
Almost booting an iOS kernel in QEMU - ProfDreamer
https://worthdoingbadly.com/xnuqemu/
======
return_0e
>..but XNU is now open source.

Well XNU has always been 'open-source' [1] for some time on Intel machines but
its just that ARM support remained closed (until 2017) which is why the
darwin-on-arm [2] project existed. But I'm assuming that the OP means that the
ARM64 code was recently open-sourced in the XNU sources[3] making a possible
open-source ARM port much simpler. I still find it quite interesting to see
some regained attempts in emulating iOS; with Corellium being the furthest at
doing this.

[1] ([https://opensource.apple.com](https://opensource.apple.com))

[2] ([https://github.com/darwin-on-arm/xnu](https://github.com/darwin-on-
arm/xnu))

[3] ([https://github.com/apple/darwin-
xnu/search?p=5&q=ARM64&unsco...](https://github.com/apple/darwin-
xnu/search?p=5&q=ARM64&unscoped_q=ARM64))

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w0utert
In a way, it seems strange nobody made a full-blown iPhone/iPad iOS emulator
yet. Not a simulator like the one Apple makes, but an emulator like for game
systems. I would guess the amount of information available about iPhone
hardware and software would make it much easier to emulate than e.g. a
gamecube, Wii, PS3, etc, especially for older models. Such an emulator could
obviously be used for piracy, but could also be an intersting tool for a
homebrew scene (custom firmware, developing iOS apps on Linux & Windows, etc.

Is there a practical reason why this would be hard or impossible? Or is it
just for fear of Apple's lawyers?

~~~
rjvbk
It seems strange to me that there are no Chinese OEMs selling mobiles with
iOS. I mean, I understand it's hard, but is it THAT hard?

~~~
ofrzeta
You would probably need to hack the OS to disable updates etc to prevent Apple
from remotely bricking your device.

~~~
MaxBarraclough
Wrapping it with a firewall would be the easy part.

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mirimir
Interesting. I would love virtual iPhones. For testing apps, anonymously. But
I doubt that I'd get an invite from Corellium, either :(

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Ecco
Reads as an ad for Corellium...

