The App Store has finally opened up to allow video game emulators and the biggest launch so far has shined a spotlight on problems with Apple’s review process.
GBA4iOS was an emulator that originally launched over a decade ago, allowing users to play GameBoy games on their best iPhone. After being taken down, Riley Testut, its developer, made the entire app open-source, meaning anyone could access the code and get it running themselves, with enough know-how. Over the weekend, another developer took advantage of it being open-source to put up their own copy of the app, which Testut lampooned on his Mastodon account
Testut laments the fact that the app knock-off sat at the top of the App Store charts “despite being filled with ads + tracking” and says he did not give permission for any developer to create it. He follows this up saying “I’ve bit my tongue a bunch in the past month…but this really frustrates me. So glad App Review exists to protect consumers from scams and rip-offs like this 🙄“. This is a very tongue-in-cheek way of sardonically criticizing Apple, as it allowed a “knock-off” of his app, despite the fact that his own app has reportedly been ready to launch since March 5. Delta, his new and improved emulation app has been approved for distribution and we think it could make the iPhone the ultimate emulation smartphone. The posts in question don’t clarify whether or not Testut has submitted the app for review, and he didn't say yes when asked if he had yet.
A bigger problem
MacRumors reports that Apple removed this GameBoy emulator knock-off for breaking App Review Guidelines in relation to spam and copyright. Despite this, we don’t actually know the specifics of these claims or what Apple alleges the app broke. One could assume spam and copyright are both related to the fact that this app was not originally created by those who published it but Apple has not yet confirmed this to be the case.
This is part of the problem right now with new apps, in the wake of emulators being allowed on the App Store. Testut is growing frustrated with how long the approval process can take with apps, despite copies of his own app getting the green light for publishing. In a follow-up post, Testut clarified that he is not mad at the developer. “My frustration stemmed entirely from the fact we’ve been ready to launch Delta since last month. This whole situation could’ve been avoided if Apple hadn’t delayed approving us until after changing their rules to allow emulators”
We have reached out to Apple for comment
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