Back in April, Delta emulator app developer Riley Testut teased that Delta would eventually come for the iPad despite originally only being available for iPhone-sized devices when it first became available in the iOS App Store. Before that, Delta for iPhone could have been sideloaded – a means of bypassing the App Store and using one’s Apple ID to sign the app on the host device.
On Wednesday, at least some of the globe could begin enjoying a fully optimized Delta emulator app on the iPad for the first time. This starts with the new version 1.6 update, which is currently already available outside of the United States via AltStore PAL and will soon make its way into the App Store for United States residents to use as well.
Being fully optimized for the iPad means that Delta will now use the native display resolution of Apple’s tablets instead of running in iPhone mode, which allows for a larger screen and more immersive gameplay experience. In addition to making the touch controls easier to use on the iPad, the new optimization also applies to Delta skins, which have all been redesigned to take advantage of the iPad’s larger display.
The full change log for version 1.6 can be found below:
Other great features for Delta for iPad users to take note of include support for Stage Manager and Split View multitasking, the ability to run multiple windows instances of the app, and support for Handoff so that you can pick up on another device where you leave off on the first.
Apart from iPad optimization, Delta version 1.6 is a major update for iPhone-sized device users as well. That’s because it introduces a lot of new features that improve the app for the better. These improvements include, but aren’t limited to better Nintendo DS game compatibility, increased fast-forward speed to 3x for A15 and newer devices, and inserting GBA games into DS dual-slot.
One of the major improvements with respect to Nintendo DS game compatibility is that users are no longer required to fetch BIOS files from the internet themselves and import them into the Delta app.
Delta version 1.6 also introduces new gestures for power users, which involve holding the Menu button and using a prescribed gesture to perform common actions in games. Those might include:
- Menu + double-tap to quick-save a game
- Menu + tap-and-hold to quickly load a game
- Menu + horizontal swipe to fast-forward
- Menu + pressing any button to simulate holding down a button
The update also includes a ton of other improvements, including support for Game Mode in Apple’s upcoming iOS & iPadOS 18 and miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements.
Delta emulator is a free download from the App Store, but do keep in mind that version 1.6 isn’t available in the App Store yet at the time of this writing. At this moment in time, it’s only available for AltStore PAL users. We’ll update this post when that changes.
Also see: How to load game ROMs in the Delta emulator app for iPhone
Are you excited about the iPad optimization and new features in Delta version 1.6? Tell us what you think in the comments section down below!