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

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

#21
post #7

Love the 'PAL' reference - just like how many in North America were pining for the PAL video standard (initially Europe but later entire world except North America) but we were stuck with NTSC (and doubled down).

Really? As someone who grew up with PAL, we were pining for your 60fps NTSC output, especially in fast games like beatem-ups etc (PAL is 50).

I still remember the first time I saw an imported Japanese PS1 playing Teken 2, and how much smoother it looked on NTSC. I could never look at my PAL copy the same way again, I couldn't unsee the NTSC version. For me personally, those extra 10 frames trump the extra 100 scanlines in PAL etc.

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

#22
post #9

Delta for free in the regular App Store everywhere but the EU where we have to download a paid app store to install it, so it begins.

Don't you find the timing of them suddenly allowing emulators suspicious? If it weren't for that alt app store, would the U.S. app store have emulators at all?

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

#23
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Or, you know the developer could do what they did in other countries and just put it on the EU App store... Clearly it works there, according to the verge it's identical. Could even charge the same $2 a year if they really want too. Again, not complaining about the fee here. You replied to me thinking I was upset about a certain thing, that is not in fact the thing I am upset about and you seem to be doubling down...…

That really sucks. I don't deal with any of that on Android, it must be an iOS-specific policy that results in the vast and feverish desire for developers to leave the App Store.

As a user, you must really be going through it. From a developer standpoint (or hell, even a business one), kissing Apple's ring is not infinitely viable. Either Apple drafts more amicable first-party terms for their developers, or the people creating content for their users will make their platform a living hell. You should be mad, there shouldn't be anyone stopping you from installing whatever you want freely in the first place. But here we are, with our App Stores from on-high.

I really hope things change for you. I don't hold much faith in Apple's strategy working going forwards.

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

#24
post #21
post #7

Love the 'PAL' reference - just like how many in North America were pining for the PAL video standard (initially Europe but later entire world except North America) but we were stuck with NTSC (and doubled down).

Really? As someone who grew up with PAL, we were pining for your 60fps NTSC output, especially in fast games like beatem-ups etc (PAL is 50). I still remember the first time I saw an imported Japanese PS1 playing Teken 2, and how much smoother it looked on NTSC. I could never look at my PAL copy the same way again, I couldn't unsee the NTSC version. For me personally, those extra 10 frames trump the extra 100 scanlin…

I think gamers preferred NTSC (and 60Hz) but video/movie buffs adored PAL (higher resolution and 25fps being closer to film).

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

#25
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or, you know the developer could do what they did in other countries and just put it on the EU App store... Clearly it works there, according to the verge it's identical. Could even charge the same $2 a year if they really want too. Again, not complaining about the fee here. You replied to me thinking I was upset about a certain thing, that is not in fact the thing I am upset about and you seem to be doubling down...…

That really sucks. I don't deal with any of that on Android, it must be an iOS-specific policy that results in the vast and feverish desire for developers to leave the App Store. As a user, you must really be going through it. From a developer standpoint (or hell, even a business one), kissing Apple's ring is not infinitely viable. Either Apple drafts more amicable first-party terms for their developers, or the peopl…

Android is a good point because there were a lot of people trying to say, well this didn't happen on Android.

I get it from a developer stand point, but from a user standpoint I bought an iPhone because of the restrictions developers had to abide by (not that I agree with all of them, like with Emulators). I subscribe to a number of apps on my iPhone through the App Store because of the easy way to cancel any subscription quickly, the lack of dark patterns, etc.

It drove me insane that Spotify and others tried to frame this as "user choice" when we know well that it had nothing to do with that. I strongly believe this is going to backfire hard and this is just the beginning.

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

#26
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, many cool games never made it to the PAL region, and a lot of PAL ports (and video releases) got technically botched in some way.

There's a sad bit of irony that the year is 2024 and the game console in your pocket could feasibly run anything you want, but the OEM region-locked it again.

I initially thought of my RG35XX+ when I read "the game console in your pocket" and thought "no, it's not region locked". Then I realized this was a discussion about iPhones and yes, they are region locked now.

But, FWIW, I've been really happy with acmeplus's beta of Batocera Linux on my RG35XX+. My son and I have been taking turns playing through old gems like Pokemon and Aladdin on it, and I'm hoping to finally beat Final Fantasy VII one of these days.

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

#27
post #11
post #9

Delta for free in the regular App Store everywhere but the EU where we have to download a paid app store to install it, so it begins.

Right? This is exactly what I have been worried about and people tried to explain to tell me that, no this doesn't remove choice from me as a user. When in fact it does, if I was in the EU (and if the US does something similar, likely here) if I wanted to download this I would have to use their store. The choice is being made for me by the developer. It didn't take long to already have an example of this happening an…

> So how exactly does this benefit users again and isn't all about appeasing developers?

You can blame Apple here, by adding a fee per install, if you choose to go outside the appstore, you pretty much have to remove the free appstore option otherwise why would anybody use the other one?

The weird economics Apple has created discourages using both.

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

#28
post #7

Love the 'PAL' reference - just like how many in North America were pining for the PAL video standard (initially Europe but later entire world except North America) but we were stuck with NTSC (and doubled down).

I always wanted to watch movies just a bit faster. (and yes, with more consistent color, and a higher vertical resolution)

Although, I'm sure US commercial TV stations frame drop movies to speed them up so they can insert more commercials these days anyway.

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

#29
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right? This is exactly what I have been worried about and people tried to explain to tell me that, no this doesn't remove choice from me as a user. When in fact it does, if I was in the EU (and if the US does something similar, likely here) if I wanted to download this I would have to use their store. The choice is being made for me by the developer. It didn't take long to already have an example of this happening an…

> So how exactly does this benefit users again and isn't all about appeasing developers? You can blame Apple here, by adding a fee per install, if you choose to go outside the appstore, you pretty much have to remove the free appstore option otherwise why would anybody use the other one? The weird economics Apple has created discourages using both.

Clearly though they are fine with charging a yearly fee to access the store. So why not just charge for the app in the EU IF that really is the problem here.

Give users that choice, that is all I am asking for here. Actually give users a choice instead of removing the choice from them. Which at this point in time, that choice is being removed from the user.

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

#30
post #9

Delta for free in the regular App Store everywhere but the EU where we have to download a paid app store to install it, so it begins.

Until recently (that is, until today), Delta wasn't even available in the app store to begin with. And most likely it and that would still be without the alternative store, since Apple is only eventually allowing it to make a point.
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