Apple's latest update for iOS on iPhone has enabled something that the company would have most certainly preferred to keep under lock and key: the ability to download apps from outside the official App Store.
The change is a result of the Digital Markets Act in the EU, which is intended to enforce a fairer digital economy with better competition, although Apple has been staunchly against opening up its ecosystem for years. Currently, this change is only applicable in Europe, but it's possible that other global regions may follow suit at a later date.
Why is this notable? Well, it looks as though the first third-party app 'store', dubbed AltStore PAL, is now available to download with a small one-off fee (thanks, Phone Arena). This is particularly notable for Nintendo fans as one of the first apps available within AltStore PAL is, surprise surprise, a Nintendo emulator known as Delta (update: Delta is also available in the US and other regions via the official Apple App Store).
The app is reportedly able to run games from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, N64, Nintendo DS, and Sega Genesis. Riley Testut, one of the co-developers of AltStore and Delta itself, has been building emulators for more than a decade and says in a blog post that he is heavily inspired by the Smash Bros. community who, as Testut puts it, "keep fighting to play this 20-year-old game" despite controversial moves from Nintendo.
He states that Delta is more than just about emulators, however:
"This is about all the indie developers who’ve ever received a phone call telling them their app is rejected, but not telling them how to fix it; all the high schoolers who couldn’t release their app because it “wasn’t good enough”; all the startups who missed their launch dates due to Apple requesting yet another resubmission; all the users who think tech is boring now (it is) and assumes that’s just how it has to be (it doesn’t)."
So, AltStore PAL and Delta have now legally circumvented Apple's own app store to allow for a Nintendo emulator to operate on iOS devices. It remains to be seen whether Nintendo itself will have anything to say about it.
What do you make of the ability to download third-party app stores on iOS devices? Would you want to play emulators on your iPhone or iPad? Let us know with a comment.
[source rileytestut.com, via phonearena.com]
Comments 41
Not on the iPad, only on iOS
Nintendo Lawyers on stand by, launch in three.....two.....one....
Being able to to download apps from outside the official App Store should've been a thing from the start, baffling that it's happening only now on iOS and exclusively in Europe, so glad I have been using Android instead even though I've barely made use of such a possibility personally (and doubt I'll use it for emulators as it's much more comfortable to use those on PC for me)!
Very sad that this article left out the fact that Apple also chose to allow emulators on the App Store — and that change applies worldwide and includes iPads as well. Delta Emulator is now on the App Store, so you don't need to be in the EU with sideloading.
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688
I've played delta on my US device with a developer mode exploit (it's very annoying to keep the app on your device so I no longer have it) it's a fantastic emulator from my limited experience, happy for the EU users who get to keep it permanently!
@sanderev I also wish it applied to iPads.
Fortunately, Apple chose to allow emulators worldwide — see my earlier comment — and I can confirm it worked for my family on a US-based iPad!
@solarwolf07 It's literally on the App Store now, so go ahead and go download it
I don't even want emulators on my handphone.
The Ninja Senshi from Nintendo will try to shutdown that emulator after reading this article.
@solarwolf07 What Roosader just said is correct - you can now get the app on the official App Store. The same great app without the inconvenience.
I tested it out last night, and I’m really impressed by this emulator. It ran every system great, touch screen controls felt good, and it worked with my backbone controller. I’ll be using this a lot, I think.
Not sure articles like this that draw attention to such things are helpful. Helps Nintendo to notice them and get them taken down.
@Clyde_Radcliffe Emulators are not illegal. Of course, any actual Nintendo stuff in them is walking a tightrope.
I'm actually an avid android user and have never 'misused' (if that is relevant) the freedom that I have that iOS users previously didn't. Can't say I am too chuffed to use emulators anywhere so this does not effect me. Suppose it's something for Nintendo to look out for and debate in the courts or the developer/producer of the app. I actually thought there were emulators already available on iOS.."Approved" already to be on their OS. Couldn't stand to play Ninty games on my phone or pad. Or ganes generally on them. I have previoulsy tried hard to like them being played on these formats too!
Outside the EU the app is available on apple’s own App Store and for free.
And it works wonderfully.
More research needed @Olliemar28. I mean I would expect at least a rudimentary knowledge of what you’re writing about.
I’m sure you’ll slap me down though.
And why would Nintendo have any case against this app? It’s not illegal in any way.
Olliemar28 wrote:
@Olliemar28 This is incorrect, the DMA has only enabled this on iOS. iPads are still beholden to the entirity of Apple's strict lock and key.
