Apps for Apple devices have always been limited to those available on the official Apple store, which means that access to various software & functionality was denied unless you hacked your computer using Homebrew, or ‘jailbroke’ your phone.
However, recently, developer Riley Testut found a way around Apple’s strict rules governing app offerings by setting up his alternative App Store called, ‘AltStore’.
Apple offers special facilities to software developers building apps for iOS —apps must be tested, so they allow unauthorized apps access to ‘fake’ Apple IDs & a limited testing timeframe to iron out bugs, & get their software fine-tuned.
Testut has used this facility to ‘trick’ Apple into allowing his apps to function as if they were authorized. It takes a bit of effort, but if you feel that it’s worth compromising your Apple identity in order to use his apps, simply download & install AltServer on your PC, plug in your iOS device & install AltStore on your phone or Tablet.
AltStore is exactly what the name implies, it’s a secondary, alternative Apple Store & it operates in the same way, allowing you to install & use apps on any Apple device.
Currently, Riley has his own apps on offer only, but he intends to include apps built by other developers, which don’t pass Apple’s restrictive ratification process. Right now, you can use AltStore to play Nintendo games, using Riley’s Delta app, which he built for iOS, based on a longstanding development which he made available as an open source project on GitHub. Apps installed via this method are usually removed from devices by Apple in 7 days, but AltStore uses iTunes Wi-Fi sync to circumvent this deletion procedure.
The ability to test apps in-house is fundamental to Apple’s iOS app building system, so it seems that Apple might have some difficulty in preventing Riley & his AltStore from operating. Only time will tell, though.
Image Credit: AltStore
