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HackiOS, an independent research project, reports that it can boot the XNU kernel used by iOS 16.5 and run iOS user-space components on a POCO X5 Pro 5G. The setup also runs in QEMU, but it is a temporary research bench with major limitations, including no cellular service, Bluetooth, Apple ID sign-in or App Store access.
An independent project called HackiOS says it can run the iOS 16.5 user space on a POCO X5 Pro 5G, an Android phone, by booting Apple’s open-source XNU kernel alongside custom firmware and hardware support. The project describes the work as a temporary research bench, not an Android ROM: the phone boots the system into memory, and a reboot returns it to Android.
According to the project’s GitHub repository, the kernel is XNU version 8796.121.2, the kernel used by iOS 16.5. HackiOS says its loader, UEFI port, patches and replacements for closed Apple drivers let the kernel start on the POCO’s Snapdragon 778G hardware. Its user-space startup sequence includes launchd, backboardd and SpringBoard, followed by apps.
The project reports a working touchscreen, multitouch, system gestures, lock screen, home screen, and apps including Settings, Clock, Calendar, Photos, Notes and Safari. It also says Wi-Fi, audio, cameras and the Adreno 642L GPU work to varying degrees. The repository lists Metal support as in progress, with 293 of 456 system shaders reported to run on the GPU.
HackiOS says its phone setup uses fastboot boot and does not write the operating system to the phone’s storage. The system image and session run in RAM; the project describes a roughly 15-minute phone session and says data written by iOS can persist across a reboot. The same project can run in QEMU on a Linux computer, without a phone.
A Test of iOS on Android Hardware
The project is a technical demonstration that parts of Apple’s software stack can run beyond Apple hardware when researchers supply alternative boot and driver support. For readers, the key point is not that an Android phone has become a normal iPhone: HackiOS reports a constrained setup with selected functions working and major iOS services unavailable.
The work may interest operating-system researchers and developers studying kernel compatibility, hardware interfaces and graphics support. It also illustrates the practical weight of device-specific drivers and secure services: getting a familiar interface to appear is only part of reproducing a complete mobile platform. Cellular, Bluetooth, charging under the custom kernel, Apple ID sign-in and App Store content are listed as unavailable.
For owners of other Android phones, the results do not establish that the method will work on their devices. The published phone support is for one specific model, and the project relies on firmware taken from the device itself. The QEMU option offers a separate way to examine the software without using that handset, but it does not establish broad compatibility with Android hardware.
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How the Research Setup Works
HackiOS divides its code between two repositories, according to the project: one for XNU patches, the EFI loader, UEFI support and related tools, and another for user-space components and image-building scripts. The developers say the repositories do not contain Apple files. Instead, their script downloads the iOS 16.5 IPSW from Apple’s CDN to the user’s machine and extracts the required material locally.
On the POCO X5 Pro, the project says its loader starts through fastboot and places the system image in RAM. The method requires an unlocked bootloader and makes use of vendor firmware extracted from the phone for components such as graphics, Wi-Fi and audio. The repository also provides a QEMU route for Linux systems, with a stated requirement of about 12 GB of free disk space and 4 GB of free RAM.
HackiOS identifies itself as an independent research project by OOSEX GANG and says it is not affiliated with, authorised by or endorsed by Apple. Apple, iOS and iPhone are Apple trademarks. The repository’s descriptions of supported functions and performance are project-reported results, rather than an independent evaluation.
“It is a research bench, not a ROM.”
— HackiOS project repository
USB-C fastboot cable for Android phone
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Limits and Verification Still Open
The GitHub documentation is the source for the reported results; the supplied material does not include an independent test of the setup. It is not clear how reliably the system runs across repeated sessions, how performance compares with native iOS hardware, or whether the listed features work consistently beyond the project’s own testing.
The project explicitly lists substantial gaps: cellular, Bluetooth, charging under its kernel, video and Live Photo recording, Apple ID sign-in and App Store content do not work. It says Apple ID sign-in is blocked because there is no Secure Enclave and the FairPlay daemon exits. The extent of app compatibility and the future status of Metal support are also not established.
The phone instructions are specific to the POCO X5 Pro 5G, identified by the codename redwood. The repository does not show that the same approach supports other Android models. It also says the phone session ends after a set time and returns control to the loader, so claims of a fully usable, persistent iOS installation would go beyond what the project describes.
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Further Driver and Graphics Work
The project materials describe ongoing work on Metal support and identify features that are not yet working, but they do not give a dated release schedule for those areas. The next useful indicators will be repository updates documenting changes to hardware support, session reliability, and the number of system shaders handled by the Adreno GPU.
Readers interested in trying the software should consult the project repository for current requirements and device-specific instructions. Based on the published description, the QEMU route avoids modifying a phone, while the POCO method requires an unlocked bootloader and uses firmware from that handset. The project does not claim a general-purpose iOS installation for Android phones.
Linux laptop for Android kernel development
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Key Questions
Does HackiOS turn an Android phone into a full iPhone?
No. The project reports that iOS 16.5 user-space components run on a supported POCO X5 Pro 5G, but several major functions, including cellular, Bluetooth, Apple ID sign-in and App Store content, are unavailable.
Is the iOS system permanently installed on the POCO phone?
According to HackiOS, no. The setup boots through fastboot and runs in RAM without writing the operating system to phone storage. The project says restarting the phone returns it to Android.
Can it run without an Android phone?
Yes. The project provides a QEMU version for Linux computers, which runs the system in a virtual machine. Its repository lists host storage and memory requirements.
Which parts of iOS does the project report working?
HackiOS lists the lock and home screens, touchscreen gestures, several built-in apps, Wi-Fi, audio, cameras and some GPU support. These are project-reported capabilities; the repository also marks features such as Metal support as incomplete.
Is HackiOS affiliated with Apple?
No. The repository describes HackiOS as an independent research project by OOSEX GANG and says it is not affiliated with, authorised by or endorsed by Apple.
Source: hn
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