Finally, with the release of iOS 17.4, Apple allowed third-party app stores to access the iPhone, at least in the EU.

It follows that customers have access to download apps from places other than the Apple App Store. Businesses such as MacPaw (Setapp) and Epic Games are getting ready to launch their app stores for the iPhone, and now AltStore has also released its version for the device in Europe.

Riley Testut of AltStore, who already offers the same third-party app platforms for Windows and macOS, is the store's developer. Testut's AltStore website will offer AltStore for iPhones for download, although the software is still pending Apple's permission. After iOS 17.4 is released, it should be among the first third-party app shops accessible in the EU.

On the other hand, installing AltStore on your iPhone is more difficult than installing apps. Callum Booth of The Verge says that you should go to the company's website first and click on the website to load the alternate store. The iPhone will then display a pop-up stating that your device's installation settings presently prohibit marketplaces from this developer. To finish the installation, navigate to settings, enable the marketplace, go back to your browser, and click the AltStore download link once more. After that, you can explore the various apps by opening the AltStore.

Fortunately, using AltStore to install apps will be simple. It functions similarly to the App Store: navigate to the app's information page, select "install," and the program will begin to download. Additionally, AltStore lets you add "sources" for programs, so you can expand AltStore's "app stores" by adding more. Alternatively, as Booth puts it, "a little Inception-esque: stores within a store."

Although integrating app store sources at launch won't be possible, Testut says the business intends to deliver this capability soon after the initial release. As of right now, AltStore provides a variety of proprietary products that aren't listed on Apple's App Store, such as Delta, an emulator that lets you play classic Nintendo and Sega console games. Another noteworthy program is Clip, a clipboard manager.

Though it's important to remember that Apple still verifies apps available on these platforms, it remains to be seen how actively Europeans adopt third-party app stores.