Last month we successfully raised $20,328 for @weare-pact.bsky.social! Thank you to everyone who donated π
And if you want to still support PACT, you can do so by visiting their website: wearepact.org
An extra bonus for Vivaldi users on iOS: today's new Vivaldi 7.8 lets you install alternate app stores, such as @altstore.io where you don't have to pay tribute to Apple. (Note, only in EU; other jurisdictions don't have Digital Markets Act, so Apple won't let you have nice things.)
Fun fact, Apple tracks all downloads of apps in AltStore PAL (ostensibly to charge CTF)
Would be pretty funny if Apple watched this become one of our top appsβ¦
Introducing our newest app for AltStore PAL β CSAM Store Checker π
Given the rise of child sexual abuse material on certain iOS apps, weβve built a tool that allows users to see whether CSAM is accessible through any apps on a given marketplace.
Download now on @alt.store
Apple Newsroom (September 2025)
Any Severance fans out there?
OK nevermind, THIS is the coolest thing Iβve ever done to my iPhone
Shoutout to the Nugget app (amazing name) for making this possible without jailbreaking! github.com/leminlimez/N...
TIL iOS has hidden support for custom animated wallpapers and this is probably the coolest thing Iβve done to my iPhone in years
Promo Image showing the AltStore logo atop a background resembling a Japanese flag stating "AltStore: Now in Japan"
AltStore PAL has arrived in Japan π―π΅
Starting today, iPhone and iPad users in Japan can join the 1 million+ people already using AltStore PAL β our first international expansion since we launched in the EU π
Download now (iOS 26.2+) altstore.io/download
Promo Image for AltStore PAL 2.3b1: "AltStore PAL Beta: Introducing Fediverse Connectivity & A New Liquid Glass UI"
π Introducing our new app for Patrons: the AltStore PAL beta!
Just like our other betas, you can now try new features of AltStore PAL before the final release β including our upcoming Fediverse support.
π See interactions on apps and more from across the Fediverse
π§ Updated Liquid Glass UI
π£ Our team is growing!
Weβre excited to announce that our friend Caroline Moore is joining us as Head of Product βοΈ
Caroline's been our primary designer for Delta and AltStore since 2016 β and her name's already in the credits!
The Open Social Web is for far more than just social media.
In this #FediForum demo, @riley.social shows AltStore, an alternative app store for iOS, and how it connects developers, apps, users and their feedback in new ways that open up so many possibilities.
Thanks John!
My brother Jayce, dressed like Jeff Probst, standing outside at night with serious expression before reading final votes from Mario-themed β?β block
The 3 tribe flags (Tapatoru, PorowhΔ, Kini) with designs inspired by our apps Delta, AltStore, and Clip (respectfully)
Also HUGE s/o to my brother Jayce for organizing the entire event and being an excellent Jeff Probst, couldnβt have asked for a better 30th birthday π
All 16 competitors in our Survivor competition standing in a living room, each with their own torch. Shane is on the right, Iβm near the middle wearing a blue shirt and Delta hat
6 people outside standing on one foot on a brick each, competing to see who can balance the longest. Iβm 2nd from left, Shane is 3rd from right. This photo was taken around 15 minutes in (and lasted 36 minutes total)
9 people sitting at tables blindfolded with colored paper in front of them, trying to guess what flavor gummy bear theyβre eating. Jayce (the host) is standing in center with a chef hat
Shane and our friend Matias standing on wooden planks, battling with foam swords to knock the other person off. Shane is on the left.
To celebrate our 30th birthday, @shanegillio.bsky.social and I invited 14 of our closest friends to compete in a game of Survivor all weekend
The challenges were intense, the backstabbing was real, but in the end there could only be one Sole Survivorβ’ β congrats Shane π
We're excited to announce that @altstore has joined the fediverse! Their innovative implementation of ActivityPub allows you to follow updates from your favorite apps, demonstrating a new way to bring more apps to the open social web.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for their generous [β¦]
π£ We have some exciting news β AltStore is officially joining the open social web!
Weβre also:
π° Donating $500,000 to various Fediverse-related projects
π Launching PAL in several more countries this year
π₯ Expanding the team!
For more info, check out our blog post: rileytestut.com/blog/2025/10...
Between expanding worldwide and adding Fediverse integration, the next year will be an incredibly exciting time for AltStore!
For much more information about all this, you can read the full blog post here: rileytestut.com/blog/2025/10...
While this solves our problems, we're far from the only Fediverse project in need of funding and we want to support the growth of the entire ecosystem.
So to give back to the open social web, weβre also donating $500,000 to various Fediverse projects π
For a complete list, check out our blog post!
Additionally, Flipboard CEO @mmccue.bsky.social will also be joining our Board of Directors!
Mikeβs experience with Flipboard & @surf.social will be invaluable as we expand to the Fediverse, and I couldnβt be happier to have both him and Chris on board
So in order to grow the team, Iβm thrilled to announce AltStore has received an investment of $6 million USD from Chris Paik at Pace Capital!
Chris was an early investor in Patreon and Twitch, and weβve been close ever since he sideloaded the manga reader Paperback with AltStore Classic years ago
To get this all done however, we realized we needed more help.
From the beginning itβs been just @shanegillio.bsky.social and I working on everything thanks to donations to our Patreon, but the truth is weβre starting to reach the limit of what just 2 people can do
That's not all, we'll also be officially launching AltStore PAL in Brazil, Japan, and Australia later this year, with UK to follow in 2026 π
This is the first time alternative app marketplaces will be available outside the EU and we are doing everything we can to get ready β stay tuned!
Yes it's true, AltStore is joining the Fediverse π₯³
Developers can now federate apps, updates, and news alerts to the open social web via our custom Mastodon server!
We plan to release this natively in AltStore soon β but you can check out a beta version TODAY at explore.alt.store
We just received a message from Apple's App Review that #ICEBlock has been removed from the App Store due to "objectionable content". The only thing we can imagine is this is due to pressure from the Trump Admin.
We have responded and we'll fight this! #resist
if only they could keep their App Store clean and pristine while allowing others to install the apps they wanted some other way!
wish there was a term for that π€ͺ
oh Iβm sure they know, they just also know most people donβt and use that to their advantage π
(to be fair tho thatβs smart on their part, so I donβt blame them)
I donβt disagree, except apps distributed through AltStore (and other 3rd party stores) actually use App Store Connect and have the same age rating system, so parental controls already do work with them!
which makes the whole thing even more ridiculous π
Excerpt from Apple newsroom post about DMA: β’ New exposure to harmful apps: For the first time, pornography apps are available on iPhone from other marketplaces β apps we've never allowed on the App Store because of the risks they create, especially for children. That includes Hot Tub, a pornography app that was announced by AltStore earlier this year. The DMA has also brought gambling apps to iPhone in regions where they are prohibited by law.
IMO if Appleβs worst, most egregious example of a harmful and dangerous app thatβs now available through sideloading is *checks notes* pornβ¦I think weβre doing OK www.apple.com/newsroom/202...
