Khaberni - Have you ever dreamed of trying the iOS system on an Android phone? This has actually become possible thanks to a new project called Hackios, where developers and enthusiasts have managed to run the original "Apple" system on a range of Android devices, an uncommon step that merges the two competing operating systems.
Developers Transfer iOS System to Android Phones
In the past few days, reports have been increasing about the successful operation of the iOS system on Android phones.
This experiment is part of a new movement inspired by the Hackintosh project, which is a term combining "Hack" and "Macintosh," referring to running the operating system of Mac devices on non-Apple personal computers.
The idea of Hackios goes back to a project published on the GitHub platform under the name ios-sweet, which relies on replacing the fundamental Linux kernel in the Android system with the XNU kernel used by "Apple" in iPhones, according to a report published by "phonearena" and reviewed by "Arabiya Business."
The kernel is a fundamental part of the operating system, managing the interaction between the device's hardware components and the software running on it.
How did developers succeed in running iOS?
The process depends on a set of complex technical steps. When the phone starts up, it receives what is known as a "device tree," which includes a list of the phone’s hardware components.
The developer began by copying the device tree from an iPhone X, as newer iPhone models have security features that prevent this type of device impersonation.
After that, a boot image was created based on the XNU kernel to run on a Redmi Note 10 Pro, deceiving the operating system into believing that it is running on an iPhone, using the modified device tree data.
In the end, the phone successfully booted up and reached the lock screen of the iOS system, a scene showing Apple's system running on a device primarily operating on Android.
What can you do with an Android phone running iOS?
Despite the success of the experiment, the available capabilities are very limited. The project is still merely a proof of concept and not a complete operating system that can be relied upon.
However, some basic functions work. The home screen appears with the built-in apps in the system, and the Safari browser works to some extent.
Users can open settings and change some options, along with using touch and swipe gestures.
It's also possible to access the control center, and the power and volume control buttons seem to be usable.
But the list of disabled functions is much longer; no communication tools work, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular connectivity.
All the phone's sensors also stop working, including the fingerprint sensor and ambient light sensor.
The cameras or speakers do not work either. The developer also indicates that Apple's file encryption system does not work, meaning that a phone combining Android and iOS does not have the required level of security.
These issues are not surprising, as iPhone devices rely on physical components that are different from those in Android phones. Simply deceiving the operating system into believing it is running on another device is not enough to enable all the phone's functions, as the actual cameras and sensors require compatible drivers and software, which are not available in the iOS version run on the Redmi Note 10 Pro.
What Android phones are supported?
Remarkably, attempts to transfer the system have extended to a relatively large number of phones, though the original code was designed to work on devices equipped with Snapdragon processors.
Some developers have tried running iOS on a Pixel 6, which uses a Tensor processor, as well as on an old Galaxy S7 equipped with an Exynos 8890 processor.
Currently, the project repository on GitHub includes modified versions of the code to support the Redmi Note 12 Pro and LG V60, in addition to supporting OnePlus 7T and Redmi 5 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Information available indicates that the version prepared for the Redmi Note 12 enables sound and Wi-Fi networks, and allows the use of wallpapers, but the phone is still far from offering an everyday usable experience.
Will we witness a full operation of iOS on Android phones?
It is unlikely that these experiments will work fully on modern phones, as current transfer operations rely on old versions of the iOS system and operating cores lacking some security features that prevent such intrusions.
Although the project is still active and under development, the continued work on it is not guaranteed, especially if developer interest declines over time.
In the best scenarios, users may be able to run an old version of iOS on an old Android phone.
The idea might be appealing to technical experiment enthusiasts, but it requires expertise and effort beyond the capabilities of the average user.
Additionally, executing these steps involves real risks; mistakes made while modifying the system may lead to permanent phone disablement or damage, whether it is the iPhone X used in the experiment or an Android phone intended for system modification.
