Apple says can’t have PC emulators on AppStore
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For reference, this is the App Review Guidelines for Apple AppStore and the relevant part about emulators. (Wish those articles would at least link to it.)
It doesn’t say anything against PC emulators. But it also only talks about retro game consoles. And my assumption is that everything that is not discussed here, is not allowed by default; which would extend to PC emulators, because PC is not a retro game console.
Like always, this is up to interpretation. I think Apple uses a vague language on purpose, so nobody can workaround the exact wording. I have no idea what that means for RetroArch, because the emulators are plugins, therefore RetroArch itself is not a PC emulator. Plugins are allowed, so one can download it?
Apple was characteristically unhelpful in nailing down the guidelines. Would a Commodore 64 count as a console or a PC?
(Quote from the article.) Why would a C64 count as a PC? A PC is specifically PC hardware, x86 compatible basically. And usually the operating system is part of the PC, Windows, DOS or Linux in example. Otherwise the wording should be more broad like “Computers” or “Home Computers and PCs” or something like that. But again, no idea what is Apple thinking, because the guidelines are incomplete and vague.
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Another Article about this
Crazy that they just keep building a case against themselves regarding anti-competitive practices. I would think that blocking PC emulation when PC’s are a form of competition would not be helpful to them. Maybe they just don’t think the anti-competitive rules in the US are a real threat? Maybe they are right?
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better term would be IBM and compatibles PCs
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Looks like Apple Changed there Mind on Retro Computers:
That is good for Dosbox Pure Core
Looks like Dosbox Pure is fine now that Officially Apple is allowing PC Emulators on the AppStore