Tech tinkerers rejoice! It’s now possible for you to install and run Android on the old iPhone 7, while everyone else wonders why anyone would bother doing that.
The cyber security startup Corellium has just released Project Sandcastle, which offers a technological taboo of the highest order – a version of Google’s OS on Apple’s famously locked-down hardware.
Why Sandcastle? Well, as the company puts it, sandcastles “provide an opportunity to create something new from the limitless bounds of your imagination.”
On the contrary “sandboxes set limits and boundaries.” In case you were wondering, that’s a reference to the retractions placed on iPhone user by existing within the tightly-controlled ecosystem.
The makers point out that once you’ve bought the iPhone, you own it, and shouldn’t be restricted by what you can do with it. “Android for the iPhone gives you the freedom to run a different operating system on that hardware,” the Project Sandcastle team adds (via Engadget).
So, does it work? Well, sort of. It’s a beta version for now and only works on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The firm hasn’t got it to support Bluetooth, the camera, the cellular mode, and audio yet. You also won’t be able to use the Google Play store at the moment.
Related: iPhone 12
Still, those willing to have a play with this probably aren’t going to be bothered by those limitations, especially if further interesting updates will be coming. The current beta is currently available to download from the website.
“Android for the iPhone has many exciting practical applications, from forensics research to dual-booting ephemeral devices to combatting e-waste. Our goal has always been to push mobile research forward, and we’re excited to see what the developer community builds from this foundation,” the team adds.
The main man behind the project, David Wang, also achieved the same for the iPhone 3G all those years ago. Whether Apple’s lawyers are on board with this noble endeavour remains to be seen. The company is pretty keen on recycling at the moment…
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.