Technology
The first Apple-approved emulator for the iPhone has arrived… and been pulled
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25393439/iGBA_game.png?ssl=1 "The first Apple-approved emulator for the iPhone has arrived… and been pulled")
I played Game Boy Advance games on my iPhone this weekend thanks to a new emulator called iGBA, which appears to be the first Game Boy Advance emulator on the App Store since Apple started allowing emulators worldwide. The only trouble is, it doesn’t look like iGBA is developer Mattia La Spina’s own work. Something seemingly confirmed by Apple after it pulled the app for violating its copyright and spam rules, according to MacRumors.
According to MacRumor’s Joe Rossingnol who spoke with Apple, the company pulled iGBA for violating the company’s App Review Guidelines related to spam and copyright. Here’s the clause (section 5.2) related to intellectual property:
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.
Prior to the app being pulled, Testut said it was Apple he was frustrated with, not La Spina.
Testut also provided this statement to The Verge:
I’ve been working with Apple to release AltStore as an alternative app marketplace for over a month now, and I’m disappointed to see that they’ve approved a knock-off of AltStore’s flagship app Delta in that time. However, we’re still planning to launch Delta ASAP, and we’ll have more to share on that very soon.
Here are some screenshots of GBA4iOS and iGBA for comparison, starting with iGBA.
When reached for comment, La Spina did not explicitly confirm using Testut’s code, but told The Verge they “did not think the app would have so much repercussion, I am really sorry,” and added that they have reached out to Testut via email.
The other issue with iGBA is that, according to its App Store listing, it collects data that can be used to identify you, such as location data and identifiers. I’d suggest reading developer Mattia La Spina’s Github-hosted privacy policy before diving in. The app didn’t request location data permission when I loaded it, however, and I didn’t see the in-app browser tracker consent form some Reddit users reported seeing.
I’m aware of one other emulator, spotted by The Verge’s Parker Orlotani. It’s a Commodore 64 emulator called Emu64 XL. Here, I did see a consent request form populated with toggles for what seemed like miles of trackers. I did not attempt to find or play any Commodore 64 games with Emu64 XL and deleted the app.
Apple has tightly controlled the App Store since its inception. That control is breaking down now, with the EU’s Digital Markets Act making the company permit other app stores and sideloading on the iPhone. The company also faces a US Department of Justice lawsuit that could force it to make similar concessions — which may be why the company started allowing emulators in the first place. Whatever the case, emulators being allowed feels like a win; it’s just a shame the first apps to take advantage of that aren’t quite up to snuff.
Update April 14th, 11:17AM ET: Updated with comment from developers Riley Testut and Mattia La Spina.
Update April 15th, 2:26AM ET: Updated to note that Apple has pulled the app.
Amid public backlash over its smart glasses, Meta announced that it will be updating its glasses with a new feature that will disable the camera when it detects that someone has tampered with or destroyed the glasses’ privacy LED light. The update is meant to address modders who have taken actions such as physically drilling into the LED light.
Meta has previously tried to discourage tampering with the LED light. For example, starting with its second generation glasses, blocking the light with tape or other objects will trigger a prompt asking users to uncover the recording light. However, many modders have found various workarounds for that particular measure.
Meta’s VP of wearables Alex Himel told The Verge that the privacy-focused update was on the way a few weeks ago after launching cheaper Meta Glasses without Ray-Ban branding. At the time, Himel acknowledged that the company was aware of increasing misuse alongside wider adoption of the devices.
Technology
Discord accidentally banned over 8,000 people for posting grids and other ‘benign’ images
Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord co-founder and chief technology officer, writes that the bug impacted around 200 users who posted “grid-like” pictures, in addition to about 8,000 people who posted “other benign images” since May 2026. “Everyone affected has now been unbanned,” Vishnevskiy says.
In a thread on X, Discord writes that its safety system is designed to flag content by “matching it against known harmful material.” This system can produce “false positives,” Discord explains, which is when an employee would step in to review the flagged content. But instead of just temporarily preventing the account from uploading content during the review, a glitch led its system to ban users entirely.
“When our staff reviewed and cleared those accounts, the same bug prevented the ban from being lifted automatically, so it just stayed in place,” Discord says.
If your Prime Day purchases included a new desk, TV stand, bookshelf, or other furniture you still haven’t assembled, Hoto’s PixelDrive cordless screwdriver can help speed up the process. It’s currently on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date.
From tightening loose screws on furniture to repairing electronics, the PixelDrive is designed to handle a wide range of household projects. Hoto includes 30 screwdriver bits that cover many of the most common screw types, all neatly organized in a small cylindrical case. It also offers six adjustable torque settings, allowing you to use less power when working with fragile electronics or increase it when putting together a desk, bookshelf, TV stand, or other furniture. You can also switch between a slower 80RPM mode for more precise work and a faster 200RPM mode with the press of a button.
Hoto also added several features that make assembling projects a little easier. A built-in display lets you quickly check your current torque setting and remaining battery life, while an integrated LED light helps illuminate dim spaces, whether you’re working under a desk or inside a cabinet. The rechargeable 2,000mAh battery also charges over USB-C, so you won’t need to keep buying disposable batteries.
-
World9 minutes agoSpain pitches €850bn per year in common EU borrowing
-
News32 minutes agoDOJ warns of criminal charges for state election officials if noncitizens vote
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoBicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoChild shot while riding bike outside home on Detroit’s west side, police say
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoBay Area restaurant has strict policy on acceptable children behavior
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoDetroit Pistons trade Marcus Sasser to Dusty May’s Dallas Mavericks
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoThe offseason has been a massive success for the Miami Heat
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoCan’t afford Boston’s priciest restaurants? Try these instead. – The Boston Globe
