Live data from Hacker News

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

mastodon.social

81–90 of 161 posts

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

#81
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it not available in the EU? Is this just the Delta developer wanting to promote/push people to their App Store, or is there some other reason e.g. Apple don’t allow the app in the EU? I’m a bit confused why it would be on alternative store at all, if Apple now allow these apps… can someone ELI5? (I’m in the UK so can download from the App Store, finally a benefit of you-know-what lol)

I think they cannot put it on both stores per Apple rules. And since the Delta developer is the same person as the Alt Store developer he chose to put it on his own store.

I see! I guess I don’t understand why the developer would bother with their own store if the App Store now allows emulators, and the Delta app is free - but I guess this was only a recent change, maybe allowed by Apple purely as a way to try to stop people going to alt stores?

I guess maybe the developer feels it’s their duty to follow the alt store thing through to keep pressure on Apple? Or maybe they stand to make money (either now or in future with other apps) from their store?

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

#83
post #57

I signed up, paid €1.50 and was only then told I wasn't eligible. I can imagine they're going to be doing a lot of €1.50 refunds

Outside the EU? Looks like they make it incredibly easy to pay with no pre-verification, so yeah, probably a lot of refunds.

Yeah they really should be using Stripe to authorise the card payment and then capture it when the app is successfully installed

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

#84
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they cannot put it on both stores per Apple rules. And since the Delta developer is the same person as the Alt Store developer he chose to put it on his own store.

I see! I guess I don’t understand why the developer would bother with their own store if the App Store now allows emulators, and the Delta app is free - but I guess this was only a recent change, maybe allowed by Apple purely as a way to try to stop people going to alt stores? I guess maybe the developer feels it’s their duty to follow the alt store thing through to keep pressure on Apple? Or maybe they stand to make…

> why the developer would bother with their own store if the App Store now allows emulators

The keyword is now allows emulators. They didn't allow it 3 weeks ago. Or a year ago. Or 10 years ago.

Only now, with alternative stores launching and offering this, Apple has finally allowed emulators.

Perhaps the developer doesn't want to be beholden to Apple's whims? Especially after investing a lot of effort into setting up an alternative store?

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

#85

Hmm, my Apple ID is set to the UK, i paid using a UK card (Monzo), whilst connected to my home VPN (tunnelled) but currently abroad on holiday in Asia and it’s telling me I need to physically be in the EU to install it…

Have you forgotten...brexit? We no longer get to enjoy the benefits of the EU.

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

#86
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tell us the NTSC joke so it doesn't look like you're playing favorites. :)

Never the same color

More familiar with the "Twice" version. But what I meant was that the reply looked more like a "mine's longer" type contest. Missing the most famous of the jokes, for NTSC, is a weird omission for someone in the industry.

Also according to Wikipedia PAL is also backronymed as Pay for Additional Luxury, Peace At Last, Perfection At Last or Pictures Always Lovely, all positive but none that I've heard before.

Is there any indication that the store's name is really a reference to the TV standard?

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

#87
post #12
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id10485246... It is there. According to the verge it is also identical: https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/17/24132984/delta-free-emula... Curious why it is not available in the EU on the App Store (if it really isn't, I can't confirm)

Presumably to encourage people to subscribe to the AltStore, which doesn't feel like a very classy move. (Update below – it might be because of Apple's CTF.) This is in addition to a somewhat dubious licensing clause on the Delta GitHub repo that violates the GPL, under which most of the emulator cores it uses are licensed: https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta/issues/296 On the other hand, due to how Apple's EU "comp…

[deleted]

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

#89
post #38

"For developers who choose to agree to the new business terms, membership in the Apple Developer Program includes one million first annual installs per year for free for apps distributed from the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces." https://developer.apple.com/support/core-technology-fee/ This is what some commenters here don't understand when they criticize the developer for not offering a…

There is nothing stopping you having multiple developer accounts.

And there is the option of setting up a non-profit which removes the CTF.

It seems much more like the aim is to drive usage towards the AltStore.

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

#90
post #38

"For developers who choose to agree to the new business terms, membership in the Apple Developer Program includes one million first annual installs per year for free for apps distributed from the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces." https://developer.apple.com/support/core-technology-fee/ This is what some commenters here don't understand when they criticize the developer for not offering a…

There is nothing stopping you having multiple developer accounts. And there is the option of setting up a non-profit which removes the CTF. It seems much more like the aim is to drive usage towards the AltStore.

Why in the world would the developer want to jump through these hoops just to support the crApp Store in the EU?

Apple has made this situation way more difficult than it needs to be. Don't blame the victims. Also, the EU is already investigating, and it's not clear that Apple's Rube Goldberg machine will ultimately stand up to DMA scrutiny.

Post reply on HN