Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations

[Samplasion]

Let's be honest here, most people who use emulator use it in bad faith. Same with Torrent clients. It isn't not illegal itself but you know it is being used illegally mostly.

So? That's not the developer's job to police users. Unless you want to argue against selling kitchen knives because they can be used to kill; or that cars should be illegal because you can run people over.

Again I never ever ever said every single emulator is illegal. Just this one.

Again, your purported reason why this emulator is illegal applies to all emulators for the reasons I've stated.

I also never said that. Only if you don't have rights to them.

Then the emulator is 100% legal regardless. You can't have it both ways. Besides, you said:

And this emulator did NOT stop you from running pirated games. Which very easily places it in the 100% illegal section.

and seeing as once again there is no distinction between the files for a pirated vs legit ROM, you did imply what I said.

By only running roms that are extracted from genuine cartridges like the Epiloque GB Operator does.

Once again, there is no distinction between the files for a pirated vs legit ROM.

The point here is I never said that every emulator is illegal, here I pointed a simple legal way to make an emulator.

You implied that for the reasons stated in post #37, and you've yet to reply to post #45.

You could way to easily direct it at any site containing pirated rom files.

Nope. You can point it to the files itself, not the sites. Arguing the latter is very disingenuous. Besides, that ≠ "shipping with pirated ROMs".

It dumps the rom file from the cartridge, and then runs it using software on PC or Mac.

...software that you're arguing is illegal.

 

[d686546s]

I also never said that. Only if you don't have rights to them. And then just check the DMCA or any other applicable copyright legislation.

No one is disputing that you as a user can (well, should, in reality) only play games they have the rights to. But when it comes to emulators, it's really not that simple and there certainly is no requirement to rely on methods like the one you use.

 

[SanderEvers]

Do you? That's an honest question btw, because leaving aside any policies Apple may put in place for its own marketplace, I'm not sure where this legal requirement would come from?

As long as an emulator doesn't include any copyrighted material, it doesn't have to nanny you. Again, that's something corporations may want, but I believe you have moved the yardstick of what emulators are actually required to do.

As long as you bring your own stuff, it's really up to you.

Legislation, at least here in the Netherlands, allows you to make a personal copy of a game you own as long as you don't violate any copy protection. (GBA/GBC/GB don't have those)

Then the emulator is 100% legal regardless. You can't have it both ways. Besides, you said:

and seeing as once again there is no distinction between the files for a pirated vs legit ROM, you did imply what I said.

Once again, there is no distinction between the files for a pirated vs legit ROM.


You implied that for the reasons stated in post #37, and you've yet to reply to post #45.


Nope. You can point it to the files itself, not the sites. Arguing the latter is very disingenuous. Besides, that ≠ "shipping with pirated ROMs".


...software that you're arguing is illegal.

I NEVER SAID OR IMPLIED THAT EMULATORS ARE ILLEGAL, STOP SAYING SO!

 

[Samplasion]

I NEVER SAID OR IMPLIED THAT EMULATORS ARE ILLEGAL, STOP SAYING SO!

Whatever. This emulator is still 100% legal (if a bit sketchy for including trackers)

 

[Zest28]

So? That's not the developer's job to police users. Unless you want to argue against selling kitchen knives because they can be used to kill; or that cars should be illegal because you can run people over.

People who use cars, don't use it for killing people mostly. Same with kitchen knifes.

But with emulators, it is mostly used for illegal games. Without illegal ROM's, there would be no market for emulators. Let's be honest here.

 

[Samplasion]

People who use cars, don't use it kill people mostly. Same with kitchen knifes.

But with emulators, it is mostly used to pirate game.

Surely you have a reputable source for this claim? Other than "my friends pirate them." Because I know for a fact that there are some indie NES and SNES games being made today, along with rom hacks, and those are legal.

People are simply too cheap to buy a Nintendo Switch and that is why Emulators exist to pirate Nintendo Switch games.