Also, and I can't believe this wasn't mentioned either, Delta has also been released for the rest of the world on the official App Store - https://apps.apple.com/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688
In any case, I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of coverage NL has given to the current situation of emulators in iOS. This isn't even the first emulator to be officially released for iOS. That title goes to iGBA, which was taken down by Apple for being a knockoff of the much older GBA4iOS (sources: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/14/game-boy-emulator-in-app-store/, https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/), and Bimmy, which was ultimately taken down by its own developer (source: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/14/game-boy-emulator-in-app-store/)
Nintendo themselves doesn't even need to get involve, Apple themselves will get rid of it sooner or later. The reason why it's there was cause Apple had not caught it yet. Still good luck to that guy, hopefully his attempt to let the brokees play free games would last for a while before the pretend sad story happen.
@Clyde_Radcliffe It also helps them get traffic, the only people that gets them taken down is themselves. They choose if they want to exist or not, Nintendo doesn't and couldn't shut them down. Nintendo only go after them if their software violate Nintendo's copyright, even so Nintendo can't shut them down. Nintendo could only sue them for money which could shut them down or not.
Another day, another article of this nature. I wonder if it a generational thing because when I was younger there wasn't older games for me to claim as something I could just now have for free.
I must try this down my local antique shop.
@Serpenterror Apple updated the App Store guidelines worldwide on Friday, April 5th to allow retro game emulators.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/5/24122341/apple-app-store-game-emulators-super-apps
A bit of background for those that may care:
1. For the longest time, Apple had disallowed any kind of emulators in its the official App Store.
2. In spite of that, Riley Testut, the developer of the Delta emulator, released his original emulator, GBA4iOS, outside the App Store with the use of a workaround known as the "date trick" that required you to simply change the date of your device one day back.
3. Apple and many developers who used this trick to install apps outside the App Store, were stuck in a cat and mouse game for a few years. But ultimately, in 2014, Apple finally won with the release of iOS 8.1, which killed the "date trick". As a result, Riley Testut open sourced GBA4iOS (https://rileytestut.com/blog/2014/10/08/gba4ios-is-dead-long-live-gba4ios/)
4. Two years later, Riley Testut announces Delta, his new emulator, as a closed beta (http://rileytestut.com/blog/2016/12/09/delta-beta-testing/).
5. In 2019, Riley Testut announces the first incarnation of the Alt Store, as an unofficial app store for iOS that could be used by anyone. And for good measure, this one could not be blocked, and to this day still has not been blocked, by Apple (https://rileytestut.com/blog/2019/09/25/introducing-altstore/).
6. Three days later, the Alt Store app is released alongside two other apps, the aforementioned Delta emulator, and Clip. All three apps are open source as well.
7. Fastforward to 2023, and the EU announces that Apple has been designated as a gatekeeper as part of the DMA legislation, meaning it must allow other app stores in iOS (and only iOS).
8. Come January 2024, Riley Testut announces that he will offer the Alt Store as a legitimate alternative app store in the EU, no workarounds necessary. (https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/111818192849973994)
9. At the beginning of April 2024, Riley Testut clarifies how the European version of the Alt Store will work. And in addition, he mentions that it is ready to launch, but it has been delayed because Apple has not given its final approval for launching it (https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/01/the-altstore-an-alternative-app-store-coming-to-eu-will-offer-patreon-backed-apps/)
10. Surprising everyone, a few days later Apple suddenly decides to remove its longstanding ban of emulators from the official App Store (https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/apple-now-allows-retro-game-emulators-on-its-app-store-but-with-big-caveats/). You know, part of the raison d'etre for why the Alt Store was created in the first place all the way back in 2019.
11. Not long after, iGBA becomes the first emulator to be released on the official App Store. And very soon after, it is taken down by Apple "after learning that it was a knockoff app that copied another developer's submission", most likely GBA4iOS (https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/14/game-boy-emulator-in-app-store/, https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/)
12. The NES emulator comes and goes a few days later as well (https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/16/nes-emulator-bimmy-for-iphone-in-app-store/)
13. And here we are! Alt Store PAL was released in the EU with Delta and Clip again, and Delta was released for the rest of the world in the official App Store.
@AltCode @norwichred We updated the article to remove the iPad mention and add that it's available on the App Store in other regions. Seems like we've got a few more hoops to jump through to access it here!
I tried Delta for the first time yesterday on Sonic Advance 3 and wow, it's almost like the VC experience, no feature creep, very polished, and well, it works.
