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.

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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

 

[The Catboy]

Looks like all of the pressure is finally getting to them.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Looks like all of the pressure is finally getting to them.

Took long enough tbh, it was long overdue.

 

[KingCornWallis]

Are any big projects confirmed to be launching/working on launching on iOS then? Or still too soon?

 

[AdenTheThird]

Interesting timing for something like this. Nevertheless, a win for any emulation enthusiasts who somehow prefer Apple over Samsung, I guess.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Are any big projects confirmed to be launching/working on launching on iOS then? Or still too soon?

Probably too soon, but we could expect to see emulators that were being side-loaded through other unofficial store fronts to test the waters and see if they get approved on it or not.

 

[Bladexdsl]

one more time
apple is turning into google and nintendo is turning into apple

 

[tpax]

Looks like all of the pressure is finally getting to them.

They are still uncontrollably laughing inside EU's face in regards to EU's regulations.

 

[The Catboy]

They are still uncontrollably laughing inside EU's face in regards to EU's regulations.

Honestly an EU law not quite hitting the mark is nothing new. Maybe one day the EU will get their shit together. Seriously, it is pretty impressive how often the EU does something people think is going to make a difference and then it just kind of doesn’t

 

[Flame]

Now for apple users to claim they had emulators first before everyone else.

congrats iPhone users. Now you can party like it's 1999 and run a PS1 emulator.

 

[Archolm]

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.

 

[Lotoonlink]

Are any big projects confirmed to be launching/working on launching on iOS then? Or still too soon?

I'm in the Discord server for the Ignited iOS emulator (fork of Delta) and the creator stated that trying to apply for the app store is now his main priority

https://www.litritt.com/ignited

 

[tpax]

Honestly an EU law not quite hitting the mark is nothing new. Maybe one day the EU will get their shit together. Seriously, it is pretty impressive how often the EU does something people think is going to make a difference and then it just kind of doesn’t

The EU law is pretty much hitting the mark. But Apple being a shitty company from a shithole country not complying with local laws, like most US companies, is nothing new. It will take some time and effort until they finally will be forced to do so.

 

[ccfman2004]

As far as I know this is only for the EU market as it's their law forcing Apple to do this.

 

[Scarlet]

As far as I know this is only for the EU market as it's their law forcing Apple to do this.

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

 

[SecureBoot]

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.

Is this "EU" hate in the room with us now?

 

[The Catboy]

The EU law is pretty much hitting the mark. But Apple being a shitty company from a shithole country not complying with local laws, like most US companies, is nothing new. It will take some time and effort until they finally will be forced to do so.

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.

 

[KingVamp]

Eh, EU isn't perfect, but no country is. For example, EU are the ones to make Apple finally change their cords.

 

[tech3475]

Until we see an emulator which allows user provided ROMs on iOS devices, either via Apple or third party app store (without messing around with jailbreaking, dev certs, etc.), this doesn't feel like something to get excited about since restricted emulators have existed on the app store for years.

There was a C64 emulator at one point at least which had to remove BASIC because of Apple restricting 'unauthorised' code.

 

[slaphappygamer]

When will Nintendo take down Apple?