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We knew it would happen, and now it has come true. The first game emulator has arrived in the iOS App Store after Apple responded to increasing regulatory pressure by relaxing its rules on the types of apps it accepts.
As spotted by AppleInsider, we already have Emu64 XL (for Commodore 64) and iGBA (for Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color). Both are free to install on iPhone and iPad, and there are no in-app purchases.
This means that if you point the emulator to a compatible disk file, it will run just as the original game ran on the original hardware. Other emulators may follow these two in the future.
A word of warning, though: In most parts of the world, the only way to legally use these emulators is to rip the code from the original disc or cartridge you’ve already paid for. Otherwise, you may end up on the wrong side. law.
App Store changes
These emulators are widely available on Android, but I’ve never seen them on iOS. Apple changed its app review guidelines earlier this month. Although Apple hasn’t said so explicitly, this is likely due to increased scrutiny in the US and EU of third-party software that is allowed to run on apps. device.
However, this change comes with some caveats. Emulators are responsible for all software that may be loaded within their apps and must comply with “all applicable laws” of the region where the emulator is used. This brings us back to the rather gray area of emulator legality.
The success of these emulators may depend on the attitude of the manufacturers of the devices they are emulating. For example, Nintendo has traditionally been very strict about blocking emulation software.
However, if there is demand, apps will likely follow suit. As 9to5Mac points out, the iGBA app mentioned above is actually a copy of an open source emulator with embedded ads. We expect this new arrangement to take some time to become established.
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