
As we all know, Apple has been very strict when it comes to the apps available on iPhones, and that includes pornography.
However, this policy has now changed in Europe due to new regulation because an adult content app called Hot Tub is now accessible on iPhones through an alternative app marketplace, raising concerns from Apple.
With that being said, Apple has expressed frustration with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), stating that the regulation forces it to allow apps it would otherwise prohibit on the App Store.
Hot Tub, described as an “adult content browser,” allows users to stream videos from sites like Pornhub and XHamster.
To clarify, it is not available on the official App Store but instead offered through AltStore PAL, which is an independent app marketplace founded by Riley Testut and is backed by Epic Games.
Because of this regulation, Apple is forced to allow third-party app stores.
Apple did not approve of Hot Tub and they even clarified that it does not endorse or approve Hot Tub. The app has already passed its notarization process, a security check meant to detect malware and fraud.
See Apple’s statement from Forbes below.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem which we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world. 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. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety,”
Apple says. (via Forbes)
Despite all of this, AltStore PAL still labeled Hot Tub as “the world’s first Apple-approved porn app,”.
For now, Hot Tub remains exclusive to the European Union.
What do you think of the world’s first Apple-approved porn app?
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