Apple's App Store has approved the first PC emulator for iOS, UTM SE, after initially rejecting it. The app allows users to run classic software and old-school games on their iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro devices. UTM SE supports VGA mode for graphics and terminal mode for text-only operating systems. It emulates x86, PPC, and RISC-V architectures.
The app had previously been rejected due to its use of Just In Time (JIT) compilation which is against Apple's policies. However, the developer managed to work around it using an implementation of the QEMU TCTI emulator. UTM SE does not come with any operating systems but provides links to guides and downloads for various versions of Windows, Linux, and Mac OS 9.
The approval of UTM SE is a significant development as Apple had previously banned JIT-based emulators from the App Store. This decision could lead to other developers creating similar apps for iOS devices.
Apple's App Store Review team initially rejected UTM SE in June, citing its use of JIT compilation as a violation of Apple's policies. However, after working with another developer who provided an implementation of the QEMU TCTI emulator, UTM SE was able to create a JIT-free build and was eventually approved by Apple.
UTM SE is now available for free download on the App Store. It requires iOS 14, iPadOS 14, or visionOS 1.0 or later to run.