Apple reportedly raised concerns after a pornography app was made available on iPhones in Europe, blasting the European Union’s (EU) digital policy for compromising consumer trust and child safety.
The app, dubbed Hot Tub, was released through AltStore, a third party app marketplace backed by Fortnite-owner Epic Games. The launch follows the implementation of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to allow third-party app stores on iPhones, reducing the company’s control over app distribution.
In a statement seen by multiple outlets including Bloomberg, Apple stated that while it performed a cybersecurity review of Hot Tub to check for malware in its mandatory “notarisation” process for alternative app stores, it does not approve of the app. The tech giant flagged that porn apps pose safety risks for EU users, particularly children, and complained Hot Tub “will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem”.
AltStore added to the controversy by advertising Hot Tub as the “world’s first Apple-approved porn app” on social media platform X, a claim that the iPhone-maker swiftly refuted. “Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store,” Apple said, adding that EU regulations mandate the company to allow the app’s distribution through alternative stores.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney took to X to defend the DMA, arguing that Apple historically restricted competition and “should be forced out of developers’ way”.
Since debuting the App Store in 2008, Apple has maintained strict control over the apps made available to download onto iPhones, with former CEO Steve Jobs highlighting that restricting adult content was a “moral responsibility” for the tech giant.
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