Remember the days of MS-DOS? If you don’t, you can experience classic PC games from that era on your iPhone, thanks to new App Store rules that, once again, allow the distribution of emulators. That means iDOS 3 – a PC emulator that lets you run applications made for MS-DOS via DOSBox – is back on the App Store.
It wasn’t until April of this year that we celebrated the ability to turn an iPad into a retro game console. Ten days later, that functionality was gone, when Apple told iDOS 3 developer Chaoji Li that “the app provides emulator functionality, but does not specifically emulate a retro game console.” According to guideline 4.7, only retro game-specific emulators are allowed.
To avoid pressure from the European Union – and to comply with the antitrust legislation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple changed its mind again, so less than a month later UTM SE – which allows Windows to run on iOS – was approved and the aforementioned Directive 4.7 was amended to include “PC emulator apps”. Although it took a little longer, iDOS 3 has also finally been approved.
Considering Apple’s fickleness when it comes to emulators, we hope they stick around this time around.
Consistently inconsistent
We’re not the only ones who doubt Apple’s ability to stick to its principles. The developer of iDOS 3 wrote in a blog post that “As much as I want to celebrate, I still have to be a little cautious about the future.”
With those recent rejections and the iDOS 2 Removal from App Store in 2021 Now that Apple has found itself in violation of Guideline 2.5.2, it’s no wonder Li is wary.
With DOS and Windows having been the home of many games since the 80s, it could easily be argued that PC emulators should never have been removed. And we’re cautiously optimistic that emulators are here to stay this time around, as Apple typically doesn’t like to be on the wrong side of regulatory pressure.
With iDOS 3 you have access to a huge library of games such as Spaceball Cadet Pinball and Wolfenstein 3D, ideal for anyone who has been waiting for the arrival of PC emulators for iOS.
However, this whole situation highlights the ongoing tension between Apple’s policies and the desires of developers and users for the flexibility that Android offers. While the return of PC emulators like iDOS 3 is a promising development for gamers and tech enthusiasts, it also serves as a reminder of the precarious nature of iOS.
Whether this actually represents a change in Apple’s position remains to be seen, but the battle between innovative third parties and Apple’s control is far from over.