Apple’s recent decision to allow retro game emulators in the App Store has sparked excitement within the gaming community. One such emulator that caught the attention of enthusiasts is the Delta emulator, which made its debut on the App Store. This move has led to discussions about other potential emulators, including DolphiniOS.

DolphiniOS, a popular emulator for GameCube and Wii games, faced a setback in its journey to the App Store due to Apple’s continued restriction on Just-in-Time (JIT) recompilation technology. This technology is crucial for translating PowerPC code used in these games to ARM, which is compatible with Apple’s devices.

JIT recompilation is Dolphin’s key feature, enabling it to efficiently run GameCube and Wii games on devices like iPhones by translating the PowerPC code to ARM for smooth gameplay. Unfortunately, Apple generally prohibits the use of JIT recompilers on iOS, except for specific cases like Safari and certain alternative web browsers in Europe.

Despite efforts by Dolphin’s developers to request JIT support from Apple through a DMA interoperability request, their plea was denied. This leaves the developers with limited options as JIT remains essential for optimal performance.

Without JIT support, Dolphin can still function using an interpreter but at a significantly reduced speed compared to when utilizing JIT. Developers have even released videos showcasing the performance difference between using an interpreter and JIT.

While it is technically possible to submit DolphiniOS to the App Store using an interpreter, the performance may not meet user expectations. This could lead to user complaints and potential rejection by Apple’s App Review due to usability issues.

Unless Apple reconsiders its stance on JIT recompilers, the future release of DolphiniOS on the App Store remains uncertain. Stay tuned for updates as developers continue their efforts in navigating these challenges.