The rivalry between Android and iPhone has long been fierce, especially between tech giants Apple and Google. However, a team of developers is now working to bridge the gap by creating an iPhone and iOS emulator for Android and other devices. While the emulator has some notable limitations that will likely prevent users from switching from iPhone to Android anytime soon, the project holds great promise for reviving some forgotten iPhone apps.
The open-source iOS emulator, touchHLE, is available for those who want to experience the best of both worlds. Currently, the emulator supports only a small selection of early iPhone apps, primarily from the iPhone OS 2.x and 3.0 era, before Apple adopted 64-bit technology. Although these restrictions limit the range of apps available, enthusiasts who believe that iPhone apps outperform Android apps may find touchHLE particularly enjoyable.
touchHLE offers a nostalgic journey into the early days of the iPhone, making it a compelling option for fans of classic games such as “Castle Smasher,” “I Love Katamari,” and “Metal Gear Solid Touch.” While the experience is not as seamless as running Steam games on Android, it still provides valuable moments of iPhone nostalgia.
Is it possible to run iOS on Android? Yes, but it comes with challenges. touchHLE, which runs on Android, Windows, and macOS, emulates iPhone OS apps from around 2011 and earlier. The developers plan to expand support for later versions and even iPad apps, but don’t expect modern iOS apps to run on this emulator anytime soon. Due to technical difficulty, touchHLE likely will never support 64-bit apps required by later versions of iOS, limiting it to iPhone OS 6 and earlier.
To install touchHLE on Android, start by enabling “Allow Unknown Apps” in your device settings. Download the latest version from GitHub, extract the files using a file manager app, and install the touchHLE APK. You will also need to place any iOS IPA app files into the appropriate folder in the touchHLE directory. Due to Google’s file management restrictions, additional steps or consultation of touchHLE’s GitHub page may be necessary for some users.
