Apple removed the Game Boy Advance emulator iGBA from the App Store, but we don't know why.
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details.
In yesterday's overkill digest newsletter, I wrote that while this might have been the first emulator Apple allowed on the App Store, it was still "an ad-filled copy of the real GBA4iOS, an open-source project and the precursor to Delta by Riley Testut."
I am not surprised that Apple removed the app from the App Store. However, by mentioning section 5.2, I wonder if Apple did so because the developer of iGBA ripped off GBA4iOS or because it allowed sideload ROMs from outside of the app.
This is what Section 5.2 of the App Review Guidelines has to say:
Make sure your app only includes content that you created or that you have a license to use. Your app may be removed if you’ve stepped over the line and used content without permission. Of course, this also means someone else’s app may be removed if they’ve “borrowed” from your work.
Since the app didn't come with any ROMS preloading, reading this makes me believe that Apple removed the app due to it copying GBA4iOS. But we won't truly know until Apple either gives a statement or accepts other emulators on the store that did not infringe any copyright.
For one, they could finally allow Riley Testut to launch his AltStore.
