Apple Allows PC Emulator In App Store For The First Time

PC retro game emulator named UTM SE is now available in Apple app store (photo: x @iPhoneTicker)

JAKARTA - For the first time, Apple has allowed PC emulator apps on the App Store. A PC retro game emulator named UTM SE is now available in Apple's app store, marking a historic moment for the Cupertino-based company.

UTM SE can be downloaded for free on iOS, iPadOS, and videoOS. This app allows users to run classic PC software and play old games such as Doom and 3D Pinball for Windows Space Cadet. Before starting, users need to download a virtual machine that has been built earlier from the UTM website or create their own virtual machine.

This isn't the first time UTM has tried to log into the App Store. In June, Apple rejected the app for violating their guidelines. However, this time UTM managed to launch an app by creating a "build without JIT" that didn't violate Apple's rules. The app will also be available in the alternative application market, AltStore PAL, thus allowing users in the European Union to download it.

UTM announced the launch through uploads on social media X (formerly Twitter), bringing good news to fans of retro games and classical software.

IPhone emulator

In addition, the popular game emulator Delta, which has become a favorite among retro gaming fans on the iPhone, is now officially available for the iPad after the app update to version 1.6.

Since its debut on the App Store, Delta has become very popular and continues to appear on Top Charts, attracting users who want to play retro games that originally appeared on NES, SNES, N64, Nintendo DS, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance.

With the support for the iPad in version 1.6, users can now take advantage of larger screens and play in full screen mode. There is a new controller skin specifically designed for the iPad, and the app supports several windows in Stage Manager and Split View, with the option to temporarily stop the game while changing windows.

The iPad version also supports external game controllers, and developer Riley Testut says that the accumulated games can "move" smoothly between the iPhone and the iPad, allowing players to continue the game from their last point of stop. Testut also mentioned that the need for BIOS files has now been removed, facilitating the setting process. Users will also experience a significant performance improvement in the DS game.

This update introduces various menu button gestures, providing more intuitive navigation options. The experimental feature "Reverse Controller Skin Screens" is also added, allowing users to change the controller's skin screen at runtime, offering more customization and flexibility during play.

Testut previously explained that the Delta for the iPad was not originally a development priority because its plan was to limit the launch of emulators in the European Union through the alternative application market AltStore PAL, which does not support the iPad.

However, in April, Apple reversed its old policy and allowed retro gaming emulators on the App Store. Delta is then available on the App Store as a free download in the United States and other countries, with users supporting developers via Patreon. Official download links for the latest version can be found on the Delta website.