This week marked a significant moment in mobile app distribution with the launch of the first adult content app deemed "approved" for Apple devices, now available through the AltStore PAL, a third-party app store operating in Europe due to the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
However, Apple is not taking this development lightly. The tech giant quickly denied the app's classification as "Apple-approved," expressing strong discontent over the EU's DMA, which it claims exposes European users to "unsavory services such as pornography and illegal drugs," along with other categories that would typically be banned from the App Store.
Euronews and Associated Press reported that Apple retains the responsibility of certifying apps for its operating system, irrespective of their availability on third-party platforms. The company emphasized that such certification should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of the app.
The European Union's mandate for Apple to diversify its services is aimed at fostering competition, allowing users the option to download apps from alternative stores. AltStore, which is supported by the gaming giant Epic Games—known for challenging Apple's app distribution procedures—serves as one of these new avenues for app access.
AltStore PAL third-party iOS app store
Responding to Apple's objections, AltStore defended its position, alleging that the US company is using safety concerns as a smokescreen to maintain its monopoly and avoid complying with the DMA.
