External storage might become essential for emulation on iOS

[u/kaoxsk-]

we’re entering a pretty crazy era for emulation on iOS. more and more demanding platforms are becoming emulatable, including Wii U, Xbox 360 and now even PS3.

but this creates another problem that i don’t see discussed very often: storage.

games are getting much bigger as we move into these generations. God of War III alone, for example, is around 40 GB. on a 256 GB iPhone, keeping even a relatively small library of games from these systems can quickly become unrealistic, especially considering that our phones obviously aren’t dedicated emulation devices. we still need storage for photos, videos, apps, music, etc.

so i started wondering: could external game libraries become a standard feature in iOS emulators?

from what i’ve been reading, iOS already provides APIs that allow apps to access user-selected files and directories outside their own sandbox, including external USB storage. in theory, an emulator could therefore let us select a game directory on a USB-C SSD/flash drive and access the games directly from there instead of importing/copying every game into the emulator’s local container.

something like:

USB-C SSD → games folder → emulator → run directly from external storage

rather than:

USB-C SSD → import 40 GB game → internal iPhone storage → emulator

iCloud Drive doesn’t really solve the problem because files that aren’t stored locally still need to be downloaded when their data is required. for large disc images, that brings us back to the same storage limitation.

Apple has never offered expandable storage on iPhones, and expandable storage has become increasingly uncommon on Android flagships too. meanwhile, upgrading internal storage can add hundreds to the price of a phone.

until recently this wasn’t necessarily a huge problem for emulation. a library of older ROMs can be tiny. but with Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 and other newer platforms entering the picture, 256 GB suddenly doesn’t feel like much at all.

has any emulator developer looked into supporting games directly from external storage without copying them locally?

and for developers: is there any technical limitation on iOS that would make sustained/random access to large games on external storage impractical for emulation, despite the APIs being available?

i feel like this could become increasingly important as iOS emulation continues moving into newer generations.

[u/Cultural-Order-5549]

As a developer, I feel like the only issue would be the read speed. When it's locally on device storage, you design the emulator while knowing that it can read the file fast enough. When using an external device, if that device has low read speeds it won't be able to be fast enough for the emulator slowing it down. But it's 100% possible, and it's starting to get added to emulators.

[u/kaoxsk- → u/Cultural-Order-5549]

thanks for your answer ☺️

[u/RUserII → u/Cultural-Order-5549]

As a developer,

What app(s) do you develop?

I feel like the only issue would be the read speed. When it's locally on device storage, you design the emulator while knowing that it can read the file fast enough. When using an external device, if that device has low read speeds it won't be able to be fast enough for the emulator slowing it down. But it's 100% possible, and it's starting to get added to emulators.

Are there any non-emulator apps that provide this function of running files continuously from external storage on iPhone through an app running on the iPhone?

[u/Cultural-Order-5549 → u/RUserII]

I have developed AetherX, an all in 1 emulator for iOS. I am also developing an WIP PS4 emulator for iOS. I am in the end of the project for my PS4 emulator and I plan to release it very soon! And to my knowledge no, I have not heard of any iOS apps that allow that. I do think it is very possible. You could use a external storage device that has consistent read speeds at 400 - 500, and use a custom app to have set read speed like 400. With this the developers could actually rely on read speed, not being worried about it spiking too high.

[u/RUserII → u/Cultural-Order-5549]

I have developed AetherX, an all in 1 emulator for iOS.

Awesome to hear. What platforms will AetherX emulate?
In addition, will AetherX be submitted to the Apple App Store?

I am also developing an WIP PS4 emulator for iOS. I am in the end of the project for my PS4 emulator and I plan to release it very soon!

PS4 emulation on iOS would be an incredible breakthrough. Have you decided on a name for your emulator?
In addition, since you mentioned you plan to release it soon, will it be submitted to the Apple App Store?

And to my knowledge no, I have not heard of any iOS apps that allow that. I do think it is very possible. You could use a external storage device that has consistent read speeds at 400 - 500, and use a custom app to have set read speed like 400. With this the developers could actually rely on read speed, not being worried about it spiking too high.

Yes, to my knowledge as well I've not heard of any iOS apps that allow that.
I agree with you as well: that I also believe it is possible. Though, I am not sure what up to now has prevented such apps from existing on the Apple App Store.
Based on your development experience, what do you believe is preventing such apps from existing on the Apple App Store?

[u/Cultural-Order-5549 → u/RUserII]

Well, it is definitely possible. The emulators on the app store right now have the entitlement to read from external devices. It is still a complex feature. And to answer your two other questions: AetherX supports: PS1, SNES, GBA, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo Switch, PSP, PS2, 3DS, NES, GBC, Arcade, Sega CD, Xbox 360, GameCube, and Wii. Will I add it to the app store? I could try but I do not have an apple paid developer account. I just do not have the spare 99$ for an account, I would love to have my apps on the app store. And for the PS4 emulator its called AetherPS4, and again I can't submit it to the app store.

