> Time for an alternative app store.

Not really. Just allow users to install applications without a middleman. Like we've been doing since forever in pretty much any other platform.

The whole point of an app store is to limit and control what a user is allowed to run. Alternative app stores just shift the blame elsewhere

Let the App Store contain backup providers that are allowed to compete with iCloud while you’re at it. The ability to self host it yourself would be a game changer for the lockdown.

There are too many apps with local data that can only be backed up via iCloud. For what’s essentially an archive upload to storage, Apple raises a lot of barriers.

You can install alternative app stores on iOS (within the EU). AltStore, Epic Games Store, and even a corporate-targeting store from Mobivention.

Apple is pulling some shit that will probably be declared illegal the moment it hits the courts with installation fees when distributing apps outside of Apple's ecosystem, but AFAIK Epic is taking care of that for AltStore and Mobivention probably factors it into its corporate pricing structure.

There's a lack of apps on these stores, though.

> You can install alternative app stores on iOS (within the EU).

And you need a few million dollars in the bank to be allowed to implement one (plus some other ridiculous requirements). The whole system still makes it impossible for a small team to develop and shift software without a huge middleman

You can, indeed, but all apps have to pass Apple review. So they can still reject app on vague reasons.

That’s not true, they get notarized but not reviewed.

You are right, apps are not reviewed by humans. But there is automatic review in the process of notarization. And you still need to ask apple for all entitlements you need (Critical alerts, CarPlay etc), as in the case mentioned in this blog post.

Bullshit. "Notiarization" for iOS apps in the EU is just App Review by another name, completely different from the automated Notarization they originally introduced for macOS apps.

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/03/17/ios-notarizations-human-r... https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/06/14/utm-blocked-outside-app-s...

"have it evaluated based on the Notarization Review Guidelines (a subset of the App Review Guidelines)" https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/distribut...

guessing it won't be long until they add an LLM type thing into the mix. Then they will "claim" it's automated and fair.