Apple's been forced by European Union regulators to open up access to its iPhones and iPads so that users can download apps from sources other than Apple's App Store--until now a system that Apple has fiercely protected.

Longstanding Apple foe Epic Games has signaled it will try its own app marketplace out, and now AltStore is jumping onto the bandwagon, saying it's ready to launch its alternative too. But AltStore plans to support Patreon-backed apps, which may let some smaller developer companies fund their projects through the payment platform if traditional funding sources didn't work. After all, building apps is expensive and small app developers may find it hard to raise funding to get their ideas off the ground, long before they can raise money via Apple's systems by launching on the App Store.