Alternative markets for iPhone: the other app stores

alternative markets for iPhone

For some time now there have been alternative applications that allow us to download games and programs outside the App Store, but thanks to a legal change now Apple will have to open up to the existence of alternative markets for iPhone.

What does the existence of alternative markets for iPhone mean to us? What are they for? You have the answer to this question in the following article.

Why can alternative markets be used for iPhone now?

alternative stores for iPhone

Everyone knows that, in general, Apple likes to have everything tied up and well tied up and this is something that Steve Jobs and his failed startup NeXT has been hanging around: Apple usually likes to have everything tied up under its own ecosystem, with everything closed, fleeing from interoperability between operating systems and, in general, from open source.

And I think that, to understand this concept well, you should watch this video by YouTuber Nate Gentile who talks about NeXT, the second company that Steve Jobs founded and that almost bankrupted him, which I think is able to explain the concept quite well. What's behind Apple's policies today:

But if we look for the "fault" for the end of the exclusivity bargain in the Apple application store, it lies with the European Union, specifically, thanks to the European Union Digital Markets Directive (DMA) .

The DMA seeks to address anti-competitive practices in the digital sphere in all aspects that can be regulated. Regarding the exclusivity of using single application markets, the DMA could have implications, since in The core of the directive seeks to promote interoperability and avoid unjustified restrictions.

If the DMA is implemented rigorously (as the European Union usually does with standards such as USB-C, for example), could limit exclusive agreements between platforms and device manufacturers, thus encouraging competition and allowing users to choose between different app markets. This could affect the exclusivity of certain unique app markets that previously had preferential agreements, as is the case with iPhone terminals and the App Store itself.

AltStore: an alternative platform to download apps on iPhone

alternative altstore markets for iPhone

AltStore is an independent iPhone alternative marketplace created by Riley Testut, a software developer, that offers an alternative way to install apps on iOS devices, including the iPhone and iPad.

The operation of the AltStore is based on taking advantage of an Apple development feature called "provisioning profiles" (provisioning profiles) that allows developers Install apps on your own devices for testing and development and thanks to it, the AltStore allows us to download applications outside of the Apple App Store.

To use the AltStore, users must Download and install AltServer on your computer (for both Windows and macOS) and then connect your iOS device to the same Wi-Fi as the PC or Mac you are using, or you can do it using the charging cable.

Once everything is installed, from there you can install unofficial applications through the AltStore on your device. To make the steps a little clearer, we share this video from the ESMANDAU channel where they show the process in a very visual way:

CokerNutX: another alternative market for iPhone

cookernutx

CokernutX is another platform that offers an alternative to install applications on iOS devices without having to perform a jailbreak and that takes advantage of the same functionality of the AltStore to be able to do these installations.

The applications available on CokernutX are developed by third parties and do not go through Apple's review process that takes place in the official App Store, so it doesn't hurt to be cautious when downloading applications from CokernutX, as security and Legitimacy of applications may vary. In the end, CokernutX is another of the applications that make use of the application signing system for developers that indirectly, through a graphical interface, end up developing an alternative market that can be interesting for a large number of users.

Above all, what you can find most in CokerNutX are mod applications where a certain “annoying” part is eliminated, such as advertising, or some paid functions are added, so we would be looking at somewhat pirated applications. Obviously, we do not recommend using this type of application for an online game or something competitive, since it turns out to be unfair competition against players who do not use cheats and on the other hand, in the case that the online game is linked to an account, it has a high risk of banning for users, as occurs for example with Pokemon Go.

TweakBox: modified applications and games in this alternative market for iPhone

tweakbox

TweakBox is an unofficial platform that allows users of iOS devices install modified applications and games, as well as applications that are not available in the official Apple App Store.

Above all, this app is very focused on offering modified versions of popular applications that may include additional features, customizations, or tweaks not present in the original App Store versions, so it will be of great help to a more “modder” audience who likes to play video games on their iPhone.

TweakBox can also provide classic game console emulators, which allows users to play retro games on their iOS devices, which if you don't know what they are I recommend you take a look at this article.

As an alternative market, it works in a very analogous way to the other two, so we are not going to focus so much on the installation process, which is already available on the official website.

Of course, it is important that you know that because you are using modified apps, you have a certain risk if you decide to play online with them, such as it not working for you or even your account being banned. So we advise playing with some caution.


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