Apple has criticized the availability of a pornography app on iPhones in the European Union, arguing that the bloc’s digital regulations are eroding consumer trust. The app, called Hot Tub, is being distributed via AltStore, one of the alternative app stores enabled under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
For years, Apple maintained strict control over the App Store, with former CEO Steve Jobs emphasizing in 2010 that keeping pornography off iPhones was a “moral responsibility.” However, under the DMA, Apple must now allow third-party app stores, which led to AltStore’s distribution of Hot Tub.
Apple expressed concerns over the potential risks posed by such content, particularly for children, stating, “This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem.” Despite Apple’s reservations, Hot Tub was able to pass the company’s required “notarization” process, which primarily checks for cybersecurity threats rather than content approval.
AltStore, backed by Epic Games—the company behind the antitrust case against Apple—highlighted this notarization by claiming Hot Tub was the “world’s first Apple-approved porn app.” Apple quickly refuted this, asserting, “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.”
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney defended the DMA, arguing that Apple had previously misused its gatekeeping power to stifle competition. However, he clarified that Epic’s own EU app store does not carry Hot Tub and has never hosted pornographic content.
