A pornography app called Hot Tub has become available on iPhones in the EU via AltStore PAL, a third-party marketplace backed by Epic Games. The app’s release, enabled by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), is a massive change in Apple’s control over iOS app distribution.
AltStore PAL launched Hot Tub on February 3, 2025, billing it as a “private, secure, and elegant way to browse adult content”. The app aggregates videos from various well-known pornographic websites while blocking ads and trackers.
Apple’s notarization process—a security review for malware—cleared Hot Tub, but the company emphasized this does not equate to content approval. AltStore initially claimed the app was “the world’s 1st Apple-approved porn app” on social media, a report Apple called “false”.
Apple condemned the app’s availability, stating:
“We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem.”
The company said that Hot Tub’s distribution is due to DMA rules and stated that it will not allow such apps in its official App Store.
AltStore PAL now hosts utilities, game emulators, and torrenting apps previously banned by Apple, a more open—but less moderated—EU iOS ecosystem.
More here.