Following a successful beta test, AltStore PAL, a third-party iOS app store, has officially launched in the European Union, facilitated by Apple’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). To access the store, users must subscribe for €1.50 annually, covering Apple’s Core Technology Fee (CTF) for installing the app marketplace.
Installing AltStore PAL involves navigating through multiple warning screens from Apple, cautioning against installing apps from sources outside the official App Store. Despite these hurdles, with persistence, users can successfully install the app.
The debut of AltStore PAL introduces two apps developed by Riley Testut: Delta, an emulator supporting various Nintendo games, and Clip, a clipboard manager, which Apple prohibits. Testut, along with his business partner Shane Gill, spearheaded the creation of the store.
Delta is also launching on Apple’s App Store worldwide today, providing relief to users affected by the iGBA incident over the weekend.
AltStore PAL integrates with Patreon for monetization, offering support to developers who wish to distribute beta apps as a reward for crowdfunding, a practice not permitted in the App Store. While Delta is available for free to offset the CTF, downloading Clip requires a minimum monthly Patreon pledge of €1.
Although AltStore has been available since 2019 for iOS, its installation previously required a workaround. Now, thanks to the DMA, Delta and Clip receive an official Apple notarized launch on AltStore PAL in the EU.
Both apps showcase the potential for innovative software on the iPhone, bypassing Apple’s App Store. Delta operates in a legal gray area, while Clip employs workarounds to function in the background, despite violating App Store rules.
AltStore PAL is open to submissions from third-party developers, with apps being self-hosted on developers’ servers. Users can add additional “sources” to the app marketplace to download software from other developers, offering a decentralized alternative to Apple’s centralized App Store.
