The first Apple-certified porn app, “Hot Tub”, is now available to iPhone users in Europe via the alternative app store AltStore PAL.
Apple does not allow apps with pornographic or adult content on the official Apple App Store. However, to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) , Apple must now be a ” gatekeeper ” that allows apps to be downloaded through third-party app platforms, which may provide such apps.
AltStore PAL was launched in April 2024 and is an alternative app marketplace for iOS users in the EU, originally created to distribute the founder’s Delta Nintendo emulator and Clips clipboard manager for iOS.
The platform allows EU users to install apps that are not available on Apple’s official App Store, including apps that may not comply with Apple’s content guidelines, such as adult content.
Today, AltStore announced that it is now distributing the first Apple-approved pornographic app called “Hot Tub,” developed by c1d3r.
“The iPhone turns 18 this year, which means it’s finally old enough to run some more ~mature~ apps…” reads one Threads post .
“Introducing Hot Tub by c1d3r, the world’s first Apple-approved porn app. Try it now on AltStore PAL, just in time for the season of love.”
The app describes itself as an ad-free “adult content browser” and has passed Apple’s certification process, which reviews apps for security and privacy risks before they can be installed on iOS devices.
While the Hot Tub app has passed this process and can therefore be installed on Apple devices, that does not mean that Apple has approved the app for its own app store.
For those who want to install the app, by default it is not visible in the AltStore PAL app store.
“By default, Hot Tub does NOT appear in AltStore PAL and is not a recommended font either,” AltStore explains .
“You must explicitly add its source before it will appear in AltStore PAL, like most AltStore apps. This means you will only see it if you want it to.”
As part of the app’s launch, AltStore PAL said it will donate all proceeds from its Patreon to organizations that support sex workers and the LGBTQ+ community.
Apple shared the following statement regarding the launch of the “Hot Tub” app on AltStore PAL.
“We are deeply concerned about the security risks that these types of pornographic apps pose to EU users, especially children,” Apple told BleepingComputer.
“This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust in the ecosystem we have worked hard to build for over a decade to create the world’s best apps.”
“Contrary to the false claims made by the marketplace developer, we have not unequivocally approved this app and will never make it available on our App Store. The truth is that we have been approved by the European Commission. Europe requires that this app be distributed by marketplace operators such as AltStore and Epic, who may not share our concerns about user safety.”
