Apple has significantly relaxed its App Store policies, now allowing the distribution of retro game emulators. This means iPhone owners can officially download such apps directly from the store — without jailbreaking their devices or using workarounds. However, Apple immediately clarified that pirated content remains strictly prohibited: only licensed games are permitted in the store.
Previously, iOS imposed strict restrictions on emulators, while Android users have long enjoyed a wide selection of them. Apple’s decision is partly driven by competition from third-party app stores that recently became available in the EU and also allow emulator distribution.
In addition, Apple updated its rules for “super apps”, requiring all mini-games and extra features within them to operate using HTML5 technology. This move likely responds to antitrust investigations in the United States, where Apple has been accused of limiting the development of cloud services and super apps.
Read also: Apple faces scandal over illegal geoblocking — EU accuses the company.
The company had already made similar concessions earlier, allowing cloud gaming platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now to run on iOS. Under pressure from the European Commission, Apple also permitted music apps in the EU to include external subscription links and even collect users’ email addresses for promotional purposes.
Read also: DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: the Chinese AI assistant conquers the App Store.
These changes signal that Apple is being forced to adapt its App Store policies to new market and legal realities. If you found this publication interesting and useful, and want more fresh updates in internet marketing and SEO, subscribe to the search analytics news category to get notifications about new posts. And if you specialize in website optimization and promotion and need high-quality backlinks, the review of popular link placement platforms will help — simply follow the link and access a verified database of trusted platforms for sponsored publications.
