I could see a subset (so everything on the basic tier maybe) to try and entice people to get a Switch to get the rest.
[The Verge] Apple opens the App Store to retro game emulators [UP: Delta available now on the App Store!]
- Thread starter --R
- Start date
I could see a subset (so everything on the basic tier maybe) to try and entice people to get a Switch to get the rest.
So third party stores are a go on iOS now? What does that even look like? Is the new store just its own app that you enter and download apps from? lol
This was the only thing I would've used alternate stores for. I guess somebody realized there's a whole sizable chunk of people who did jailbreaks just for emulators lol
Everything up to PS3, I would assume. Given the specs. Switch would work as well, depending on the state of iOS emulators for that platform, I haven't tried it.
Once you get to PS3/360 it's really more about the state of the emulators themselves rather than what the device can handle. Any flagship phone is a fairly powerful computer these days. They're mostly being underutilized.
Everything up to PS3, I would assume. Given the specs. Switch would work as well, depending on the state of iOS emulators for that platform, I haven't tried it.
Once you get to PS3/360 it's really more about the state of the emulators themselves rather than what the device can handle. Any flagship phone is a fairly powerful computer these days. They're mostly being underutilized.
Think there is only one out currently but the following might answer your question
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25336519/STK450_EU_G.jpg)
A first look at Europe’s alternative iPhone app stores
Is it worth all the trouble?
www.theverge.com
I thought I was crazy assuming immediately that this was a stealth way to undercut incoming non-Apple stores ahead of time, but I'm reassured to see I'm not the only one.
You can download any file type on iOS and put it in the Apple Files app. For example, I download .SRT files on Safari (which Apple doesn't officially support) and then I have a media player app which I downloaded and I can import SRT files via the Files app into the movie which will overlay subtitles on it.
A person could theoretically dump their ROMs to something like Google Drive on their PC and then use your iOS device to add it to their Files app, kind of hacky but it could work.
…or you just download the ROM directly into the Files app on you iPhone and open it the emulator.
(this is how I do it with the Delta emulator on Vision Pro currently. Works great)
Two questions:
1. How is retro being defined?
2. Banning apps that provide pirated titles… I don't think anyone is going to dump their own Gameboy games, so how exactly is this going to work?
1. How is retro being defined?
2. Banning apps that provide pirated titles… I don't think anyone is going to dump their own Gameboy games, so how exactly is this going to work?
Riley Testut acknowledged the App Store change but isn't answering questions now about whether he is going to submit GBA4iOS to apple. I have the current source building in XCode so I'll clean up some awkward messaging and attempt to submit to the App Store. Should be a fun conversation with App Review staff.
Thanks!Think there is only one out currently but the following might answer your question
A first look at Europe’s alternative iPhone app stores
Is it worth all the trouble?
I could see people making very simple NES/SNES/MD/GB etc homebrew games and packaging that as a "collection" but lo and behold, you can load your own ROMs via the files app…
Yes, you can put two and two together and realize you can also do that. I just didn't want to endorse that.
Hey I'm already happy with my old Android being able to emulate Saturn games so I am looking forward to those on the iOS system to get there fix on whatever they want.
Just being cautious as how you are able to download or manage ROMs and ISOs will be an issue...
Just being cautious as how you are able to download or manage ROMs and ISOs will be an issue...
As Ars notes, the terms clearly mean that Sega can now do a retro game collection that downloads Megadrive titles from a server. It doesn't allow emulators to run code from local files. This is basically no change at all.
Indeed, the change to rules for WeChat type apps makes it clear this is supposed to punish games being run in bigger programmes to push iAP gambling simulators, not suddenly enable permissionless innovation.
The App Store's entire purpose is to rent seek, not serve customers, and the only thing that will change that is app signing keys on iOS hardware being taken away from Apple.
Indeed, the change to rules for WeChat type apps makes it clear this is supposed to punish games being run in bigger programmes to push iAP gambling simulators, not suddenly enable permissionless innovation.
The App Store's entire purpose is to rent seek, not serve customers, and the only thing that will change that is app signing keys on iOS hardware being taken away from Apple.
They don't.
Even if this change permitted people to run arbitrary software in emulators, which it doesn't, no software on iOS for emulation is allowed to implement JIT compiling, so anything from the PS1 onwards is out.
Awesome news. They probably are only doing this to get ahead of other app stores on ios, but better late than never I suppose.
I assume the same way these apps work on other platforms. The apps aren't providing the roms, so it's the user not the app that would have action taken against and not by Apple but by the rights holder. That's just an assumption based on emulators existing on other platforms like android and afaik none come with roms built in, though I could be wrong because I don't use my phone for gaming so have no idea.
So how do emulators work, you download roms and it just runs or they supply the roms? How would you even get a rom onto a iPhone.
Oh wow it looks like governments putting pressure on walled gardens is good for the consumer! I was told it's actually bad for the consumer 🤔
Many apps allow you to upload your own files using the Files app. So you'd either copy the roms to the iPhone with a USB stick (I guess you'd need an iPhone 15 for this) or you can use cloud storage.
ScummVM is more of an interpreter than an emulator but yeah :)
The same way other files are moved onto an iPhone? when I download a video I filmed of my wife and I at a concert I can save it to files and then tell an app (VLC) to access that file on my iPad. I imagine it's no different
Oh I have no idea I don't move other files onto my iPhone. If I like a picture I save it to my phone that's it.
That's not a change though, Apple always allowed vendor emulators like this. PicoPico being a good example.
PicoPico - 8bit Retro Games
Enjoy 8bit retro games! [About provide games] We provide the games on this app under licensed from the official licensers. [Features] - support MFi / PS4 / XBOX-ONE GamePads - PIN/UNDO (quick save/load) - 3 save slots & 10 movie slots per game - recordable your gameplay movie to the movie...
apps.apple.com
You can save files from the web to your files folder or transfer files via a pc and then tell apps to open that file. I imagine that's how it's done because Apple aren't going to let folks download emulators with roms included for obvious reasons.
That's not a change though, Apple always allowed vendor emulators like this. PicoPico being a good example.
PicoPico - 8bit Retro Games
Enjoy 8bit retro games! [About provide games] We provide the games on this app under licensed from the official licensers. [Features] - support MFi / PS4 / XBOX-ONE GamePads - PIN/UNDO (quick save/load) - 3 save slots & 10 movie slots per game - recordable your gameplay movie to the movie...apps.apple.com
PicoPico includes all the games in the binary I believe. It doesn't download anything from a server.
Kinda funny that none of the consoles officially support this, aside from developer mode on Xbox.