Emulators exist for other reasons. Sure, there are people who do use them to pirate, but then we come back to the knife/car argument. Besides, what about all other emulators? You keep bringing up the NSW because it serves your argument, but it falls apart when you bring up dead platforms.

 

[Pezimak]

Emulators are kinda sketchy to begin with on copyright infringement.

It would not surprise me if Nintendo sent something to Apple.

Not so much with Nintendo, yes you could argue it's copyright infringement, but in a lot of cases unless you buy their old console hoping it doesn't break after 5 minutes and track down an original disk or cartridge, then you can't play the game any other way. People have been screaming out for Nintendo to re-release older games, or put them in Switch's own emulator but nope, they don't and they refuse to.
Thus Nintendo game emulation is such a big thing.

 

[d686546s]

Legislation, at least here in the Netherlands, allows you to make a personal copy of a game you own as long as you don't violate any copy protection. (GBA/GBC/GB don't have those)

Sure, but not the point I would have thought?

The fact that you are only allowed to make a personal copy of a game you own doesn't create a reverse obligation on an emulator to check that you, in fact, own the game.

 

[Zest28]

Surely you have a reputable source for this claim? Other than "my friends pirate them." Because I know for a fact that there are some indie NES and SNES games being made today, along with rom hacks, and those are legal.


Emulators exist for other reasons. Sure, there are people who do use them to pirate, but then we come back to the knife/car argument. Besides, what about all other emulators? You keep bringing up the NSW because it serves your argument, but it falls apart when you bring up dead platforms.

The lawyers of Nintendo seem to think so as they are filing lawsuits against emulators claiming the only use case of emulators is for piracy.

And if you want to play SNES games, again, buy a Nintendo Switch which can play them legally.

And you cannot compare a car or knifes to an emulator, because their primary use is legal. Only in a minority of cases are cars and knifes used illegally. But with emulators, it's the vast majority who use it illegally.

 

[Samplasion]

The lawyers of Nintendo seem to think so as they are filing lawsuits against emulators claiming the only use case of emulators is for piracy.

Of course they are, they get paid to argue that. Just like insurance companies in the US are incentivized to prevent medications, but I digress.

And if you want to play SNES games, again, buy a Nintendo Switch which can play them legally. The only reason for using an emulator instead of not buying a Nintendo Switch is for piracy.

Tell me when Nintendo adds my indie SNES game to their library.

And you cannot compare a car or knifes to an emulator, because their primary use is legal. Only in a minority of cases are cars and knifes used illegal. But with emulators, it's the vast majority who use it illegal.

Moot point because the primary use of emulators is game preservation.

 

[Zest28]

Of course they are, they get paid to argue that. Just like insurance companies in the US are incentivized to prevent medications, but I digress.


Tell me when Nintendo adds my indie SNES game to their library.


Moot point because the primary use of emulators is game preservation.

Just type in Google gameboy emulators and you will get some interesting websites. So you know most people use it illegally if it shows up in the top results and not even using the search term "pirating".

If it wasn't for emulators, maybe this Indie developer would do the smart thing and release their game on Steam like any smart gaming developer does and make more money this way.

You are talking about a super small 0.00001% use case, because no respectable developer would waste their time and money on a SNES game in 2024, but instead release their games on Steam instead and reach a much wider audience and make much more money this way.

What game preservation? Nintendo has a service for the Nintendo Switch that allows it to play SNES and games from their other dead consoles. It is preserved by Nintendo, so this is not it.

 

[SoldOnApple]

If Apple can sign emulators on Mac, why can't they do it for iOS as well? To appease Nintendo and Sony?

 

[Samplasion]

Just type in Google gameboy emulators and you will get some interesting websites. So you know most people use it illegally if it shows up in the top results and not even using the search term "pirating".

I can make a website and put whatever SEO tags I want to prop up my search placement. Doesn't affect my point.

If it wasn't for emulators, maybe this Indie developer would do the smart thing and release their game on Steam like any smart gaming developer does and make more money this way.

Why does it have to be about money?

