Apple is pushing back against European Union regulations after a porn app surfaced on iPhones through third-party app stores.
According to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman, the app, Hot Tub, was falsely marketed as “Apple-approved.”
Apple clarified that while it checks third-party apps for malware and device compatibility, it does not review them for quality or content standards.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps create for EU users, especially kids,” an Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg. “This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world.”
The ‘altstoreio’ said on Threads, “iPhone turns 18 this year, which means it’s finally old enough for some more ~mature~ apps…Introducing Hot Tub by c1d3r, the world’s 1st Apple-approved porn app! Try it now exclusively on AltStore PAL — just in time for the season of love.”
Apple also pointed out that it did not approve the app and “would never offer it” in its official App Store. The company blamed EU rules, saying it is forced to allow such apps through third-party marketplaces like AltStore and Epic Games under new European Commission regulations.
It’s been a longstanding position that Apple and its products remain family friendly and safe. Back in 2010, in an email exchange with a customer, late Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs defended the company’s strict App Store policies, stating, “We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone.” Well, it looks like that has changed if you live in the EU.
Update February 3, 2025: Epic Games reached out to iPhone in Canada and pointed at CEO Tim Sweeney’s statement on X on the matter. “Contrary to Apple’s false statement, the Epic Games Store doesn’t carry this app, doesn’t carry any porn apps, and has never carried porn apps,” he said. Sweeney then pointed out that the Reddit app in the App Store is rated at 17+ and is a source of porn for many.
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