We've already seen several retro console emulators appear on iOS after Apple relaxed its rules about the app category back in April, and now we have the first approval of a Windows PC emulator – one that Apple had previously rejected.
As spotted by The Verge, the UTM SE app is now available on iPhones, as well as iPads and Apple Vision Pro headsets. It lets you run a variety of different versions of Windows from Windows XP onwards, as well as selected Linux and macOS versions.
It's something of a surprise to see UTM SE appear, because back in June Apple rejected it from the App Store. The reason given then was that PCs didn't fit the "retro game console" description necessary for approval.
At the moment, it's not fully clear what's changed – whether it's a shift in Apple's policies or something that's different about the app itself. Based on social media posts from the UTM SE team, it seems maybe Apple has reconsidered, and alongside that the emulator experience has been upgraded too.
Gray areas
We are happy to announce that UTM SE is available (for free) on iOS and visionOS App Store (and coming soon to AltStore PAL)!Shoutouts to AltStore team for their help and to Apple for reconsidering their policy.https://t.co/HAV5JnT5GOJuly 13, 2024
As is the norm for emulators like this, there are no operating systems included with UTM SE – you just get the emulator itself. It's up to you to head out on to the wilds of the web and source the software you want UTM SE to boot up (and to decide whether or not you're going to pay for it).
Emulators take this approach because both they and Apple can't be legally responsible for what you do with them. Running emulators on your phone is perfectly legal, while pirating old software and games very often isn't – at least technically.
It's this murky gray area in terms of legality that has kept emulators out of the iOS App Store until recently. However, with Apple facing increasing pressure from regulators, it's taken steps to reduce the amount of gatekeeping it does in terms of user choice.
The same regulatory pressures mean that third-party app stores for the iPhone are allowed in the EU now, and indeed UTM SE is also available through the AltStore. It's free to install, and doesn't include any in-app purchases.
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