Updated 13:41 IST, February 4th 2025
iPhone’s First Porn App Is Here-But Not Everyone Can Use It. Here’s Why
Apple has raised eyebrows by allowing a pornography app on iPhones in the European Union.

Apple has raised eyebrows by allowing a pornography app on iPhones in the European Union. The tech giant claims the EU’s digital policies are undermining consumer trust in its ecosystem.
Under the newly enforced Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is now required to allow third-party app stores on iPhones and iPads in the EU. One such store, AltStore PAL, has approved Hot Tub, the first native porn app for iPhones.
The app allows users to browse and watch videos from popular adult sites like Pornhub, Xvideos, XNXX, and XHamster, all without intrusive ads or pop-ups.
Apple isn’t happy about this, but under the DMA, they can’t block the app.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hot Tub
Since launching the App Store in 2008, Apple has maintained strict control over which apps can be downloaded on its devices. In 2010, then-CEO Steve Jobs famously stated that keeping porn off the iPhone was Apple’s “moral responsibility.”
However, with the DMA in effect, Apple’s long-standing stance have been weakened. The law mandates that Apple allow alternative app stores, opening the door for AltStore PAL to approve Hot Tub- something Apple would have never permitted before.
What Is Hot Tub and Who Can Use It?
Developed by an independent creator known as c1d3r, Hot Tub is only available in the European Union. It describes itself as “a private, secure, and elegant way to browse adult content.”
While Apple still prohibits such apps on its official App Store, Hot Tub was able to pass these restrictions by launching through AltStore PAL, which operates under the DMA’s legal protections.
Apple has publicly voiced concerns over the app, citing potential risks, especially for minors.
In a statement, the company said: “We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially children. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem.”
Apple also pushed back against claims that it approved the app, clarifying: “Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, 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.”
AltStore's Response
AltStore countered by saying that Apple had notarized Hot Tub, a security check that Apple performs on all third-party apps before distribution.
In a post on X, AltStore described Hot Tub as “the world’s first Apple-approved porn app”, a statement that further fueled the controversy.
Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a vocal critic of Apple’s monopoly over app distribution, added in on the controversy. He highlighted that while his company supports laws like the DMA to break Apple’s control over competing app stores, the Epic Games Store itself has no plans to carry Hot Tub or any other adult content.
For now, the app remains limited to the EU.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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Published 13:39 IST, February 4th 2025