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AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

engadget.com

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Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#31

Post by josephpmay »

All the other comments are focusing on the Apple angle, but I want to comment on how amazing the developer, Riley, is.

I've seen him working on this project (Delta and the AltStore) for four or five years. It's a project he's passionate about, and he's building it for himself, not to try and make money. (In fact, he's turned down offers from startups and top tech companies to work on this). More than almost anyone else I know, Riley embodies the classical hacker ethos. I believe partway through the project he decided to make this open source, so he then went back and re-factored a lot of the code to make it easier to learn from.

Here's the repository, btw: https://github.com/rileytestut/AltStore

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#32

Post by floatboth »

josephpmay wrote: post #27
gruez wrote: post #6

> Testut told The Verge that measures to block AltStore would break key functionality for developers or iTunes syncing. No, it won't. Keep in mind that we didn't have the 7 day side-load for free apple ids prior to 2015[1]. All apple has to do is disable sideloading for free accounts. I imagine it won't impact many legitimate developers, who probably have paid developer accounts anyways. [1] https://9to5mac.com/2015/…

It wouldn't break functionality for developers releasing apps in the app store, but it would break functionality for kid/teen developers and coding classes and people teaching themselves to code, which Apple cares a lot more about than people putting a Gameboy emulator on their phones

I'm pretty sure Apple's position towards kids learning to code is "use the swift playground thingy from the app store"

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#33

Post by tkjef »

zapzupnz wrote: post #23

> Testut told The Verge that measures to block AltStore would break key functionality for developers or iTunes syncing. Well, there's an underestimation of Apple if ever I saw it.

it's chess. apple's move. interesting to watch. hats off to the dev for playing the game. rooting for ya!

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#34

Post by borland »

josephpmay wrote: post #27
gruez wrote: post #6

> Testut told The Verge that measures to block AltStore would break key functionality for developers or iTunes syncing. No, it won't. Keep in mind that we didn't have the 7 day side-load for free apple ids prior to 2015[1]. All apple has to do is disable sideloading for free accounts. I imagine it won't impact many legitimate developers, who probably have paid developer accounts anyways. [1] https://9to5mac.com/2015/…

It wouldn't break functionality for developers releasing apps in the app store, but it would break functionality for kid/teen developers and coding classes and people teaching themselves to code, which Apple cares a lot more about than people putting a Gameboy emulator on their phones

I wouldn't be AT ALL surprised if Apple decides to break the kid/teen developers over this. People like the AltStore developer are why we can't have nice things.

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#35

Post by 616c »

borland wrote: post #34
josephpmay wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wouldn't break functionality for developers releasing apps in the app store, but it would break functionality for kid/teen developers and coding classes and people teaching themselves to code, which Apple cares a lot more about than people putting a Gameboy emulator on their phones

I wouldn't be AT ALL surprised if Apple decides to break the kid/teen developers over this. People like the AltStore developer are why we can't have nice things.

But people like you are why I'm happy those like the AltStore dev exists and challenge the status quo!

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#36

Post by henryfjordan »

m463 wrote: post #21
gruez wrote: post #6

> Testut told The Verge that measures to block AltStore would break key functionality for developers or iTunes syncing. No, it won't. Keep in mind that we didn't have the 7 day side-load for free apple ids prior to 2015[1]. All apple has to do is disable sideloading for free accounts. I imagine it won't impact many legitimate developers, who probably have paid developer accounts anyways. [1] https://9to5mac.com/2015/…

Might there be an antitrust angle here?

There is already a anti-trust lawsuit going on about side-loading apps, see Apple v Pepper

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#37

Post by deft »

borland wrote: post #34
josephpmay wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wouldn't break functionality for developers releasing apps in the app store, but it would break functionality for kid/teen developers and coding classes and people teaching themselves to code, which Apple cares a lot more about than people putting a Gameboy emulator on their phones

I wouldn't be AT ALL surprised if Apple decides to break the kid/teen developers over this. People like the AltStore developer are why we can't have nice things.

AltStore is a nice thing, and blocking it would be apple removing nice things. Why are you shifting the blame to a developer?

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#38

Post by [deleted] »

greggman2 wrote: post #15
jrockway wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if moderation of the apps you can install on iOS was going to become a legal issue, we would have already been there. The reality is, if Apple wrongs you, you can walk into Best Buy or whatever and buy and Android phone. The smartphone ecosystem is very healthy, there are plenty of opportunities for everyone to get exactly what they want.

If you buy an Android you can no longer commuicate with all your friends using iMessages. SO no, not quite "plenty of opportunities for everyone to get exactly what they want."

[deleted]

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#39

Post by Wowfunhappy »

OkGoDoIt wrote: post #26
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

Free Apple ID's have a three app limit. How is this store working around that?

From the author’s blog post, which goes into more technical details: “While there’s nothing I could do about this from the iOS device itself, as it turns out the same underlying iTunes (WiFi) sync infrastructure I’m using allows you to also install and remove provisioning profiles from devices (since Xcode also requires this ability to manage profiles for developers). Before installing an app, I remove all the existi…

Thanks for the link! That sounds like something Apple will likely fix in short order... :\

Re: AltStore: Alternative iOS app store that doesn't require a jailbreak

#40

Post by vunie »

duskwuff wrote: post #28

From the author's blog post on how AltStore works [1]: > For this distribution method, AltStore requires your Apple ID and password to communicate on your behalf with Apple’s developer servers. This seems really sketchy, and I would not be surprised if Apple took steps to prevent this, and possibly even to disable Apple IDs associated with this activity. > The last major restriction is that an iOS device may only eve…

Apple is already facing antitrust actions regarding its walled garden. I doubt apple would be eager to give authorities more ammunition.

Alternative app stores will likely come to ios in one form or another. I think the smarter reaction would be for apple to offer an official API so that it can remain somewhat in control.

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