Apple's App Store just lost its monopoly — and it happened faster than anyone expected. In this episode, mobile distribution analyst Mara Chen breaks down every legitimate alternative iOS app marketplace live in 2026, from Epic Games Store to Scarlet IPA and AltStore PAL, and what the EU's Digital Markets Act (plus Japan's new rules) actually changed for developers and users.

We cover: how Apple's notarization process keeps these stores safe, why this is nothing like old-school jailbreak sideloading, which marketplaces are actually authorized, and what to avoid. If you're on iOS in the EU or Japan and wondering what your options are beyond the App Store, this is the primer you need.

Listen now, and subscribe so you don't miss our next deep dive into the future of app distribution.