’t realize when flood gates open, it is hard to contain.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

The app marketplace is designed to be decentralized with no directory, so developers will need to self-promote their apps and direct users to their websites to install an app through AltStore.

Other websites say that you need to add "Sources" to AltStore. Once you do that, it'll list apps available from those sources. But the app binaries are still hosted by the developer, not AltStore.

I guess the service that AltStore is providing is that it gives a UI and facilitates paying for apps? My understanding is European users can now just install apps straight off the internet, so... IDK that the UI is all that necessary, but handling payments will be nice. Developers obviously can't keep 100% of the money... if nothing else the payment processor will take a cut. So what percent do developers actually get to keep?

Does AltStore handle updating the apps installed via it?

 

[iPay]

Fun to see how Apple, once a master of tax evasion, is now fiercely defending its own tax. Maybe they had too much talk with EU.

 

[boak]

Won’t be long before Meta pulls their apps from the App Store and make Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. exclusive in the Meta App Store.

 

[MegaBlue]

Yeah it really didn't take long to prove those people wrong. Would have been nice if those people could have at least just been honest with themselves and admitted that something like this could happen. They kept acting like things could continue as always for the people who wanted it the way it was. As of now...we have proof that isn't the case. The bs fragmentation begins.

And for those who say this legislation was good for consumers...with this...we also have proof that this isn't the case either.

I can't speak for every person but the main argument isn't that there won't be apps not on the App Store, the argument is that apps won't be pulled from the App Store to be separate.

Touched on this in my last post, but there was always going to be smaller/independent developers that elect to just not be on the App Store and only be independent. The only major company who's given any indication they won't be on the App Store is Epic, and that's only because they are banned from doing so.

A major company like Spotify, or Meta, or Microsoft, or larger institutions like your bank or insurance company aren't going to force users to not use the App Store. We have empirical evidence from pretty much every platform that you have a much stronger reach when you're available in the main software distribution channel. That's not to say these companies won't also be available outside, but it seems pretty unrealistic they would leave the App Store. Delta, an app made by two people in their free time, isn't really representative of what a profit-driven multi-million/billion dollar company would do.

 

[MikeZTM]

Other websites say that you need to add "Sources" to AltStore. Once you do that, it'll list apps available from those sources. But the app binaries are still hosted by the developer, not AltStore.

I guess the service that AltStore is providing is that it gives a UI and facilitates paying for apps? My understanding is European users can now just install apps straight off the internet, so... IDK that the UI is all that necessary, but handling payments will be nice. Developers obviously can't keep 100% of the money... if nothing else the payment processor will take a cut. So what percent do developers actually get to keep?

Does AltStore handle updating the apps installed via it?

Those becomes less important when law does not apply to iPad and now with AltStore region exclusive app you cannot run them on iPad with an EU Apple account.

Good luck with third-party marketplace's TOS and UX consistency.

 

[Populus]

Oh c’mon, someone tell the developer to enable the emulator in the EU AppStore. I’m not interested on installing third party stores (at least for now).

 

[TechnoMonk]

Won’t be long before Meta pulls their apps from the App Store and make Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. exclusive in the Meta App Store.

Yep. It is inevitable in EU.

 

[MikeZTM]

I can't speak for every person but the main argument isn't that there won't be apps not on the App Store, the argument is that apps won't be pulled from the App Store to be separate.

Touched on this in my last post, but there was always going to be smaller/independent developers that elect to just not be on the App Store and only be independent. The only major company who's given any indication they won't be on the App Store is Epic, and that's only because they are banned from doing so.

A major company like Spotify, or Meta, or Microsoft, or larger institutions like your bank or insurance company aren't going to force users to not use the App Store. We have empirical evidence from pretty much every platform that you have a much stronger reach when you're available in the main software distribution channel. That's not to say these companies won't also be available outside, but it seems pretty unrealistic they would leave the App Store. Delta, an app made by two people in their free time, isn't really representative of what a profit-driven multi-million/billion dollar company would do.

They will, as EPIC already announced it in high profile.
Uber was detecting Apple office in their app review to hide forbidden features and Meta was arguing with Apple for privacy policies.
How come they will follow the rules if there's option for them to not?

 

[TechnoMonk]

They will, as EPIC already announced it in high profile.
Uber was detecting Apple office in their app review to hide forbidden features and Meta was arguing with Apple for privacy policies.
How come they will follow the rules if there's option for them to not?

It’s simple math, if FB can put adware level tracking and can make monetize more than 50 cents per install, it’s no brainer.

 

[iOS Geek]

Oh c’mon, someone tell the developer to enable the emulator in the EU AppStore. I’m not interested on installing third party stores (at least for now).

Exactly. You are perfectly demonstrating what the pro-DMA people on here said wouldn't be a problem. Already seeing proof that the DMA is NOT going to do any favors for consumer experience. Kinda funny to see the downsides showing up so soon. Saw that coming a mile away.

 

[Mailia]

Yeah it really didn't take long to prove those people wrong. Would have been nice if those people could have at least just been honest with themselves and admitted that something like this could happen. They kept acting like things could continue as always for the people who wanted it the way it was. As of now...we have proof that isn't the case. The bs fragmentation begins.

And for those who say this legislation was good for consumers...with this...we also have proof that this isn't the case either.

DMA enforcement began in March 2024 and Apple started allowing retro game emulators into the App Store in April 2024. This type of app was never even remotely possible to be in the App Store when people were panicking over apps leaving.

 

[coolfactor]

Are app updates still available if a citizen stops paying the "store membership fee"?

 

[CrysisDeu]

So...he's taking a 66% cut of the 1.50 fee. Apple is getting a 33% cut.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

And he is getting that per year?

 

[a3Dman]

I especially hate that Delta now isn't coming to the App Store in Europe. Now as a European I'm forced to install this other store if I want it. Some people kept claiming that people who don't want to install other stores would never have to but this was always going to happen.

In the future, people would be able to fill a full home screen page with stores that they are forced to install just for one app.

 

[CrysisDeu]

I especially hate that Delta now isn't coming to the App Store in Europe. Now as a European I'm forced to install this other store if I want it. Some people kept claiming that people who don't want to install other stores would never have to but this was always going to happen.

Exactly. Good luck to EU users

 

[CrysisDeu]

In the future, people would be able to fill a full home screen page with stores that they are forced to install just for one app.

And pay 20 subscriptions for setapp alternatives

 

[Timo_Existencia]

It’s simple math, if FB can put adware level tracking and can make monetize more than 50 cents per install, it’s no brainer.

Facebook makes about $50/year per user in the US & Canada, and about $10/year in the rest of the world.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

And he is getting that per year?

That's what he says; it's a yearly subscription fee.

 

[hans1972]

Most of the people making this argument are making it on a scale of large businesses. It was always understood that a lot of single/indie developers would have content not on the App Store but in other sources.

I haven't read anyone who made that distinction (in writing).

 

[MegaBlue]

They will, as EPIC already announced it in high profile.
Uber was detecting Apple office in their app review to hide forbidden features and Meta was arguing with Apple for privacy policies.
How come they will follow the rules if there's option for them to not?

Epic was banned from the App Store after violating App Store polices. They never made an announcement they were leaving the App Store (because they were forcibly removed years before the DMA was even drafted).

Uber and Meta will follow the rules because the option that lets them not follow the rules results in a major loss of money. Uber and Meta are not high school/college kids making a fun app in their free time. They are companies that intend to make money and collect data.

Sideloaded apps see a small fraction of usage and revenue compared to when the app is available on the main distribution platform.

If you could break any rule at work you wanted with no penalty other than you have to get a very small fraction of your paycheck, would you take that?