Despite allowing retro console emulators on devices like the iPhone and iPad, Apple had previously excluded PC emulators from the App Store due to ambiguous reasons. However, the situation has drastically changed over the past month. Apple has now permitted a PC emulator to run on iPhones. What prompted this change?
Initially, Apple rejected the PC emulator from the App Store, citing that PCs are not retro consoles and thus did not qualify for approval on devices like the iPhone or iPad.
But according to The Verge, Apple has recently eased its stance, allowing the emulator to be freely available on the App Store. The approved emulator, UTM SE, enables users to run Windows from XP onwards, as well as various Linux and macOS versions.
The emulator is now available for download on iPhones, iPads, and Vision Pro. However, it does not come with an operating system pre-installed; users must install their preferred OS themselves.
Emulators Remain a Gray Area
The main issue is that emulators still reside in a legal gray area. Users must find and install the operating system independently, as neither the emulator developers nor Apple are responsible for the users’ actions.
This has been a key reason for Apple’s previous reluctance to allow emulators. Nevertheless, regulatory pressures have compelled Apple to grant access to these emulators on their devices.
