Search the Community

It was a big week for retro gaming fans, as iPhone users are starting to reap the rewards of Apple's recent change to allow retro game emulators on the App Store. This week also saw a new iOS 17.5 beta that will support web-based app distribution in the EU, the debut of the first hotels to allow for direct AirPlay streaming to room TVs, a fresh rumor about the impending iPad Air update, and more details on the sequence of Apple's M4-based Mac updates starting later this year, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone A few weeks after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to allow retro game console emulator apps, the popular Nintendo emulator Delta is now available in the App Store. Delta can emulate games released for many older Nintendo consoles, including the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, and all Game Boy models. We published an article explaining key facts about emulators in the App Store and the legality of downloading games. New iOS 17.5 Beta Lets EU iPhone Users Download Apps Directly From Websites Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, released this week, large developers in the EU can now distribute apps directly on the web instead of through the App Store or an alternative app marketplace. To be eligible for this new Web Distribution feature, Apple says a developer must meet several requirements, including having an app that had more than one million annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year. iOS 17's New AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Begins Rolling Out Apple has announced that AirPlay is now available at around 60 hotels operated by IHG Hotels & Resorts in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. At hotels that offer the feature, guests can scan a unique QR code on their room's TV to establish an AirPlay connection, allowing them to wirelessly stream content from their iPhone or iPad. For example, they could stream Apple TV+ or Netflix shows, listen to music on Apple Music or Spotify, play games on Apple Arcade, or work out with Apple Fitness+. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 30 Rumored Upgrades Compared While the iPhone 16 lineup is still months away from being announced, there are already many rumors about the four devices that have been circulating for months. If you own an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max model, and will be considering upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro family, check out our new comparison chart that outlines over 30 rumored new features and changes for the iPhone 16 Pro models, and if you're an iPhone 15 or 15 Plus user, we're tracking over 15 changes expected for the iPhone 16 models. 12.9-Inch iPad Air Now Rumored to Feature Mini-LED Display The rumored 12.9-inch iPad Air that is expected to be announced in May will be equipped with a mini-LED display like the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro, according to info shared this week by Ross Young, CEO of research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. The existing 10.9-inch iPad Air is equipped with a standard LCD panel, and the move to mini-LED technology for the 12.9-inch model would provide increased brightness for HDR content, deeper blacks, and more. M4 Macs Are Expected to Launch in This Order Starting Later This Year In his Power On newsletter this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman outlined the order in which he expects Macs with the M4 family of chips to be released. Gurman said the entire Mac lineup will be updated with the M4 chip or higher-end variants, starting with the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini between late 2024 and early 2025, followed by the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro between the spring and end of 2025. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top Stories This article, "Top Stories: Nintendo Emulators on App Store, Two New iOS 17 Features, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, GameCube, Wii, SEGA Genesis, Atari 2600, and others. Apple has so far approved emulators on the App Store for older Nintendo consoles and the Commodore 64. For example, Riley Testut's popular Delta emulator is now in the App Store in many countries, and it can emulate games released for the Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Nintendo 64, and Nintendo DS. Provenance would bring the first Sony, SEGA, and Atari emulators to the App Store if approved. Provenance has been in development since 2016, and it can already be sideloaded on the iPhone and the Apple TV outside of the App Store. Apple updated its App Review Guidelines earlier this month to allow "retro game console emulator apps" on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices. Earlier this week, Apple told us that emulators that can load games (ROMs) are permitted on the App Store, so long as the apps are emulating "retro console games" only. It is unclear if Apple will consider consoles like the GameCube and Wii to be "retro." While a U.S. court ruled that emulators are legal, downloading copyrighted ROMs is typically against the law in the country. On its customer support website for the U.S., Nintendo says that downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal. A wide collection of public-domain "homebrew" games are available to play legally.Tags: App Store, Emulator This article, "PlayStation, GameCube, Wii, and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple updated its App Review Guidelines this month to allow "retro game console emulator apps" on the App Store for the iPhone and other devices. Below, we outline everything to know about these emulators and available options so far. This information is up to date as of