Apple could finally allow retro video game emulators in the App Store, but this month, the company rejected submissions for iDOS 3, a new version of the popular DOS emulator, and UTM SE, an app that allows operating systems like Windows to be emulated on iOS. . In both cases, Apple said the new releases violate guideline 4.7 of the Application Review Guidelineswhich is what allows retro game emulators.
Chaoji Li, the developer of iDOS 3, shared some of Apple's reasoning for the rejection with The edge. “The app provides emulator functionality but does not specifically emulate a retro game console,” according to Apple's notice. “Only retro game console emulators are appropriate under guideline 4.7.”
“When I asked what changes I needed to make to comply with the regulations, they had no idea, nor did they have a clue when I asked what a retro game console is.” Li said in a blog post.. “It's still the same old, unreasonable 'we know it when we see it' response.”
UTM posted about its rejection on . x.com/UTMapp/status/1799647652134654045″>according to the publication.
UTM also noted that Apple is preventing UTM SE from being notarized for third-party app stores because the app apparently violated guideline 2.5.2. That rule states that apps must be autonomous and cannot run code “that introduces or changes features or functionality of the app, including other apps.”
Apple has typically not allowed just-in-time (JIT) compilation. However, somewhat confusingly, UTM said that UTM SE does not include just-in-time compilation. Additionally, Apple clarified that guideline 4.7, which allows apps to offer “certain software that is not built into the binary,” is “an exception that only applies to apps in the App Store,” but is not an exception for which UTM SE qualifies. x.com/UTMapp/status/1800168874840895921″>UTM said in a follow-up post.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Unfortunately, as we've seen in other App Store disputes, developers are at the mercy of Apple's fickle decision-making. “In short, as the sole rule maker and enforcer in (the) iOS ecosystem, they don't need to be consistent at all,” Li said in an email. And UTM said it's not going to push harder to get UTM SE on the App Store because it believes the app “is a poor experience and not worth fighting for.”
Apple likely opened the door to retro game emulators in April in response to antitrust scrutiny, while in March it launched support for third-party app stores in the EU in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