...But! There is one thing that's driving me nuts, while video seems perfectly sync'd to the iPhone, audio seems to slowly desync until it distorts audio for a second and resyncs again! This happens like every minute.
This is a common problem in emulators and the best solution I am aware of is to dynamically adjust the audio's sample rate just a little bit so that audio always stays synchronized as well as the video, which is what RetroArch does.
Oh, I bet you anything Nintendo will have something to say about it. Their stance for years has been that emulation is illegal, unless it's through their own service: Virtual Console, WiiWare, Nintendo eShop, Nintendo Switch Online, etc.
I'm personally not against emulation myself, however. In fact, I've tried some emulated versions of Nintendo games back when I had a Windows Phone, such as the original Star Fox, the SNES version of The Lion King, and Metroid: Zero Mission. But I think the files were corrupted for Metroid, because the audio was all weird.
Hopefully it gets shut down soon, people can either use OG hardware, virtual console, or switch online to play these games. I’d rather authentically play these games personally, a lot more of a special experience
Could I cast my iPhone to my TV and play that way with my PS5 controller? I’m very interested but I have a hard time playing a lot of games on my phone and I even have a 15 Pro Max 🤔
@PikminMarioKirby Emulation is not illegal
Just download it on my iphone 14 plus. Man although I already have switch, analogue pocket, and new nintendo 2ds xl, playing retro games on iphone is pretty fun, since unlike those 3 machine above I always have my phone with me
I hope delta update the app so it can play gamecube and sega consoles like genesis and dreamcast too.
I’ll be all set once they add ngpc and wonderswan support.
@PikminMarioKirby You could just dump your own games which is legal
Because of course it does?
What does that even mean? I know you guys are the biggest lickers of the big N boot online, but why are you also against game preservation? RENTING your old Nintendo games for $60 a year through NSO isn't really ideal.
lol someone's just a little full of themselves with that statement. Hopefully that bravado lasts if Nintendo's long legal arm comes a knocking. Double lol at using an iphone of all devices for emulation. Between the Vita, Analogue Pocket, Steam Deck, and a billion cheap chinese devices there's no reason to fumble around with a phone emulator.
How do you go about putting (personally dumped) ROMS on an iPhone? I don’t get it. Apple’s ecosystem is so locked down. Do you put them in the Files app?
@PikminMarioKirby That is a super cringe take. If it’s legal to distribute emulators and it is legal to dump backup copies of your own games onto an emulator… then it is legal. There is no reason to appease corporations will, over actual laws, because some people are doing something wrong. Punish the people who are committing the crimes. You don’t punish the law abiding people playing their games legally by taking away their software, and you don’t punish law abiding developers who put years of their life into building something for the community.
How many people own a Windows PC? Millions of those people download movies illegally with the Windows platform. They playback those movies on Windows. Should Windows be pulled from the market at the request of movie studios. That is ridiculous.
Maybe all freedoms should be revoked in the name of what someone bad might do?
@RunninBlue yep, the files app. Its not really locked down in the sense of anything except for apps. You can easily put files on your phone, 100 different ways. Email? iCloud? USB? AirDrop? Third party cloud apps? FTP? Messengers? Business meeting and chat software? Yes to all and more.
@Coalescence the reason would be… we already have an iPhone. No reason to go out and buy another gadget. Sounds like a logical fail if someone already has a phone and they go out and buy a Vita, specifically to play SNES ROMs. Steam Deck? 3 hours of N64 and then you brought a whole carry bag just to lug around a device with a dead battery? I think Im good with what is already in my pocket.
@DestructoDisk Good to know. Thanks for the reply.
Really felt back like 2009 today. Then jailbreaking my iphone 3g for gba emulation. Then Android was still not there @JohnnyMind (think having both a walled system and a not walled helped development of the phone os)
@bluetunnin. You can access your icloud drive and on your iphone which can accessed by files. And i think i saw dropbox somewhere
Won’t use it that much because have a miyoo mini plus but nice to have some favs on the go.
@Bunkerneath They don’t seem to care a lot about the emulators on Google Play so this is probably safe.
What?? There is no need to use third party store.
Delta emulator is available in App Store.
This emulator is also on the regular AppStore now
@dew12333 I don't know about you but I remember buying C64 games, copying them with my stereo and selling at school.
Game piracy has always been around, as long as there's been games
@AndyRogan I definitely copied a few games, but after a while they made that difficult. Also used to change the £2.99 price stickers for the £1.99 one's!! But I always knew what I was doing was illegal, and didn't go around shouting about it.
My comment is more poking at the expectation that because a game is old it is fair game to do as you wish.
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