AltStore Brings the First Native Porn App to iPhones in the EU
There is a new day dawning right now for iPhone users — at least, those operating in the European Union. Last year, Apple finally responded to its obligations under the Digital Markets Act by allowing iPhone owners in Europe to install alternate app stores on their devices without needing to jailbreak. It wasn’t long after that historic step that we saw the first app store to take advantage of this access emerge, with AltStore PAL rising to new heights of legitimacy.
The Arrival of Hot Tub
Now it’s time for third-party iOS app stores to cross another critical threshold: the first Apple-reviewed porn app. The first native porn app for iPhone called "Hot Tub" may have passed notarization checks, but Apple wants everyone to know it certainly doesn't "approve" of such dangerous things on its devices. AltStore PAL is serving up the first porn app that has passed official Apple Notarization, Hot Tub. According to the developers, Hot Tub offers what they describe as a “private, secure, and elegant” way to consume adult content, sourced from popular destinations like Pornhub, XHamster, and Xvideos.
Below are the key details regarding this new software release:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| App Name | Hot Tub |
| Marketplace | AltStore PAL |
| Content Sources | Pornhub, XHamster, Xvideos |
| Regulatory Basis | Digital Markets Act (EU) |
Apple’s Notarization vs. Approval
When AltStore promoted the app, it used the phrase "the first Apple-approved porn app" in marketing. Apple was quick to deny that it "approved" of the app, and released a statement to MacRumors. The statement highlighted the company's concern for easy access to explicit content and the risk to customers. Apple stated: "Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store."
When Apple agreed to support alternate app stores, it shared a process called Notarization, wherein the company would review apps for security and privacy concerns, but wouldn’t subject them to the same sort of content oversight as it does with the company’s own App Store. Apple's App Store Review Guidelines have almost always explicitly stated that apps featuring "overtly sexual or pornographic material" are not allowed, period. However, alternate app stores in the EU can publish anything that passes a notarization check, and that's happened with the first-ever native porn app for iPhone.
Apple draws a clear line in the sand that it would never allow such an app on the App Store. The truth is that they are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share their concerns for user safety.
Context and Industry Impact
The statement from Apple is even more bewildering given that Safari enables easy access to porn from the jump unless specific steps are taken to block the content. Moving beyond Safari, the App Store itself is brimming with adult content. It's not hard to find explicit material on many popular apps, even ones that ban the content like YouTube or Facebook. While it is true you'll never find an app for PornHub in the App Store, there are plenty of popular apps filled with explicit, pornographic, or otherwise adult material all over the App Store.
It was really only going to be a matter of time before we crossed this threshold, as with iOS now supporting alternate app stores in the EU, Apple no longer has the same sort of moral oversight it enforces upon its ecosystem in other markets. In order to celebrate this debauchery milestone, AltStore says that it’s donating all of its Patreon earnings across the month of February to groups working with the LGBTQ+ community and those supporting sex workers.