Back in April, AltStore sideloading platform developer Riley Testut released AltStore PAL, an Apple-approved alternative app marketplace that the iPhone maker was essentially forced to allow into existence by new regulations approved in the European Union. And today, AltStore PAL is getting even better.
In an announcement shared by the AltStore team via X (formerly Twitter), we’ve learned about the release of AltStore PAL version 2.1, a brand-new update that makes it easier than ever before for end users to install apps they can’t find anywhere else via the AltStore team’s own “Recommended Sources.”
In a series of follow-up posts, the AltStore team says they’ve carefully reviewed all the initial Recommended Sources to ensure they satisfy the brand’s safety standards for its users. All Recommended Sources appear in the app’s “Add Source” interface, where users can both enter a URL of their own or tap on “+” buttons to the right of a curated list of Recommended Sources to quickly add them to AltStore PAL.
The AltStore team took a moment Wednesday afternoon to share just some of the interesting apps that AltStore PAL will bring to the table, including the following:
iTorrent
A mobile torrenting application that allows users to download Peer-to-Peer (P2P) files from anywhere in the world without using a full-blown computer. This app supports the Files app and Apple’s native Live Activities feature. The AltStore team recognizes iTorrent as the premier torrenting app for iPhones.
You can learn more about iTorrent via the project’s GitHub Page.
qBitControl
Another mobile torrenting-related application that allows end users to remotely control their computer running the desktop version of qBittorrent over their home network connection, even when they aren’t connected directly to it. The AltStore team recognizes qBitControl as a means of stepping away from the computer when you have something downloading, but still being able to monitor torrent downloads.
You can learn more about qBitControl via the project’s GitHub page.
PeopleDrop
An interesting app that runs in the background and discovers other users nearby, essentially recreating the Nintendo 3DS StreetPass user experience for iPhone users without the requirement of carrying another device on their person. The AltStore team recognizes PeopleDrop as a means of crossing paths with others in real life.
You can learn more about PeopleDrop via the project’s official website.
UTMapp
Last on the AltStore team’s recommendation list from Wednesday is UTMapp, a virtual machine app for iPhones that allows users to emulate things such as Windows XP Pinball, Creative Cloud-free Adobe Photoshop, and a whole bevy of other things that aren’t modern anymore. The AltStore team recognizes UTMapp as a fan-favorite among virtual machines.
You can learn more about UTMapp via the project’s official website.
Without AltStore PAL, making use of these applications on the iPhone wouldn’t be so easy. The application sources all these apps into one easy-to-use place and lets users install and access them as if they were being downloaded from the App Store; except they aren’t, all because Apple was too snobby to let app developers submit these apps directly to the App Store because of their strict rules, and it bit them in the butt in the end.
Anyone running an earlier version of AltStore PAL is advised to follow the updating steps from the AltStore team’s website to ensure they’re running version 2.1 and taking advantage of the latest features in the app, including the Recommended Sources and the apps that are being hosted on them.
Are you taking advantage of AltStore PAL, or are you a United States resident? Let us know in the comments section down below.