For many years people have been attempting to use iOS on computers. The developers, however, did not have good fortune on their side in this regard. One of the developers has, at long last, succeeded in decoding the code. On a computer, he has reproduced the original version of the iPhone operating system with huge success.
Having said that, it is not a novel concept to use a different operating system to run Apple’s OS. The Hackintosh tools, for instance, make it quite simple to install macOS on personal computers that are not manufactured by Apple. However, the engineers have had a difficult time breaking the code for iOS due to its complexity. Therefore, the accomplishment of successfully mimicking the very first version of iOS is a significant step.
iPhone OS 1.0 emulated using Qemu
Martin de Vos, often known as devos50, is the developer who was responsible for imitating iOS on computers. Emulating the original version of the iPhone operating system required a significant amount of backward engineering on his part.
Now, in the event that you are unaware, the operating system that was published for the iPod touch of the first generation was called the iPhone OS. It was first introduced in 2007, and a few years later, the OS was installed on the very first iPhone.
devos50 devoted over a year’s worth of work to completing the project. He was faced with the challenge of resolving a number of complicated issues. Support for multitouch interfaces and ensuring that all components of the device can effectively communicate are two instances.
Why emulate the first iPhone OS?
Emulating the physical components, as de Vos noted in a post on his blog, was the most difficult element of the process. Because of this, the developer decided to use the very first version of the iPhone OS that had been made available for the iPod. When compared, the iPhone version requires the emulation of the OS using a greater number of components. But why was the first version of iOS?
According to de Vos, the initial release of iOS lacked several of the security features seen in later versions.
Having said all of that, the project was made possible because of OpeniBoot. It is an implementation of the Apple bootloader that uses open-source software. The work on that project was halted a long time ago. Nevertheless, it opened up a wide variety of exciting possibilities for iOS users. To give you an example, it made it possible to install Android on the earlier iterations of the iPod touch and iPhone.
Is it functional on computers?
The emulated version of iOS is not quite accurate. Because of this, using the operating system can not provide you with an enjoyable experience overall. The completed project is however functional, in spite of the fact that there are a few problems.
In in fact, it is now possible to replicate the iPhone OS 1.0 with the help of QEMU. QEMU is an open-source platform for performing virtualization. By using it, you can make it appear as though your computer is running a different operating system.
Despite this, the emulated iOS has a fully functional navigation system. You can navigate around the various components of the operating system by using either the keyboard or the mouse. The best part, though, is that the majority of the pre-installed apps are completely functional.
However, you should be ready for certain system crashes . Nonetheless, it is still pretty cool that you can use a version of iOS on a computer.
Now, what is next?
According to de Vos, this project is most likely the first successful attempt to emulate the iPhone operating system using open-source software and tools. However, this is not the first instance of emulation. For example, Corellium is a vendor of virtual iOS devices capable of running iOS by way of emulation.
The problem is that none of the software or codes are shared. In addition, you are unable to employ those resources in the building of your virtual computer. On the other hand, de Vos has disclosed all of the information to the public in a post on his blog. Those people who are interested in putting things to the test can therefore receive appropriate assistance from it.
De Vos’s next project will be to emulate the second-generation iPod touch, which was released with iOS version 2.1.