Apple has revoked the developer’s EU alternative distribution rights for iTorrent, removing the app from AltStore PAL and blocking installs and updates for existing users. The decision effectively shutters one of the only full torrent clients available on iPhone without a jailbreak and underscores how tightly Apple still controls software distribution outside the App Store.
According to TorrentFreak, the iTorrent developer and AltStore PAL say they were not given a specific reason and were left waiting for clarification after Apple pulled the switch. AltStore PAL confirmed it is in contact with Apple, while the developer says the restriction was applied at the account level, cutting off marketplace distribution entirely.
The move also spotlights Apple’s iOS 17.4 notarization and marketplace rules in Europe. Even when an app is listed on a third-party store, it must pass Apple’s baseline review before it can be installed on iPhone. Apple positions this as a security safeguard, but sudden reversals with limited transparency raise predictable concerns among developers building apps that Apple historically bans on the App Store, such as torrent clients.
For users, the practical impact is immediate: the Torrent app AltStore PAL listing is gone, and fresh installs are blocked. Existing users can also lose access to updates, which matters for security and tracker compatibility in the BitTorrent ecosystem. For developers, the message is that marketplace distribution can disappear overnight if Apple revokes rights, even when an app initially cleared notarization.
The broader regulatory angle is hard to ignore. The Digital Markets Act created room for third-party app stores and alternative payments in the EU, but enforcement is still evolving. Apple can comply on paper while maintaining gatekeeping power through review processes and developer program controls. Until there is clearer guidance on when and why Apple can revoke alternative distribution, categories that Apple dislikes – emulators, torrent tools, and other gray-zone utilities – will remain precarious on iOS.
AltStore PAL’s response will be worth watching, but the precedent is already set. If distribution rights can be withdrawn without a stated policy violation, other marketplace developers may hesitate to ship apps that rely on features Apple has historically rejected. That chilling effect runs counter to the DMA’s goals of increased competition and consumer choice, and it puts pressure on both Apple and regulators to provide a clearer, more predictable framework for alternative distribution on iPhone.
