AltStore PAL, the first alternative app marketplace on iPhone, is available now

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Delta availability and regional differences

  • Delta emulator is on the iOS App Store in the US and many regions, but not in the EU; several EU users confirm it’s missing there.
  • In the EU, users must install AltStore PAL (a paid alternative marketplace) to get Delta, while UK users can just use the App Store.
  • Some see this as developers pushing users into their store and reducing choice; others argue the blame lies primarily with Apple’s fee structure and historic rejections of emulators.

Apple’s policy changes, DMA, and Core Technology Fee (CTF)

  • Emulators were rejected for years; Apple only very recently changed App Store guidelines to allow retro console emulators and ROM downloads.
  • Many commenters connect this timing directly to the EU’s DMA and the arrival of alternative marketplaces, seeing Apple as reacting to regulatory pressure.
  • Once a developer distributes outside the App Store under the new EU terms, Apple’s CTF applies to all their EU installs (App Store + alternative), making free distribution harder.
  • Alternative marketplaces pay CTF from the first install; apps inside them pay after 1M annual installs. Some argue this structurally discourages having the same free app in both channels.
  • Others note workarounds (separate developer accounts, non-profits) and suggest the developer is also incentivized to grow AltStore.

Developer motives vs user choice

  • One side: dev could have offered Delta on both AltStore and App Store in the EU, or charged for the EU App Store version, preserving user choice.
  • Other side: after years of Apple blocking emulators, the dev wants independence and can’t reasonably eat CTF costs for a free app.
  • There’s also a “punish Apple” / “fuck you Apple” sentiment: withholding the EU App Store version is seen as a response to Apple’s long-term behavior.

Licensing and AGPL debate

  • Some raise concerns that Delta’s GitHub licensing terms conflict with the (A)GPL of its emulator cores.
  • Others argue the author’s “exception” for their own original code may not violate AGPLv3, since AGPL’s “no further restrictions” applies only to code they don’t own. Outcome is left unresolved.

Installation experience and geo-restrictions

  • Multiple EU users report friction installing AltStore PAL:
    • Payment goes through but download does nothing unless using Safari, long-pressing the button, and enabling specific settings (including Screen Time).
    • Some are charged despite being ineligible (outside EU or on iPad), expecting many small refunds.
  • Apple restricts alternative marketplaces to iPhones running iOS 17.4+ and to users physically in the EU, with temporary grace if traveling out of region. This is criticized as heavy-handed and privacy-invasive.

Historical context: Cydia, Installer, and definitions

  • Commenters note older iOS package managers:
    • Installer.app as an early on-device package manager.
    • Cydia as the first real “store” (with payments) in the jailbroken ecosystem.
  • The new “AltStore PAL” is distinct in that it’s Apple-sanctioned under DMA rules, but still tightly controlled (signed IPAs only, no system modifications).

PAL/NTSC and “region-lock” tangents

  • The “PAL” name sparks nostalgic discussion about PAL vs NTSC:
    • Gamers often preferred NTSC’s 60 Hz for smoother motion.
    • Video fans liked PAL’s higher resolution and 25 fps cadence.
  • Several posts note the irony that modern phones are effectively “region locked” via policy, while emulators themselves usually bypass console region locks.

Broader platform and regulatory discussion

  • Some argue that if users care about freedom and sideloading, they should use Android, which offers “real” sideloading without Apple’s constraints.
  • Others counter that ecosystem lock-in makes switching platforms costly.
  • EU-only alternative marketplaces are seen as a direct result of regulation; commenters expect US access only if domestic regulators force similar changes.