dantheman827

AppleInsider said:

The developer of Gameboy emulator GBA4iOS says the top-ranking version on the App Store is a fraudulent knock off of his work that Apple should not have approved.

Emulator app iGBA is accused of copying another developer's work without license

Shortly after Apple changed its App Store rules to allow for game console emulators to be submitted, the first few are beginning to become available. However, one of them, iGBA, is now accused of being a knock-off of GBA4iOS by Riley Testut.

Posting on Mastodon, Testut goes on to say that he is not criticizing iGBA developer Mattia La Spina, only Apple. He is frustrated that "Apple took the time to change the App Store rules to allow emulators, and then approved a knock-off of my own app -- even though I've been ready to launch Alt Store with Delta since March 5."

Alt Store has reportedly been in Testflight for a year. So an App Store reviewer would have had the ability and time to compare iGBA with Delta, Testut's latest version of GBA4iOS, if they knew to look.

With thousands of apps being submitted, it's easy to see how one reviewer could miss that a near-identical app was in Testflight. However, AppleInsider confirms that there are elements of iGBA that should have raised concerns at the review stage.

For instance, the app features location tracking when there is no game-related reason for it. Plus users report that the game, while free to download, is replete with ads.

Testut does make his code open-source, but there is a condition that limits the license.

"I explicitly give permission for anyone to use, modify, and distribute all my original code for this project in any form, with or without attribution, without fear of legal consequences," says his licence on Github "unless you plan to submit your app to Apple's App Store, in which case written permission from me is explicitly required."

Neither Apple nor the developer of iGBA have commented publicly.

However, this is a further example of apps, even fraudulent ones, getting on the App Store when Apple's review team should catch them. It comes, too, as Apple decries having been forced to allow alternative app stores in the EU, because it says that they are inherently unsafe.



Read on AppleInsider

At least do a little research into the issue... Riley added the terms to the license recently, but that doesn't change the terms of the code retroactively.  iGBA is absolutely used under the GPLv2 license that GBA4iOS was released under.

Morally questionable? Perhaps, but certainly not used without license.

You also link to the repository for Delta, iGBA is based on GBA4iOS

I do not believe it's allowed to impose additional restrictions like this on a GPL-licensed app either, and it just seems like a knee-jerk reaction from Riley.

AUsername said:

Does the developer want Apple to personally stalk him look at everything he does and compare to everything submitted to the App Store by everyone ever just on the off chance someone copies him? He needs to take action himself against the person who submitted the emulator that used his code without permission if they refuse to cease use of it. He can also advise Apple of it requesting a take down, but it’s not Apple’s job to monitor every possible copyright violation ever, who does this guy think he is?

but the iGBA developer used the code within the license... AppleInsider is incorrectly claiming it was used without license.

The emulator is in the clear... Riley added the condition to the license after this was released, and it's questionable that the restriction is even allowed on a GPLv2 licensed app.

It's a reaction to their app being published by someone else, but there's nothing wrong with doing it.

Morally questionable by the iGBA developer? Yes, but not illegal or violating any licenses.

gba4ios is GPLv2 licensed

spock1234 said:

Hey Dorsey, Remember what you told regular Americans who didn't like what you were doing at Twitter - "If you don't like it, go build your own social media site"? Time to take your own advice. Go build your own App store, you entitled pr!ck.

Too bad Apple doesn’t allow any competition… or are you suggesting they also make their own phone too? I’m sure you’d have tens of people lining up to buy a phone that isn’t iOS or Android…

Apple having the monopoly they do is a real problem.

It's a shame that Apple doesn't allow emulators on the App Store.