Apple Is Blocking Updates to Hot Tub
TL;DR:
Apple is blocking Hot Tub – Video Player by forcing an “unrated” classification, preventing lawful third-party distribution. Despite multiple approvals and total app rebuilds to meet Apple’s shifting demands, distribution is still blocked. Apple’s misuse of content moderation under the guise of security sidesteps DMA rules and undermines user freedom. A formal case has been opened with EU regulators. Help spread awareness and contact regulators with one click.
Here's What You Need to Know:
Timeline of Events
December 2024:
- December 6th: Apple approves Hot Tub (2.0.4) for distribution, with a 17+ rating and adult content warning, soft launching on AltStore PAL, making it the first ever porn app available on iOS.
January 2025:
- Hot Tub receives another two approvals / notarizations by Apple: 2.0.6 (Jan 16), 2.1.0 (Jan 21), both with the same 17+ rating.
February 2025:
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AltStore marketing campaign begins. Significant media attention ensues, including Colbert, The Washington Post, Reuters, AP, Newsweek, Business Insider, AVN, etc...
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February 8th: Out of the blue, Apple sends a message via App Store Connect, retroactively demanding an "unrated" classification, citing 2.3.6, despite their three previous approvals/notarizations.
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February 19th: AltStore updates their rating to "unrated", a prerequisite for distributing "unrated" apps, causing confusion & friction, ultimately leading to a heavily degraded user-experience for any and all users interested in using AltStore regardless of the app(s) they intend on installing. These changes were subsequently rolled back to preserve access for existing AltStore users.
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February 23rd: Apple (coincidentally) publishes its "Protecting Children Online" whitepaper, positioning itself as a defender of child safety.
March 2025:
- Hot Tub is completely rebuilt from the ground up to comply with Apple's ever-changing content moderation & notarization guidelines.
- As part of the rebuild, and as a show of good-faith, all content is removed from the app, despite the added friction for users, as they now must "add a source", a process which AltStore users are already somewhat familiar with.
- Apple forced Hot Tub to evolve into a generic video player app, similar to VLC (4+ rating), or Plex (12+ rating), where users must explicitly enter the content they want to watch.
- To help others integrate and implement the Application Programming Interface (API) specifications, developer documentation was published, in addition to several open-source packages.
- March 17th: Hot Tub (2.1.2) is approved by Apple with a 17+ rating.
At this point, Hot Tub meets all technical requirements for third-party distribution as well as traditional first-party App Store distribution, but continues to be rejected. A version was submitted to Apple's official App Store, but received repeated rejections marked as "spam" without any actionable feedback or clear path to approval, which represents clear discrimination, as Apple is applying inconsistent standards to the Hot Tub app compared to other platforms that also provide access to adult content, such as Reddit (+17), Twitter (+17), and Safari (+17).
Apple's actions extend beyond mere control over third-party distribution. They have demonstrated a willingness to violate the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) to maintain control over what effectively functions as "Shadow App Stores", enabling them to arbitrarily moderate lawful content.
Despite the March release and the extensive changes, including re-architecting the entire application as a general-purpose video-player, removing all content from the app, removing any mention of the official Hot Tub source, and, in good faith, continuously attempting to satisfy a deluge of ever-changing, arbitrarily enforced requirements—Apple continues to move the goal post, to insist that Hot Tub must be classified as "unrated," effectively blocking its distribution through any channel.
The Notarization Process
Apple claims that unrestricted app installation (similar to Android's approach) poses security risks by allowing malicious apps to bypass their review process, potentially exposing users to malware, spyware, and fraudulent practices. The notarization process, they argue, mitigates these risks through security checks, developer verification, and post-installation monitoring.
According to Apple's documentation: Notarization is a security measure introduced for iOS in the EU to comply with the DMA. It requires Apple to electronically sign all apps—whether distributed through the App Store or alternative marketplaces—after conducting security checks for malware, threats, and misleading behaviors. This process combines automated and human reviews to prevent malicious apps from reaching users while maintaining app integrity throughout distribution.
Per Apple's documentation:
Each alternative app marketplace will develop its own market standards for content, business models, and more—and some content and business models that Apple has always protected users from will become available on iPhone.
