Apple has long been known for jailing off several off from its App Store according to their guidelines, and one such type of applications was video-game emulators. However, that all will change in the near future thank to a recent update in regards to Apple's guidelines regarding 3rd party applications, specifically emulators themselves.

On Friday April 5th, 2024, Apple updated its guidelines for the App Store, and the focus for this update was section 4.7, which talks about Third Party Software, like mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and the recently added game emulators. The exact excerpt for the update in regard to video game emulators specifies the following:

4.7 Mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and game emulators
Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws. Software that does not comply with one or more guidelines will lead to the rejection of your app. You must also ensure that the software adheres to the additional rules that follow in 4.7.1 and 4.7.5. These additional rules are important to preserve the experience that App Store customers expect, and to help ensure user safety.

• 4.7.1 Software offered in apps under this rule must:
  • follow all privacy guidelines, including but not limited to the rules set forth in Guideline 5.1 concerning collection, use, and sharing of data, and sensitive data (such as health and personal data from kids);
  • include a method for filtering objectionable material, a mechanism to report content and timely responses to concerns, and the ability to block abusive users; and
  • use in-app purchase in order to offer digital goods or services to end users.
• 4.7.2 Your app may not extend or expose native platform APIs to the software without prior permission from Apple.
• 4.7.3 Your app may not share data or privacy permissions to any individual software offered in your app without explicit user consent in each instance.
• 4.7.4 You must provide an index of software and metadata available in your app. It must include universal links that lead to all of the software offered in your app.
• 4.7.5 Your app must share the age rating of the highest age-rated content available in your app.

One such known emulator that was recently approved for distribution, albeit for an alternate side loading store for iOS called AltStore, is the Game Boy Advance emulator known as Delta (previously GBA4iOS), with developer Riley Testut posting about the emulator's approval for the AltStore on April 7th, 2024 through Mastodon.

​

The recent approval of Delta to the AltStore is entirely separate, but still remains to be seen if Delta will hit the App Store officially.

One particular point of interest in the recent update, is that Apple's Guidelines specifically mention that "retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws." This makes it seems as if only legal material, such as homebrew games developed for retro game consoles, are seemingly the only ones which will be allowed to be downloaded and play. Until a video game emulator is properly approved for distribution on the official App Store, it remains to be seen if users will be able to provide their own ROMs instead of just relying on downloadable games through the emulators themselves.

Source
App Store emulator guidelines update

 

[tpax]

From an outsider’s perspective, the EU laws have been nothing but annoying to us. I get what you are saying though. I am just speaking as someone looking from the outside. Personally, I am just hoping the beating Apple has been getting from all fronts gets worse and I hoping the EU and US both start cracking down on them. Because right now, the EU laws feel like they have just enough holes for Apple to get through.
I think it’s more fair to say that US companies are deeply conditioned to look for loopholes and exploits to laws. Something that I often don’t see the EU taking enough considerations for. I could be wrong but that’s just what I am seeing.

Stock exchange US companies have an obligation towards their shareholders to maximize their profits, therefore they try to exploit every possible law loophole that might come convenient. Another reason why so many loopholes are used, even if they aren't really loopholes, is because the EU is considered to be the laughing stock because of the lack of consistency when it comes to enforcing the laws they created. Fine Apple with a huge sum, enforce a prohibition of sale, and they will start to behave. But we all know that all EU states are vassals to the US and nothing serious will ever come out of it.

 

[ZeroFX]

I don't use iphone but good I guess.

lmao at all the EU hate, keep sucking Apple's balls 'Mericans! At least we're doing something while you all are shills for your corporate overlords. This is because of the EU regulations. Wish Apple kept this for the EU only.

So this is a sucking billion dollar company's vs sucking the government's balls matter huh?

 

[stüssy]

Reminds me of Remote File Manger and Flappy cloud, they had snes emulation build in

 

[osaka35]

Thank you EU. Americans could learn a thing or two. This is one of the goals of good governments, to push for expansion of consumer rights and ensure they are not infringed. Now if you could be...consistent, EU, that'd be great.

lmao at all the EU hate, keep sucking Apple's balls 'Mericans! At least we're doing something while you all are shills for your corporate overlords. This is because of the EU regulations. Wish Apple kept this for the EU only.

That's a very American attitude you've got there. I'm proud of the EU for defending consumers, hopefully they can keep pressure going and make some systemic changes.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Thank you EU. Americans could learn a thing or two. This is one of the goals of good governments, to push for expansion of consumer rights and ensure they are not infringed.


That's a very American attitude you've got there. I'm proud of the EU for defending consumers, hopefully they can keep pressure going and make some systemic changes.

It'll be interesting to see how Nintendo acts in the EU when it comes to lawsuits against consumers and the legality of Fair Use and Personal Use when it comes to personal game dumps and emulators. I'm sure emulators as a whole would fair better in a EU court than US no doubt.

 

[The Catboy]

Stock exchange US companies have an obligation towards their shareholders to maximize their profits, therefore they try to exploit every possible law loophole that might come convenient. Another reason why so many loopholes are used, even if they aren't really loopholes, is because the EU is considered to be the laughing stock because of the lack of consistency when it comes to enforcing the laws they created. Fine Apple with a huge sum, enforce a prohibition of sale, and they will start to behave. But we all know that all EU states are vassals to the US and nothing serious will ever come out of it.

