EU Digital Rules Force Apple to Allow Adult Content Apps on iPhones “`

The adult content browser, Hot Tub, is now available for iPhones through a third-party app store permitted under EU digital regulations.

Apple has criticized the EU launch of Hot Tub, an adult content browser for iPhones, accessible via third-party app stores authorized by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

AltStore PAL, a marketplace enabled by the DMA, launched Hot Tub this week, calling it the “world’s 1st Apple-approved porn app.”

Apple refuted this claim, stating it does not approve the app and would never feature it on its App Store.

“The European Commission mandates its distribution through marketplaces like AltStore and Epic, despite our user safety concerns,” Apple spokesperson Peter Ajemian reportedly told The Verge.

He expressed serious concerns about the safety risks posed by such apps, particularly for children, and their potential to erode user trust.

The DMA, adopted in 2022, compelled Apple to adjust its App Store policies, allowing access to third-party app stores across the EU.

Apple’s alternative app store process includes a “notarization” security scan, checking for malware but not app content approval.

Apple opposes these regulations, arguing they facilitate harmful services, including pornography and illegal drug content, previously banned from its App Store.

AltStore countered that Apple uses safety concerns to shield its market dominance and avoid DMA compliance.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney criticized Apple, noting that platforms like Windows, Mac, and Linux allow unrestricted app releases. He highlighted the presence of the Reddit app (with adult content) in the iOS App Store, which he noted received a 17+ rating and an Editor’s Choice award from Apple.

“Apple knows this, permits it, and gave Reddit a 17+ (!!!) rating and Editors’ Choice award,” Sweeney tweeted.

Apple prohibits overtly sexual or pornographic material on its iOS store. Former CEO Steve Jobs once stated Apple had a moral responsibility to keep porn off iPhones, suggesting users buy an Android device instead.