ALTERNATIVE IPHONE APP STORES EXPAND IN EU AND JAPAN

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

New regulations in the EU (Digital Markets Act) and Japan have ended Apple's App Store exclusivity, allowing alternative iOS app marketplaces like AltStore PAL, Epic Games Store, Aptoide, Skich, Mobivention, and Onside to operate under Apple's notarization system but with their own policies, fees, and discovery models. While this creates new opportunities and competitive economics for developers—alongside added complexity, regional fees, and security variations—it signals the start of a more competitive, multipolar iOS ecosystem where curation, exclusives, pricing, and user experience will determine which stores succeed.