I feel like both of us are in some form of an agreement but from different perspectives. Honestly, I just enough enough pressure to be put on Apple to the point where they drop the narcissistic Job’s era nonsense

 

[spinal_cord]

Someone is going to have to explain to me what is different. The only issue I remember, is thatn a app could not load files from an external source, I had legit emulators from the apple app store in the past for C64 and I think zx spectrum about 15 years ago.

 

[TheCasketMan]

Nintendo right now

 

[PotatoStatic]

Except they're not. If you read the rules for this, they're only allowing emulators that load games with permission of the original rights holders. So this will only be useful for Sega, Sony, Atari, etc. Also, they still don't allow JIT. PPSSPP made a blog post about this.

 

[ccfman2004]

No that's the stuff about sideloading. I think this change is coming from US pressure with the antitrust thing.

Actually it is coming from the EU's Digital Markets Act but it seems that for this Apple is not restricting it to the EU

 

[Ryab]

View attachment 430577​

Apple has long been known for jailing off several off from its App Store according to their guidelines, and one such type of applications was video-game emulators. However, that all will change in the near future thank to a recent update in regards to Apple's guidelines regarding 3rd party applications, specifically emulators themselves.

On Friday April 5th, 2024, Apple updated its guidelines for the App Store, and the focus for this update was section 4.7, which talks about Third Party Software, like mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and the recently added game emulators. The exact excerpt for the update in regard to video game emulators specifies the following:



One such known emulator that was recently approved for distribution, albeit for an alternate side loading store for iOS called AltStore, is the Game Boy Advance emulator known as Delta (previously GBA4iOS), with developer Riley Testut posting about the emulator's approval for the AltStore on April 7th, 2024 through Mastodon.

​

The recent approval of Delta to the AltStore is entirely separate, but still remains to be seen if Delta will hit the App Store officially.

One particular point of interest in the recent update, is that Apple's Guidelines specifically mention that "retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws." This makes it seems as if only legal material, such as homebrew games developed for retro game consoles, are seemingly the only ones which will be allowed to be downloaded and play. Until a video game emulator is properly approved for distribution on the official App Store, it remains to be seen if users will be able to provide their own ROMs instead of just relying on downloadable games through the emulators themselves.

Source
App Store emulator guidelines update

This isnt as good as people are expecting. This is very much a trying to get others off their back whilst still having major restrictions approach.

 

[Viri]

I don't think Apple is a monopoly for not allowing people to sideload their shit, but I hope they're forced to anyway, because I just like to see Apple suffer. If someone is dumb enough to buy an Apple phone, and not be able to emulate their video games, that's on them for not buying an Android phone. I just plain don't like corporations. lol

lmao at all the EU hate, keep sucking Apple's balls 'Mericans! At least we're doing something while you all are shills for your corporate overlords. This is because of the EU regulations. Wish Apple kept this for the EU only.

Govern me harder daddy!

 

[BlusterBong]

It'll be interesting to see how Nintendo acts in the EU when it comes to lawsuits against consumers and the legality of Fair Use and Personal Use when it comes to personal game dumps and emulators. I'm sure emulators as a whole would fair better in a EU court than US no doubt.

The first problem would be that well... None of Nintnedo or even Sony and Microsoft's Consoles (Contrary to popular belief, paying Microsoft $20 for the privilege to "sideload" on what is supposed to be a Developer Mode does not count and has been stated to be against the rules when someone brought up the pricing in thier support page) are even remotely close to what a laptop or even Iphones are allowed to do, not to mention thier ToS/EULAs make it very clear that you're not allowed to hack it, especally since they were designed purely to play authourized apps or games for that platform and nothing more.

And besides, outside of emulation and other fan works, what consumer rights are the Big three even violating right now that can actually be taken seriously by John Public?, Charging $60+ for a video game?, Microtransactions?, Listening to thier shareholders or ESG/DEI supported firms over what the public wants? They are as legally in the clear as they possibly can the whole world 'round get as far as Microsoft and Sony's Gaming Divisions, and Certainly with Nintendo.

 

[urbanman2004]

Guess I'll still be emulating on Android for the foreseeable future. Although the iPhone offers more optimized specs (w/ their current A-17 Bionic chip), Apple's terms and conditions aren't really clear-cut and there appears to be grey areas w/in said terms that aren't really being fully addressed, and I don't expect them to in the near-term.

 

[big-dog-9675]

this is really cool

Post automatically merged: Apr 9, 2024

will there be other appstores as well on ios

 

[edale]

.7.1 Software offered in apps under this rule must:

• use in-app purchase in order to offer digital goods or services to end users

Umm.... Did Apple literally make microtransactions a requirement in a retro-emulator?

 

[TomSwitch]

Umm.... Did Apple literally make microtransactions a requirement in a retro-emulator?

There is nothing about micro, the bigger the better, money is the more the merrier. Charge $80 for a game would be so much better ( for Apple ).

Waiting for the retro game call totk.

 

[Bladexdsl]

only on the temp could a thread turn into an USA VS EU discussion

 

[ShadowOne333]

only on the temp could a thread turn into an USA VS EU discussion

EU all the way bby!

 

[ZenIsFluffy]

Can't wait for retroarch on the iPad