Apple Is Not Happy About The First Native iPhone Porno App!

Apple Is Not Happy About The First Native iPhone Porno App!

The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has forced Apple to allow developers to distribute their apps outside of the official App Store. While Apple is still allowed to check the apps for malware and other malicious code, the iPhone maker doesn’t restrict any content as it does in its App Store. this has opened the door to the first native porn app for the iPhone.

The new app, called “Hot Tub,” is available in the AltStore PAL, an EU app marketplace from developer Riley Testut. The developer says the app is a private and secure way to search for an play “adult” video content, like from PornHub and others, with no ads or tracking. The app is free, although there is a “pro” subscription available.

Hot Tub is available to users in the European Union. U.S. iPhone users will not have access to the app, as apps containing sexual content or pornographic materials is banned from the official App Store.

Apple’s Phil Schiller last year made it clear that Apple would not be able to control the content offered in EU apps distributed through outside app stores.

We have dealt with a lot of input from families, from governments, on things that we need to do to try to either not allow certain kinds of objectionable content on our App Store, or give users control over that experience to decide what’s best for themselves–and we have rules around that. Those rules will not apply in another marketplace unless they choose to make rules of their own, [with] whatever criteria they come up with. Does that increase the risk of users, and families, running into objectionable content or other experiences? Yes, it does.

AltStore’s marketing for the app claims it is “the first Apple-approved porn app,” and Apple is not happy with that.

Apple’s told MacRumors says apps like Hot Tub undermine consumer trust in the Apple ecosystem.

We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world. Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.

It should be noted that Apple’s Notarization guidelines prohibit apps from implying that Apple “endorses any particular representation regarding quality or functionality” of any app or app marketplace in the EU. This means it AltStore has likely violated Apple’s rules.