AltStore and the Indie App Renaissance, with Shane Gill and Riley Testut

AltStore co-founders Riley Testut and Shane Gill are the perfect example of necessity being the mother of invention. When Apple denied the launch of their retro video game app, Delta, in 2016, they realized that indie app developers needed another solution — one that could bring apps to communities without Apple dictating the rules and taking a cut.  Founded in 2019, AltStore is that solution. The creators of the first decentralized app store share their journey, including what an open app store means for developers and how they’re investing in the fediverse. The conversation includes: 1:11 Genesis of AltStore 3:00 Getting Delta in Apple’s App Store 5:34 The Fortnite factor 8:10 The value of an alternative app store 12:04 The difference between putting an app in AltStore v App Store  14:41 Indie market for apps 18:03 Ecosystem safety 21:30 Is AI increasing the total number of apps out there? 22:45 Vibe coding and paths for app distribution 24:42 Fediverse and eureka moment 32:26 People-powered discovery — a broader movement  34:29 Building communities around apps 36:44 Patreon integration, supporting developers directly  38:38 Curating apps and source collections 40:07 Solutions for in-app payments 43:27 Pieces of the next generation ecosystem   45:56 Decentralizing app innovation 46:32 Relationship with Apple now 51:23 What’s on the horizon for AltStore 54:21 How to experience AltStore Referenced: Explore AltStore: https://explore.alt.store/ Riley + Shane’s Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/cw/rileyshane 🔎 You can find Riley and Shane at https://altstore.io/.  ✚ Connect with host Mike McCue at @[email protected] and @mmccue.bsky.social. 🌊 Catch the wave! Surf the open social web and create your own custom feeds at surf.social, a new product from the people at Flipboard. https://about.surf.social/ Disclosure: Dot Social host Mike McCue serves on the board of AltStore.