Now that the new Digital Marketing Act (DMA) has come into effect within the European Union, it is also time for large tech companies to comply. That’s why Apple has allowed alternative App Stores. To set up such an alternative App Store, you must meet quite a few conditions and also have a lot of money to guarantee it.
One of these alternatives App Stores is AltStore. And we may also find apps that normally don’t make it through Apple’s selection. In addition, other alternative stores will also be opened thanks to the DMA.
Apple’s nightmare: sideloading allowed
Not everyone can just open an alternative App Store. The owner of the store must deposit at least one million euros to guarantee against any damage. With the opening of so-called Alt Stores, sideloading becomes possible. But that’s not all, because according to European laws, Apple may also have to allow apps within the European Union to make apps available on a website and to download and install them directly. This means you no longer have to jailbreak an iPhone.
The AltStore and sideloading work with the latest operating system. It does not work with company certificates. You can install various apps with the AltStore using your Apple ID and password. It can also be a disposable account. When signing up for an alternative App Store, you must agree to the terms and understand the consequences and risks. You will see a lot of screens from Apple.
Install gambling apps
Sideloading and using alternative app stores allow you to use apps that are not normally found in the App Store. Consider, for example, the online casino apps of casinos from the overview SuperBigWin.nu. You can already find something similar on Google. According to the Play Store, gambling apps are not allowed at all. That is why you can usually play one at online casinos via their own website APK file download and install it manually.
There is therefore a good chance that gambling apps will soon be released by more parties and made available for iOS. You may soon be able to download and install an app via the online casino’s website. Another option is that the apps are made available via the alternative App Stores. A negative point about this opening by the DMA.
Year subscription
The alternative app store AltStore PAL has been live in the EU since April 17. The manager charges €1.50 per year excluding VAT to use the store. The amount is mainly intended to compensate the Apple Core Technology Fee of € 0.50. Apple charges this for more than 1 million downloads.
Install other apps that are against Apple’s rules anyway
Thanks to sideloading, you will soon also be able to install other apps that Apple is not very happy with at first glance. Consider, for example, the so-called emulators for Gameboy or an old Nintendo. You can load the vintage games into an emulator via so-called ROMs and play old games from the 90s. Apple has always said that it is not allowed to publish those apps in the App Store due to copyright and actively prevented it.
Nintendo’s position remains that you are not allowed to download ROMs if you do not own the original games. But thanks to the alternative App Stores you can still use the well-known emulators for Nintendo and Gameboy.
And that’s not all, because software manufacturers such as Epic Games and Spotify have also been battling Apple for years. Epic Games offered the option to purchase credits for games outside the App Store, which Apple said was not allowed. That led to one court case, which is still running today. Spotify did the same by selling subscriptions through its website, instead of just through the App Store. These types of problems are a thing of the past thanks to alternative stores and the DMA. Because if Apple decides to remove apps from the official App Store, app developers can turn to an alternative app store.
Gain access to the marketplace
You do not have an alternative app store (altstore or marketplace) installed by default on your iPhone when you buy it. You must install an app marketplace for this. But before you can access apps that aren’t officially in the App Store, you have to jump through quite a few hoops. For example, you must first download the marketplace and agree to give permission to the marketplace to access your settings. Then you can confirm the download and install. After this you can open the stores and download all available apps.
Riley Testut’s AltStore had been around for some time, but used workarounds, so you could only download 3 apps at the same time with a validity of a maximum of 7 days. That is no longer necessary, because Apple offers you the opportunity to use alternative App Stores thanks to the new rules.