This is what the DMA intended: marketplaces will be able to offer apps that Apple would not have allowed on the App Store. For instance, none of Apple's new user protections will evaluate whether apps contain adult content, whether gambling or cryptocurrency exchange apps have the required licenses, or whether apps with user-generated content have content moderation policies. We will not consider whether apps are encouraging the reckless use of weapons or whether they are seeking to profiteer from national and global crises like epidemics. Each app marketplace will have to decide whether it will allow those kinds of content and businesses on their marketplaces, and how much to invest in enforcing their rules to ensure apps that violate them stay off their platforms.
Apple is blatantly misusing its claims of security and device integrity as a means of content moderation, setting a dangerous precedent. This approach not only undermines their stated commitment to user security but also demonstrates Apple's inability to serve as an unbiased gatekeeper. Their actions include arbitrarily enforcing and interpreting rules to suit their agenda—going so far as to manufacture violations by adding a pornographic source during their review process. In doing so, they risk eroding the trust users have in them.
Hot Tub has been transparent about its purpose from the start. This ongoing, unrestricted moderation clearly has nothing to do with security.
Why This Matters
Apple is using the "unrated" classification as a gate-keeping mechanism to obstruct lawful third-party distribution without issuing formal rejections. This tactic avoids DMA scrutiny while maintaining Apple's stranglehold over app distribution.
Impact on Users: EU users are unable to receive updates or install the app through third-party app stores.
Impact on Developers: Apple is effectively blocking lawful content distribution, setting a dangerous precedent for app developers attempting to distribute outside the App Store.
Impact on Distribution: Apple's "unrated" classification forces third-party stores to adopt the label by default, regardless of the content they offer or the apps the user intends to install. This creates substantial barriers for users, requiring them to navigate complex settings just to install the store — drastically limiting the store's reach and effectively blocking distribution. Meanwhile, stores must choose between rejecting lawful apps or bearing the "unrated" label, undermining their legitimacy while preserving Apple's control over distribution. Furthermore, it pits third-party stores against developers, coercing them to enforce Apple's de facto content standards while reinforcing its gate-keeping role under the guise of security — all while sidestepping DMA scrutiny.
Our Response
Contacting DMA Enforcement: A formal case has been opened with the EU DMA enforcement team, with active pushes for intervention. (DMA.100187 - pending)
Escalating the Issue: Multiple EU regulatory bodies have been contacted to address Apple's misuse of the "unrated" classification.
Rebuilding the App: Despite previous approvals, Hot Tub was completely rebuilt, removing all preloaded content & recommended sources, and complying with Apple's latest demands, at the expense of user-experience.
Highlighting Inconsistencies: Multiple requests were made for clarification on why the app is being classified as "unrated" despite adhering to Apple's guidelines, their response changing with each review.
What You Can Do
Spread Awareness: Share this article on social media and notify your representatives about Apple's anti-competitive behavior. To make it easy, we've included a template email and a curated list of key EU contacts at the bottom of this page. You can help make a real impact in just a couple of clicks.
Support Hot Tub: Apple's behavior directly violates the DMA. Monetary contributions in the form of subscriptions or donation will help cover server expenses, ongoing development, and legal fund — ensuring the longevity of Hot Tub and protecting open access to lawful content for consenting adults.
Stay Updated: Visit blog.hottubapp.io for the latest developments and additional ways to support our cause.
What's Next
Ongoing Updates: All avenues are being pursued to resolve this matter. Regular updates will follow as Apple's overreach is challenged.
Development: Work on new features, bug fixes, and enhancements continues as planned — but EU users are currently blocked from installing any app updates due to Apple’s restrictions.
Support Our Efforts: If you value Hot Tub and believe in fair app distribution, consider donating to support legal funds, server costs, and ongoing development.
Advocate for Change: Help raise awareness by sharing this information with your network and contacting EU representatives about Apple's anti-competitive behavior.
Closing Thoughts
This is a crucial moment for digital rights, app distribution, and platform fairness. The right to access lawful content is fundamental to a free and open internet. Censoring adult content under the guise of protecting users infantilizes consenting adults and undermines personal autonomy — a dangerous precedent for digital rights.
Thank you to all who have used Hot Tub, provided feedback, support, or even just read this. I will continue to push back against anti-competitive behavior and advocate for fair and open distribution.
Contact EU Regulators
For your convenience, we've prepared a template email and compiled a list of relevant EU regulators, competition authorities, and digital market enforcement teams.
Please consider contacting these officials using the button below to help expedite enforcement and urge immediate intervention in response to Apple's DMA violations.
Will Smillie
Founder & Developer
Hot Tub