You are talking about a super small 0.00001% use case, because no respectable developer would waste their time and money on a SNES game in 2024

Irrelevant

but instead release their games on Steam instead and reach a much wider audience and make much more money this way.

See the above

What game preservation? Nintendo has a service for the Nintendo Switch that allows it to play SNES and games from their other dead consoles. It is preserved by Nintendo, so this is not it.

There are emulators for consoles other than NSW, just so you know. Besides, once Nintendo shuts down the servers for NSO emulators, we're back to square one.

 

[rogerbanana]

What tracking does the app have? I downloaded it knowing this would likely happen, but I don't see it in the tracking list in settings on my iPhone. I also haven't gotten any ads.

Should those of us who downloaded it delete it due to the tracking risk?

 

[Zest28]

I can make a website and put whatever SEO tags I want to prop up my search placement. Doesn't affect my point.

Why does it have to be about money?

Irrelevant

See the above

There are emulators for consoles other than NSW, just so you know. Besides, once Nintendo shuts down the servers for NSO emulators, we're back to square one.

People simply don't work for free, they need to see money for their time. So that is why game developers put their games on Steam.

If you think developers are making games in 2024 for SNES and this is the main use case of emulators, I need to see your source, because I don't believe one word of it. And it also makes zero sense that people are basically working for free by not putting their games on Steam.

 

[Sophisticatednut]

Legislation, at least here in the Netherlands, allows you to make a personal copy of a game you own as long as you don't violate any copy protection. (GBA/GBC/GB don't have those)



I NEVER SAID OR IMPLIED THAT EMULATORS ARE ILLEGAL, STOP SAYING SO!

The only legal case you have is that broke the license agreement with the original developer of the program

 

[JohnRckr]

My hate for Apple grows every day.

 

[OnePieceIsReal]

I wonder if Apple allowed this to happen to push their fear agenda of sideloading

 

[Zest28]

I wonder if Apple allowed this to happen to push their fear agenda of sideloading

Could be. And if this doesn't work, maybe Apple will allow torrent clients just for fun.

 

[bgillander]

And there are many things you can do legally with illegal things as well. Not my point.

Can you give an example of some of those things you can do legally with illegal things? I’m trying to figure out exactly how that would work.

 

[AppleGuy RL]

It's an open source app and another dev forked it why the whining and complaining why didn't he put the original app on the app store.

Open source does not mean "do whatever you want with it."
Any software comes with licenses that dictate what you can and cannot do with this software. This one (GBA4iOS) specifically states you can do whatever you want with it under GPLv2, however if you want to submit it to Apple's AppStore you need written consent from the developer.
Therefore, when this app was submitted and the owner of this open source software didn't give written consent, this software was submitted in violation of the license and thus should have been taken down. The original owner of this software is in the right of being annoyed that Apple even allowed this software to pass by and get submitted, because this indicates that Apple doesn't check if the submitted App is owned by nor falls under the proper licensing in its approval process.

 

[videosoul]

In other words if a company like Nintendo no longer provides a storefront for a title then playing it with an emulator isn’t piracy because nobody has lost any property or any money.

In the music world there are separate copyrights for “composition”, “performance”, and “recording”.

Doesn’t software have something similar?

Because in the instance you’ve suggested above, understandably the “recording” copyright is not applicable, but the “composition” right surely should still be?

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

 

[Sophisticatednut]

My hate for Apple grows every day.

Hey, in this case I actually agree with Apple removing the app. But even a broken clock is right once in a while.

They did break the licensing agreement to the original maker of the emulator who doesn’t want it posted on the AppStore

 

[Nugat Trailers]

Legislation, at least here in the Netherlands, allows you to make a personal copy of a game you own as long as you don't violate any copy protection. (GBA/GBC/GB don't have those)

Actually, the boot logo itself acted as copy protection, with each legitimate cartridge having the Nintendo logo, and if the logo was altered or mismatched compared to the Nintendo logo in the Gameboy's internal memory, it locks up.

It wasn't foolproof, but it did hinder things quite a bit back then.