[littlestymaar]

Until recently (that is, until today), Delta wasn't even available in the app store to begin with. And most likely it and that would still be without the alternative store, since Apple is only eventually allowing it to make a point.

[nerdjon]

> since Apple is only eventually allowing it to make a point.

No.. no they are not.

They clearly made a policy change and allowed another emulator on the App Store https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/04/apple-removes-the-fir...

[pfg_]

Why did they do that? Did they just decide to after 6 years randomly with no inciting incident? Or did they decide to because they were being forced to allow alternative app stores which would allow emulator installation anyway?

[nerdjon]

Probably, and I am not arguing that.

I think it is important to point out that clearly there could be improvements to the App Store without opening it wide open.

However, this has nothing to do with my core problem here of now in the EU having no choice but to use an alternative store. When every other country can just download it from the App Store.

My problem here is not that alternative store exist. my problem is that we are already seeing a developer making the choice for me of where I can download the app from.

Which is why I replied with an article, if Apple was just focusing on "making a point" the previous emulator would not have been approved.

[herrkanin]

- Alternative app marketplaces become allowed.

- Apple sees emulators as a potential market for alternative app stores and proactively chooses to allow them in the Apple App Store.

- This is a clear example of how competition in the app market place being a positive thing.

- Developer creates an alternative app marketplace, with an emulator as one of its main apps on launch, realizing the competition that forced Apple to update their rules to allow emulators in their own store.

I'm sorry you feel forced to download a separate app store, but don't you see how you in the end are benefitting from this change even without using the AltStore? Give it some time and you will probably have another emulator in the app store you can choose to download.

[ribosometronome]

>I'm sorry you feel forced to download a separate app store, but don't you see how you in the end are benefitting from this change even without using the AltStore?

Not really, so far. Are there any game systems that don't require some level of special hardware to back them up? Dreamcast? I don't think I know anyone who has ever made themselves a 'backup copy' of a game they've purchased, much less then played that backup copy on another device. I'm sure they exist, but in numbers even smaller than linux isos on BitTorrent.

[pfg_]

This is a little bit apple's fault - if any app is distributed outside the app store, the developer now has to pay a fee per-install even for installs from the app store (50¢ per install!). He could have chosen not to put Delta in AltStore and only put it in the app store, then it could be free on the app store. Either way, you don't get a choice. You install from the app store, or you install from AltStore, but it can't be on both because of apple policy. This is what apple wants, and is why the fee exists. Hopefully it violates the DMA and they'll be forced to change that.