Apple relaxes App Store rules to permit game emulators

Apple has loosened its App Retailer guidelines to allow the inclusion of “retro sport console emulator apps” on its platform.

This transfer comes after years of stress from customers and legislators, significantly in Europe, the place lovers beforehand needed to resort to jailbreaking their units or utilizing advanced workarounds to entry emulation apps on their iPhones.

In an replace to its App Overview Tips on the finish of final week, Apple confirmed the coverage change. Whereas app builders are nonetheless “accountable for all such software program provided in [their] app”, together with guaranteeing compliance with relevant legal guidelines, “retro sport console emulator apps can supply to obtain video games.”

The choice is seen as Apple’s try and preempt potential person defections to competing app shops within the wake of the latest EU ruling that mandates the tech big to allow third-party app shops within the EU. By permitting emulation apps, Apple could possibly retain customers who would in any other case discover various app distribution channels.

This coverage shift opens the door for Android emulator builders to port their apps to iDevices, increasing the emulation ecosystem on Apple’s platform. Nevertheless, it stays to be seen how strictly Apple will implement the requirement that emulators don’t facilitate unlawful or pirated content material.

The transfer comes as Apple, together with tech giants Google and Meta, faces ongoing investigations by the EU below the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is a key piece of laws designed to advertise honest competitors within the digital market, with a selected concentrate on cellular app shops operated by Apple and Google.

Whereas the brand new emulator coverage represents a step in direction of larger openness, it stays to be seen how Apple will navigate the evolving regulatory panorama and tackle issues over anticompetitive practices in its App Retailer operations.

(Photograph by Lorenzo Herrera)

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Tags: app retailer, apple, coding, emulator, gaming, ios, iphone, programming