Apple Approves UTM SE, the First PC Emulator App for iOS Following Initial Rejection

Apple has approved UTM SE, the first PC emulation app for iOS. UTM SE can emulate and run older pieces of software and games. This follows after the Cupertino company initially rejected the app from the App Store. UTM SE is available on iOS, iPad OS, and Vision Pro.

Earlier this year, Apple rejected the app stating that the app violated guideline 4.7 of the App Review Guidelines. Only emulators of retro game consoles “are appropriate per guideline 4.7,” Apple said at the time. The developer of UTM SE stated that due to the app being “a subpar experience,” it wouldn’t push back.

The Verge now reports that UTM SE received its green light from Apple upon a reconsideration. UTM also shouts out to the AltStore team for assisting in improving the in-app experience. Another developer “whose QEMU TCTI implementation was pivotal for this JIT-less build” is also credited.

Within the App Store, UTM SE is described as “a PC emulator that allows you to run classic software and old-school games.” It continues:

• Supports both VGA mode for graphics and terminal mode for text-only operating systems
• Emulates x86, PPC, and RISC-V architectures
• Run pre-built machines or create your own configuration from scratch
• Built from QEMU, a powerful and widely used emulator

If you’re familiar with the Delta retro game emulation app, you’ll likely know what to expect with UTM SE. Upon installing the app, you’ll have to download emulators for virtual PC software and games. The app itself doesn’t come with any operating systems preinstalled. Instead, you can follow the link within the app to UTM’s official website. Here, it’ll walk you through how to emulate Windows 11 or other operating systems such as Linux, macOS, and DOS.