Commodore 64 on the iPhone? Not quite.
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Technologizer has an interesting article about an attempt by an iPhone developer to market a Commodore 64 emulator via the App Store on iTunes. Now, to old fogies like me who actually remember the Commodore 64 when it was originally released, this is a pretty cool concept.
The application was rejected because Apple does not permit emulator programs on the iPhone. It is the same reasoning Apple uses to justify the lack of Flash support on the device.
It says a lot about how far we’ve come technically when a big, clunky device that required a hook up to a television or monitor can now be emulated using software only on the iPhone that even comes with its own screen. I’m sorry they don’t allow for emulator programs because I for one would appreciate a good Atari 2600 emulator on my iPhone.
I see where Apple is going with this one. If they permit an emulator program, then someone else can sell applications (or at least games) for that program and circumvent iTunes entirely. Not entirely a bad thing, but certainly not within the goals of the company.
The App Store already sells a lot of classic video games anyway. It has Space Ace, Pac Man and Pong, among others. I confess to some curiousity as to why nobody has yet released Donkey Kong. There is probably some rights issue that I’m unaware of.
Still, it would have been nostalgic to see the Commodore 64 or the Atari 2600 or any of them on the iPhone. If you had your druthers, what sort of old school emulators would you like on your iPhone?
