The open-source iDOS 3 emulator is now available on the App Store. You can use it to play many classic DOS games, like DOOM, SimCity 2000, and Fallout 1.
Apple initially rejected the iDOS app, but developer Chaoji Li resubmitted it after the company changed its policy to allow PC emulator apps. However, there’s always the chance the App Store review team could have a change of heart that would make iDOS unsuitable for the App Store again. He said in a blog post, “As much as I want to celebrate, I still can’t help being a little bit cautious about the future.”
You can download iDOS 3 from the App Store for 99 cents and run PC classics on your iPhone and iPad, including early versions of Microsoft Word, the classic SimCity and SimCity 2000 city building simulation games, the first Fallout game, and much more. Doom 1 and 2 also run in DOS, but you would get a better experience with the modern mobile ports. You must provide your own copies of classic PC titles, the emulator doesn’t ship with any software.
The emulator includes a PC-style onscreen keyboard with a sliding control in landscape mode and a virtual D-pad with key bindings. iDOS also supports Bluetooth keyboards and wireless controllers paired with an iPhone or iPad.
Since the App Store’s inception, emulators have been frowned upon. But Apple recently refreshed the App Store guidelines to allow mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and game emulators. “Additionally, retro game console and PC emulator apps can offer to download games,” reads the App Store guideline 4.7. In theory, iDOS should stick around as long as it doesn’t break the new rules, but Apple’s enforcement of App Store guidelines isn’t perfect.
iDOS is not the first PC emulator app to be added to the App Store. That would be UTM SE, which was approved earlier this month. UTM SE can run virtual machines for old versions of Windows, Linux, or macOS, either created yourself or downloaded from the UTM gallery.