April 2024, but Apple's policies could change over time. What is Allowed Apple told us that emulators that can load games (ROMs) are permitted on the App Store, so long as the apps are emulating "retro console games" only. Apple would not tell us which consoles it classifies as retro, but developer Riley Testut's popular emulator Delta is now available on the App Store, and it can emulate games for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Nintendo 64, and Nintendo DS. There is also a Commodore 64 emulator on the App Store called Emu64 XL. We have not come across any other fully-functioning emulators on the App Store released after the rule change, but more will likely be available in the future. Apple recently removed an emulator called iGBA from the App Store for ripping off Testut's code for Delta and its predecessor GBA4iOS, while the developer of NES emulator Bimmy decided to remove the app from the App Store to avoid the risk of legal action from Nintendo. Legality While a U.S. court ruled that emulators are legal, downloading copyrighted ROMs is typically against the law in the country. On its customer support website in the U.S., Nintendo says that downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal:Pirate copies of game files are often referred to as "ROMs". The uploading and downloading of pirate copies of Nintendo games is illegal.Nintendo recently sued the developers of Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu for "facilitating piracy at a colossal scale," leading to a reported $2.4 million settlement. Nintendo has yet to comment on the availability of emulators in the App Store, but Delta and its predecessor GBA4iOS have been available on the iPhone outside of the App Store for over a decade now without being shut down. Nintendo did issue a DMCA takedown notice against the GBA4iOS website in 2014, but the emulators have continued to remain available. For those who want to abide by the letter of the law, it is generally legal to download and play "homebrew" games available in the public domain.Tags: App Store, Emulator This article, "What to Know About Apple Allowing Game Emulators in the App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available on the App Store for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of the ‌App Store‌, but is now sanctioned by Apple. Delta is an all-in-one emulator that supports game systems including NES, SNES, N64, Nintendo DS, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance. It works with popular game controllers, and supports cheats, save states, backups, syncing, and more. As this is Testut's longtime project, it is more polished and feature rich than other emulators that have popped up. Other features include custom controller skins, an option to fast forward, a "hold" button for games where a button needs to be consistently held, support for Haptic Touch, and appropriate box art for imported games. Local multiplayer gaming is available, and up to four players can participate. Earlier this week, Apple approved iGBA, a direct copy of Testut's original GBA4iOS app. iGBA made it to the top of the ‌App Store‌ charges, but Apple pulled it after learning that it was a knockoff. Delta can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free, and it does not collect information or include ads. The app is available in the United States and other countries, but it is not available in the European Union where it is instead being offered through an alternative app marketplace. [Direct Link] This article, "Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any NES games available for download online, such as Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong. Nintendo released the NES game console in 1985, so some of these games are nearly 40 years old. On its website, Nintendo says "downloading of pirate copies of Nintendo games is illegal." The release of Bimmy comes after Apple removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for ripping off another emulator known as GBA4iOS, which was distributed outside the App Store. Apple said it had approved of iGBA's functionality prior to learning that the app was a knockoff, suggesting that emulators for older Nintendo game consoles are permitted on the App Store, and Bimmy seems to be the first proof of that. Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators earlier this month. Apple says developers of emulators are "responsible for all such software" offered in the app, including compliance with "all applicable laws."Tags: App Store, Emulator This article, "NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Over the weekend, a Game Boy emulator named iGBA appeared in the iPhone's App Store, but Apple quickly removed the app due to violations of the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam and copyright. Apple has since shared additional details about why it removed iGBA from the App Store, and it also clarified its guidelines for emulators. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app, with the addition of ads on top. While it did not explicitly name GBA4iOS, Apple told us it removed iGBA from the App Store after learning that it was a knockoff app that copied another developer's work and attempted to pass it off as its own. Notably, Apple confirmed to us that emulators on the App Store are permitted to load ROMs downloaded from the web, so long as the app is emulating retro console games only. Apple also said it had approved iGBA's functionality, before learning that it was a knockoff app, suggesting that Game Boy emulation is permitted on the App Store, but the company has yet to share any other examples of retro game consoles. All in all, it appears that iGBA was removed from the App Store entirely because it was a ripoff of GBA4iOS, rather than due to piracy concerns resulting from users being able to load any ROM downloaded from the web. However, exactly which consoles Apple considers to be retro, and if there will be any other restrictions, remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen how Nintendo reacts to Apple approving Game Boy emulators for distribution through the App Store on the iPhone. On its U.S. customer support website, Nintendo says downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal:Pirate copies of game files are often referred to as "ROMs". The uploading and downloading of pirate copies of Nintendo games is illegal.We have reached out to Nintendo for comment. Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators earlier this month. Apple says developers of emulators are "responsible for all such software" offered in the app, including compliance with "all applicable laws."Tags: App Store, Emulator This article, "Apple Further Explains Why Game Boy Emulator iGBA Was Removed From App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app, which has long been distributed outside the App Store. The emulator rose towards the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend, but users on social media complained that the app was a blatant ripoff overlaid with ads. "So apparently Apple approved a knock-off of GBA4iOS," said Testut, in a Threads post on Saturday. "I did not give anyone permission to do this, yet it's now sitting at the top of the charts (despite being filled with ads + tracking)." He quipped that he was "so glad App Review exists to protect consumers from scams and rip-offs like this." It is unclear if Apple removed iGBA because it felt the app ripped off GBA4iOS. We have asked Apple for clarification about the app's removal, and we will update this article if we receive any additional information about the decision. iGBA lets iPhone users play Game Boy games by loading free ROMs downloaded from the web. ROMs can be found online for a wide variety of games, including those from the popular Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda franchises. The emulator can still be used by those who installed it on their iPhones before it was removed from the App Store. On its customer support website in the U.S., Nintendo says downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal. It is unclear if Nintendo sent a complaint to Apple about iGBA, and whether that may have been a factor in the app's removal. An excerpt from section 5.2 of the App Review Guidelines, related to intellectual property:Make sure your app only includes content that you created or that you have a license to use. Your app may be removed if you've stepped over the line and used content without permission. Of course, this also means someone else's app may be removed if they've "borrowed" from your work.iGBA appeared in the App Store just over a week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit "retro game console emulators," but it is inevitably not yet certain what Apple will allow exactly following the app's prompt removal. As for Testut, he went on to create another Nintendo game emulator called Delta, which is distributed outside of the App Store. Delta will also be available through Testut's alternative app marketplace AltStore on iPhones in the EU. It is not clear if he plans to make Delta available in the App Store following the rule change.Tags: App Store, Emulator This article, "Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

We knew it was going to happen, and now it has: the first game emulators are appearing in the iOS App Store, after Apple responded to increasing regulatory pressure by relaxing its rules on the type of apps it would accept. As spotted by AppleInsider, we've already got Emu64 XL (for the Commodore 64) and iGBA (for the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color). Both are free to install for the iPhone and the iPad, and don't come with any in-app purchases. That means you can point the emulators to compatible disk files, which then run as the original games would have done on the original hardware. It's likely that more emulators will follow these two as well. A word of warning though: in most parts of the world, the only way to use these emulators legally is by ripping the code from the original disks or cartridges that you've already paid for – otherwise you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law. App Store changes You can now get Emu64 XL on your iPhone (Image credit: Emu64 XL) These emulators are widely available on Android, but haven't been seen on iOS before now. Apple made the change to its App Review Guidelines earlier this month – and while Apple didn't explicitly say so, it's probably because it's under increasing scrutiny in the US and the EU when it comes to the third-party software allowed to run on its devices. The change has come with some caveats attached, however. Emulators are held responsible for all the software that can be loaded inside the apps, and must comply with "all applicable laws" in the regions they're used in – which brings us back to the rather gray area of the legality of emulators. The success or otherwise of these emulators might come down to the attitude of the manufacturers who made the devices they're emulating. Nintendo has traditionally been very strict on blocking emulation software, for example. Where there's demand though, the apps will follow: as 9to5Mac points out, the iGBA app mentioned above is actually a copy of an open source emulator, with embedded ads inserted. We can expect this new arrangement to take some time to settle down. You might also like Essential Game Boy Advance titles you need to playHere's what alternative iPhone app stores will look likeApple's big iOS and App Store changes explained in full View the full article