According to an interview with TechCrunch, iPhone users in the EU will soon be able to use crowdfunding site Patreon to pay for their apps directly via third-party App Store AltStore.

This option was added in the name of helping small developers cover Apple's Core Technology Fee. The fee is intended to help Apple comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) enacted by the EU. This means that developers will pay €0.50 per installation per year for apps that manage more than 1 million downloads per year through third-party stores. This has raised fears of bankruptcy for smaller developers, who could suddenly take a hit from users and leave Apple with a huge debt.

However, AltStore plans to help small developers cover the cost of Apple's core technology fees by allowing developers to better market and monetize their apps directly to consumers by using Patreon's integration capabilities. Testut released screenshots of the version of the App Store offered in the EU on Threads.

AltStore will offer Delta, a Nintendo emulator, for free and Clip, a clipboard manager, on Patreon for a minimum pledge of $1. AltStore will also offer beta versions of both apps shortly after their release, with a monthly pledge of $3 for use A $3 monthly pledge will be required to use the service.

Allegedly, as soon as the AltStore launches and functions properly, it plans to allow developers to distribute their apps through the storefront; Testut claims this will create a new business model for apps that would not have been allowed without the DMA in place. Testut claims this will create a new business model for apps that would not have been allowed without the DMA. The advantage for small developers is that it provides a way to monetize their apps while avoiding Apple's 15% to 30% fee.

Note that Apple is currently under pressure from the EU regarding this change; there are reports that the EU is currently unhappy and is investigating the company to see if this change is DMA compliant. Apple is also engaged in a legal battle with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the alleged iPhone monopoly.

According to Testut, the AltStore is ready to go live, but is waiting for approval from Apple before doing so.