TechGreatest
Blue Downloader Brings Torrents To iPhone, iPad. But For How Much Longer?
Apple doesn’t like you downloading torrents on iOS, and yet somehow Blue Downloader has slipped through net into the app store
Legal issues have meant torrent downloads straight to your iPad or iPhone have thus far been impossible. That has all changed now with the release of a new BitTorrent app that has made its way through the usual Apple App Store restrictions.
Blue Downloader is a BitTorrent app that allows restricted access to some torrent sites. The app initially only allowed access to some torrent sites, but now the app has been expanded and allows you to search for whatever torrent site you wish through Google.
Apple doesn’t usually allow torrent apps on iOS devices as, in its own words: “this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third-party rights.”
To get around this the developer’s Blue Downloader initially only allowed downloads from a few trusted sources. And it worked, too. The app passed through Apple’s checks and made it onto the App Store.
Other popular BitTorrent clients such as uTorrent, Vuze and Transmission are popular on other platforms like Android but currently don’t have any presence on iOS.
Torrent websites such as The Pirate Bay weren’t available at launch on Blue Downloader – for obvious reasons. But now the app has been opened up post-Apple testing, giving users access to sites like The Pirate Bay, it is likely the app will soon be found in breach of Apple’s guidelines and terminated.
Until then you can download Blue Downloader from the Apple App Store for £1.99.
“There is an unfortunate stigma associated with torrent downloading” said Harrison Tyler, Blue Downloader’s creator. Tyler continued, “Even though there is almost an equal amount of illegal files on the Internet to regularly download, people still crack down on the evils of BitTorrent.”
For a selection of our favourite iOS apps be sure to look over our round-up pieces for both iPad and iPhone.
James Peckham
12:00, 14 Aug 2014