The First Step To Running IPhone Apps In Linux

[Christina] has been working on a project she calls Magenta to put Darwin/BSD on top of Linux. What does that mean? Well, hopefully it’s the first step towards running iPhone/iPad apps on a Linux machine.

Before you get too excited, there are a few caveats; Magenta only works on ARMv7 platforms, none of the fancy iOS frameworks are included, and it’s currently impossible to run iOS apps with this build. Think of this project as a very, very early version of Wine. If you’d like to take Magenta for a spin, [Christina] put the source up here.

Although [Christina]’s project is entirely useless for anyone wanting Siri on their Android phone, it’s possible to add all those fancy iOS frameworks to Magenta and create an open source OS able to run iPhone apps.

We really have to admire [Christina]’s work on this. It’s an amazingly impressive project, and her final goal of recreating the iOS stack would be a boon to the jailbreaking scene. Cue the sound of millions of iPhone clones marching out of China…

via [OleRazzleDazzle] on the reddits

33 thoughts on “The First Step To Running IPhone Apps In Linux

    1. R-Pi is ARM6 not 7 also I can’t understand why anyone would want to help a closed ecosystem provider like Apple. Android isn’t perfect but at least there are versions with complete code available.

  1. “It is fully binary
    compatible with iPhone OS 5.0 (as in, it uses the same binary format)”

    This is pretty rich stuff.

    I especially enjoyed scoping the circa 1997 “teh underground HacKerz” website, the .cc domain, and the de rigeur appropriation of a female persona to make broad claims about what it will do…. one day.

    But hey, more power to him.

      1. I’m not a misogynist. It’s just that sock puppets abound (apart from the CIS and transgendered) and it’s quite rare for that set of chromosomes to try and pull off this kind of vague misdirection in a tech field.

        The female hackers I’ve met are generally very, very smart and won’t make such effusive claims:
        IOS 5.0 binary compatible, running ios on linux and then blurring the difference between osx and ios… wine for ios – great ideas, but it’s a very long way to Tipperary as they say.

        Anything is possible; but the associated omens and portents are not favorable. Magic 8 ball says: Come back later.

        Males on the other hand… absolutely hopeless.
        They’ll fart in a bathtub and claim to have mastered cold fusion. And the older ones are far worse, assuming that having flown a T-33 once somehow makes them proficient in Microsft flight simulator.

    1. On what basis should it be shut down? Copyright of API/ABI? fat chance.

      As long as it is a re-implementation recreating functionality it is in the clear. Especially seen with the recent EC court ruling and the first instance ruling in Oracle vs. Google.

      But, the fruit themed company for what it is, they may try. My guess is that it will be used against them if they try as further proof for serious anti-competitive behavior.

      1. You’re right that technically, it’s probably in the clear; especially given that recent ruling.

        But Google can afford to fight. Apple can still throw around enough lawsuits to easily crush any individual.

      2. On what basis should clicking something and up pops a “what should I do?” option (like what happens on a windows box when the extension isn’t recognized) be sued/blocked? (HTC)

        On what basis should a rounded corner rectangle be sued/blocked? (Samsung)

        Should I continue?

  2. I dont think many Android users will care for Siri – Voice controls that do very similar things have been built in for ages as part of the OS and not a separate app. Just lacks the “Ask Jeeves” element.

    Anyway, this is a pretty cool project.
    Doesnt really help Apple in any way, but if one day it works it could help iOS developers sale to Linux too :p

    1. Additionally, I don’t think ANYONE wants it anyway. I mean Wozniak trashed it, ffs. You know it’s bad when the cofounder of said company (who should have an attachment to it) says “OMG WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO IT?!?”

  3. Thumbs up for effort, but it kinda ends there with me. I hate Mac / ‘I’ crap. In my mind there is nothing worse, Captilist geared closed systems, pre-chewed and spoon fed to the yuppie masses. Almost as bad a microlimp. In fact it think it was a great day when that steve jobs guy kicked it, Im disgusted at the recognition this scam artist recieved for ripping off the work of others and slapping it in a pretty box. Nothing more than a good salesmen, not even close to the real deal.

  4. Oh, and appologies for the rant, I just have a thing abot corporate trash, and the whole system of stupid that supports it.. Nothing personal, Like i said A for Effort.

  5. @tastech12 I agree that apple’s approach to the market is albit Idiotic and socially engineered. but in reality, is it much different from what game consoles have been doing for years? shure the hardware is VASTLY different but the overly secured BS is still there.

    -Sent from my Samsung Transfourm
    P.S. this website needs a more “android friendly” version because trying to use it is hell…

  6. If your consider Apple a enemy of your freedom and a “bad” product in general. Why bother to create a “free” IOS?

    I doubt without any documentation one person or group of few are capable of implement a framework like that. It’s a very long and complex project that take many years to complete only the first version. And that with a legion of full equiped enginers.

    This sound like more Apple envy or arrogant neckbearism.

    If Linux is so great. Why needs to incorporate the api of Windows or IOS?

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