Developer creates alternative app store for iOS that works without jailbreak

A developer has created AltStore, an alternative download store for iOS that works without jailbreak and enterprise certificates. Instead, the software makes iOS think that the user is a user who installs homemade apps.

The American developer Riley Testut will release AltStore on Saturday and has already brought a preview version online. The developer is known for GBA4iOS, a Gameboy Advance emulator for Apple’s mobile operating system. AltStore consists of an app for iOS and an AltServer application for Windows and macOS.

The AltServer installs apps from the desktop via iTunes Wifi Sync. During setup, the AltStore registers an Apple ID with Apple to allow the user to install developer apps. That doesn’t have to be the same Appe ID that a user is logged in to on the iOS device, but can also be a throwaway account.

Then the user can install apps. Apple imposes some restrictions on non-paying accounts. For example, only three apps can be installed at the same time and the apps can only function for a week. AltStore works around that by re-registering the apps in the background for a week. The limit of three apps can be circumvented because the check takes place with profiles at iTunes Wifi Sync. By removing those profiles for installation of all other apps downloaded via AltStore and then restoring them, the software does not realize that there are more apps on the device. AltStore works with all iOS versions to date.