It's been a busy few months for apps and app stores on iOS, and the mini-revolution continues: the first third-party iOS app store has now gone live in the EU, while another Nintendo emulator for the iPhone has appeared (and seems to be sticking around).
All of this ongoing transformation is due to regulatory pressure Apple is facing over its iPhone gatekeeping. The most sweeping changes are in European Union countries, where the AltStore just went live (via AppleInsider) – if you're in one of those countries, you can install apps from outside of the official App Store for the first time ever.
Billed as "an open-source, crowd-funded app store for indies", AltStore only has two apps available right now. It'll be hoping to attract a whole lot more by promising developers free app distribution, Patreon integration, and no manual review process.
Those hosting costs need to be covered somehow, though: rather than taking a cut from developers, as Apple does, the AltStore asks users for €1.50 (about $1.60 / £1.30 / AU$2.50) per year plus tax. If you're in the EU (so not the UK any more, sorry!), you can get this alternative app store installed on your iPhone by heading here.
Another emulator appears
Meanwhile, we now have another Nintendo emulator on the iPhone: Delta (via The Verge). It's available on both AltStore and the official iOS App Store, so you don't need to be in the EU to be able to get at it, and it's free to download and use.
As we've previously reported, Apple has now made the iOS App Store open for business to game emulators – in response to scrutiny in the US and EU over its App Store practices, and Apple's restrictions on apps being able to contain other apps (or retro games).
However, these emulators must comply with "all applicable laws". Technically, emulators are legal, though the games often aren't (just like torrenting tools are legal, but pirated movies aren't). To add to the confusion, companies often turn a blind eye when it comes to older software and consoles, though it's very much a gray area – which is why the last Nintendo emulator for iOS was pulled by its developer.
Delta, however, seems to be sticking around – at least for the time being. It covers Nintendo systems including the NES, SNES, N64, DS, and Game Boy consoles, and offers support for multiplayer modes and Bluetooth controllers.
