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 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.