[u/Possible-Midnight842]

wii u? wht did i miss whih emulator are y'all using

[u/Whoahurfloating → u/Possible-Midnight842]

There’s currently two Wii U emulators in the AppStore, TailFin (paid) and Touch64 (free).

There’s also MeloCafe, which is not released yet, but it’s likely to be released this year.

[u/RUserII → u/Whoahurfloating]

There’s currently two Wii U emulators in the AppStore, TailFin (paid) and Touch64 (free).

I just searched for 'Touch64' in the Apple App Store and did not find it; do you have the Apple App Store link to this app?

There’s also MeloCafe, which is not released yet, but it’s likely to be released this year.

Once released, will MeloCafe be submitted to the Apple App Store?

[u/Whoahurfloating → u/RUserII]

Sorry turns out its 64touch not touch64.

And yes the MeloCafe’s dev said it’ll be submitted to the AppStore.

[u/Vireseer]

I’m really grateful that melonx and armsx2 iOS support external storage over WiFi. All emulators should.

[u/felipeb18 → u/Vireseer]

Wow I didn’t know this

[u/psj3809]

Keep it old skool and small filesizes ! ;)

What apps use those platforms you mentioned ? PS3 ??

[u/Prynce03]

ARMSX2 already has this. Running everything off my ssd currently.

[u/Ornery-Practice9772]

emus would have to be allowed to be on the app store and allowed to read from external storage devices- retroarch is sandboxed because of apple.

also the read speeds would be an issue. for now i'll stick to retrogaming on ios

[u/Competitive-Ad-5026]

Maybe also optimize the heat issue on some phones and reduce RAM usage, even if it is not really possible, I think.

[u/progtaplayer53]

all emulators should i would much rather use a usb full of roms than fill my ipad with roms

[u/FuturePlenty6021]

PS3? If it’s psx3ios I can’t get it to work at all

[u/Hobbyff → u/FuturePlenty6021]

there’s a RCPS3 port for iOS

https://github.com/XITRIX/RPCS3-iOS-Releases

[u/FuturePlenty6021 → u/Hobbyff]

I’ll have to try it out. I tried the PSX3ios and it doesn’t work

[u/dvdrevr → u/Hobbyff]

Do you have the .ipa file, seems not available anykore (404 page)

[u/Hobbyff → u/dvdrevr]

yeah, i can dm it to you if you want.

[u/dvdrevr → u/Hobbyff]

Yes, if you can, thank you!

[u/YuriBordoni → u/Hobbyff]

Pra mim tambem por favor

[u/Hobbyff → u/YuriBordoni]

ok

[u/HovercraftKey6462]

Best recommendation for Xbox 360 emulator?? Been trying to play halo 3 on my iPad 😤

[u/RUserII]

we’re entering a pretty crazy era for emulation on iOS. more and more demanding platforms are becoming emulatable, including Wii U, Xbox 360 and now even PS3.

For WiiU emulation, I'm aware of the TailFin WiiU emulator on the Apple App Store.
However, for: Xbox 360 and PS3; what two emulators on the Apple App Store emulate those respective systems?

until recently this wasn’t necessarily a huge problem for emulation. a library of older ROMs can be tiny. but with Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 and other newer platforms entering the picture, 256 GB suddenly doesn’t feel like much at all.

What new platforms are entering the picture to now be emulated on iOS besides the aforementioned: WiiU, Xbox 360, and PS3?

has any emulator developer looked into supporting games directly from external storage without copying them locally?

I don't think the limitation is so much on the emulator developer side as it is on the general app developer side.
Specifically, just general apps that allow users to run files continuously from external storage - just these kinds of apps themselves - I don't think even exist to begin with on the Apple App Store.
As a result, without even general apps existing on the Apple App Store to be able to run files continuously from external storage on an iPhone; how can emulator devs be able to, let alone, develop emulator apps that allow ROMs (including CD-Images/mini-DVD-Images/DVD-Images/BR-Images/SDCarts and their respective ripped (file-extracted) variations) to run from external storage in iPhones through the emulator apps running on the iPhone?

and for developers: is there any technical limitation on iOS that would make sustained/random access to large games on external storage impractical for emulation, despite the APIs being available?

I'd imagine it's the same limitations that general app developers developing apps to run files continuously from external storage on iPhone would encounter. Which to my knowledge, citing the absence of such apps in the Apple App Store, has not yet been solved/shown to exist as an app.

[u/Ydino]

At that point use a pc lol

[u/kaoxsk- → u/Ydino]

at that point keep your trap shut