Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has given the green light to UTM SE, the first PC emulator for iPhone and iPad. This decision comes after the tech giant initially rejected the app, despite revising its App Store guidelines to allow game emulators.
What Happened: Over the weekend, the developers of UTM SE took to X, formerly Twitter, and confirmed the development.
"We are happy to announce that UTM SE is available (for free) on iOS and visionOS App Store (and coming soon to AltStore PAL)," the post read.
We are happy to announce that UTM SE is available (for free) on iOS and visionOS App Store (and coming soon to AltStore PAL)!
— UTM (@UTMapp) July 13, 2024
Shoutouts to AltStore team for their help and to Apple for reconsidering their policy.
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Why It Matters: UTM SE (Universal Turing Machine Special Edition) is a PC emulator designed for macOS and iOS devices. It allows users to run various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Android, on their Apple devices.
Apple's initial refusal to approve the PC emulator app UTM SE in June extended to both the worldwide App Store and third-party app marketplaces in the EU.
The company's previous stance was that only "retro game" emulators were allowed, not PC emulators, leading to widespread backlash and potential action from the European Commission.
The latest development follows Apple's considerable steps to enable alternative app stores in the EU, including announcements in February that updated its App Store Connect and TestFlight to support third-party app marketplaces.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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