AltStore Plans to Launch iPhone App in Three More Countries This Year

AltStore today announced plans to make its iPhone app available in Australia, Brazil, and Japan later this year, followed by the UK next year.

altstore pal eu
AltStore is also gaining "Fediverse" support, via the ActivityPub protocol.

AltStore provides iPhone users with an alternative to Apple's built-in App Store, and it even offers some apps that would violate Apple's App Review Guidelines.

AltStore first launched on the iPhone in the EU last year, after the Digital Markets Act required Apple to allow alternative app stores. Australia, Brazil, Japan, and the UK are working to implement similar regulations, which would pave the way for AltStore to launch in those countries as well. However, the exact timing could shift.

Alternative app stores have been supported on the iPhone and iPad in the EU since iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 were released in April 2024. AltStore and other alternative app stores can be installed on these devices via Safari or another web browser.

Apple has yet to announce or implement support for alternative app stores in Australia, Brazil, Japan, and the UK, as regulations in those countries are still being finalized and/or have yet to be enforced. AltStore has simply announced its plans early.

In the U.S., the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple last year, but the case is ongoing and alternative app stores on the iPhone remain unsupported there.

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
iphone fold 3d print

Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy

Tuesday December 23, 2025 1:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far. On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), ...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
12 weeks ago
Phenomenal!

This is the kind of real innovation that is enabled by competition in the App Store space.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
germanbeer007 Avatar
12 weeks ago
All of 6 people rejoice!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
12 weeks ago
Do people not realize all the different places they get macOS software from, right now?

It's so odd to watch folks advocate against having those same consumer freedoms on iOS.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
12 weeks ago

Do people not realize all the different places they get macOS software from, right now?

It's so odd to watch folks advocate against having those same consumer freedoms on iOS.
This is precisely why I actively refuse to acquire macOS applications from apple's official app. I really, really REALLY do not need a company deciding which programs I should be allowed to run on my machine.

They are welcome to warn me if it shows up in whatever malware reports that security researchers generate. They can warn me about potentially malicious code in the files. This is all fine.

I cannot stand Apple's insistence on gatekeeping my user permissions behind warnings that make it appear like I absolutely cannot install something they didn't approve of, only to be able to circumvent this by going into Security settings and clicking "install anyway" and giving biometric approval.

This is idiotic. If you as a user want Apple's hand-holding because elementary IT awareness isn't something you have the bandwidth to learn, fine. Go for it. Grandpa needs to not have to work so hard just to use their macbook air? Obviously this is helpful to him.

But for the love of god, stop endorsing a company's malicious behavior when it acts against the interest of the user just because you don't want to think harder than a button that says "Get." For people who can handle determining whether or not installing something is a good idea, this setup is irritating at best.

It's doubly ironic to me seeing people give AltStore the same treatment they gave Cydia & jailbreaking in MR forums, when this place is inundated with people who think Apple doesn't innovate any more. I mean, they're specifically creating certain limitations because they can control what constitutes innovation. Syncing with iPhones over WiFi waaaaaaaaay back in the day was something people with jailbroken devices could do before Apple called it a "new feature." Control Center introduced by Apple back in iOS 7? Had that on iOS 4.

An enormous amount of you will complain that Apple makes little effort to bring big changes, and then celebrate when they lock their OS' out of customization.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
12 weeks ago

when people download apps from this place do not blame apple when you get hacked or you phone starts messing up because you download a bad App. do not complain, you are to blame for using the altstore nothing good is going to come from this. They will point the finger at Apple when apple has nothing to do with it.
None of which happens right now on macOS.



Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unregistered 4U Avatar
12 weeks ago

All of 6 people rejoice!
Maybe one day there will be as many people that want to use the AltStore as there are Apple Vision Pro users!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)