Whereas greater than 3.5 million folks have spent the final couple of weeks glued to a brand-new Nintendo Swap 2, X consumer PatRyk (@Patrosi73) determined to take a position their time elsewhere: attempting to run iOS on the unique Nintendo Swap. They usually did it! Form of.
Based on PatRyk, they spent two full days engaged on a option to run a full construct of iOS inside QEMU, an open-source machine emulator and virtualizer that may simulate totally totally different {hardware} architectures in software program.
The result’s a full iOS setting being emulated straight on the Swap’s Nvidia Tegra X1 processor.
The “world’s slowest”, however funnest iPhone
Earlier than anybody will get too excited, let’s set expectations: per PatRyk’s personal admission, this factor is barely useful:
I’ve misplaced my thoughts (and a couple of days of my life to put in this)
Behold: the world’s slowest “iPhone” 🎉🎉
Takes over 20 minutes besides, kernel panics each 2nd factor you do, can’t open any apps (all of them day out and crash) 🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/r3B3JPDUDV
– Patryk (@patrosi73) June 17, 2025
Nonetheless, the truth that it even boots in any respect is spectacular sufficient, particularly contemplating that iOS is famously laborious to get working on something aside from Apple’s personal units (or at greatest, inside Apple’s Xcode simulator on a Mac).
However… why?
I imply, why not? For Patrosi, the undertaking appears to have been extra about having enjoyable than creating something remotely sensible.
“I’ve misplaced my thoughts (and a couple of days of my life to put in this),” they joked of their submit. “Behold: the world’s slowest iPhone.”
Is it usable? Not even shut. However as a proof of idea, and an ideal excuse to say you’ve booted iOS on a Nintendo console, it’s undeniably cool.
The undertaking builds on the QEMU Apple Silicon emulation effort, which goals to make it attainable to run ARM-based Apple working methods in virtualized environments, and you may be taught extra in regards to the undertaking on its GitHub web page.
By way of MacMagazine
FTC: We use revenue incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. Extra.
