In the past few months, Apple has started allowing a variety of emulators on the iOS App Store, giving iPhone users a chance to experience what Android smartphones have been capable of for nearly a decade. However, Apple is focusing exclusively on retro console emulators and is blocking any potential PC emulators from being available on its smartphones.
Currently, the focus is on the upcoming iOS 18 release and the exciting reveal of Apple Intelligence, which will bring AI to Apple's smartphones. However, the past few months have been a renaissance for retro gamers using iPhones. By pairing their phones with the best phone controllers, retro enthusiasts have been able to play a wide range of titles from the Commodore era up to the beloved Nintendo DS.
Despite this, Apple is cracking down on PC emulators attempting to enter its ecosystem, with the App Store Review Board stating that PCs are not consoles, even though the primary appeal of these emulators is to play retro PC games.
According to a report from The Verge, Apple has recently blocked two PC emulators from the App Store: iDOS 3 and UTM SE. iDOS 3 is a new version of a DOS emulator, while UTM SE would allow users to emulate Windows and other operating systems on their smartphones.
Chaoji Li, the developer of iDOS 3, told The Verge, "The app provides emulator functionality but does not specifically emulate a retro game console," and according to Apple, "Only emulators of retro game consoles are appropriate per guideline 4.7."
The developer of UTM SE shared a similar story on Twitter. After a two-month wait, the App Store Review Board declined UTM SE in accordance with guideline 4.7. The UTM team has decided not to invest any further time or effort in trying to get UTM SE on the App Store unless the rules change.
With the rise of best iPhone emulators gaining momentum, it's unfortunate that PC emulators can't join the fray. However, since Apple only recently began allowing these emulators, significant changes to the guidelines seem unlikely in the near future.