Apple is very strict about the apps that a user can install on iPhone and iPad . Apps must only come from Apple's official App Store, as installing an app from a different app store is not supported unless you install it by jailbreaking your iPhone. However, a developer named Riley Testut has created an alternative to the iOS App Store that allows users to install apps on their Apple devices without jailbreaking.
How does the App Store alternative bypass Apple's policies?
AltStore is an iOS available to iOS 13 users as well. According to Testut, its app store does not rely on enterprise certificates, as this violates Apple's policies and the company bans users who abuse them.
Instead, AltStore leverages a lesser-known feature that allows developers to install the apps they have developed using Xcode (an Apple development tool) with their Apple ID.
This feature is especially beneficial for those who want to test their apps for free, as Apple's developer account costs $99 per year. However, Apple has limited the installation of apps to only Xcode for no apparent reason.
Testut's blog says that AltStore makes the apps you install appear as if they were created by you, which is a legal method approved by Apple and does not violate any of its policies.
Due to the fact that it is legal, Apple cannot ban it unless it decides to push a system-level change to iOS.
How are applications installed from AltStore?
AltStore communicates with Apple's developer server using your Apple ID and password. Testut says your credentials are never shared with any third-party servers and are stored in your device's Keychain
However, you cannot install applications directly from AltStore, as an AltStore – AltServer application must first be running in the background on a Mac or Windows device.
Currently, only one app is available on AltStore. Testut will officially launch its App Store alternative on September 28th.
Additionally, as this is an open source project, developers have the option to take a look at the source code, which is available on Github.
