AltStore PAL drops its annual subscription thanks to a grant from Epic

AltStore PAL, a third-party iOS app store that’s disposable successful the EU, is dropping its yearly €1.50 (plus tax) subscription aft receiving a “MegaGrant” from Fortnite developer Epic Games. AltStore primitively charged the subscription to assistance screen Apple’s Core Technology Fee (CTF), which is simply a interest third-party app marketplaces person to wage for each yearly app install.

Epic uses MegaGrants arsenic a mode to “sponsor the improvement of breathtaking projects that whitethorn not different person capable backing to afloat realize,” the institution says. The grants are typically meant for smaller teams utilizing Epic’s technologies to “bring bold, challenging, and insanely originative dreams to life,” but successful this case, Epic awarded the assistance for “innovation successful app distribution,” according to AltStore.

AltStore didn’t stock the dollar worth of the grant, and the institution didn’t instantly reply to a petition for comment.

Current subscribers won’t beryllium charged erstwhile their renewal day rolls around, AltStore says. The AltStore squad besides plans to “show our appreciation for our existing subscribers successful a aboriginal update,” but didn’t specify what that mightiness look like.

Epic is besides moving connected a mentation of the Epic Games Store for iOS, and said earlier this week that the store, Fortnite, and Rocket League Sideswipe have been submitted to Apple for “final notarization.”