Unity CEO Helgason reveals iOS 4 contingency plan
While you don't have to go far to witness the fallout from Apple's revised terms of service with iPhone developers Adobe, AdMob and Flurry the most notable casualities it appears more has been going on behind the scenes to accommodate its implementation.
In a candid blog post on the firm's website, Unity Technologies' CEO David Helgason has revealed the steps it's taken to ensure developers making use of its tools are left high and dry if Apple decides to pull the plug.
In essence, Unity has devised a workaround to its current support for Microsoft's .NET Framework the one area Helgason believes Unity might come into conflict with Apple's new developer agreement.
Taking steps
"While we've had some reason to believe Unity using C# and JavaScript would be okay, Apple has not confirmed anything and in general very little information has been forthcoming," Helgason says on the blog.
"As of today Apple is still approving every game we know of and Apple has recently featured several excellent Unity games in the App Store.
"But as soon as the new terms of service were revealed we also started working on a contingency plan, just in case Apple decides to stop approving Unity-based games."
Describing said contingency as a plan B, the proposed scenario allows games to created without any .NET code.
Instead, Unity has created a .NET based C++ compiler that allows C++ code to be written in its place.
Worst case scenario
"We still cant believe Apple will force developers into choosing a specific language for development," Helgason concludes.
"As mentioned, Apple is still approving every Unity-based game we know of. In case the situation changes, rest assured that we are working this plan B."
You can read Helgason's explanation in full which includes an extensive breakdown of code changes on Unity's blog.