The mobile landscape has primarily been divided into two groups: iPhone users and Android users, and the two shall never co-exist harmoniously. Tension and fanboy beefs have defined the relationship between Apple’s and Google’s operating systems. The radical idea of an iPhone running Android, or vice versa, has been stuff only dreams can conjure up, until now.
App developer Nick Lee successfully managed to run Android on an iPhone. You heard that right, Android on an iPhone.
Let’s preface this with a disclaimer. Nick didn’t actually install Android on an iPhone. His method involves using an external 3D printed case hooked up to the iPhone via Lightning cable. This isn’t the smooth operation of Android on an Android phone you’d expect. It doesn’t even function using the entire iPhone display. Instead, it delivers a cropped version of Android Marshmallow. At best, this is a concept, but it’s still Android on an iPhone, and that’s pretty awesome.
The simplest way to explain how this works is through remote access. The case itself is a powerful computer that runs Android and is able to mirror and access Android on the iPhone. It comes equipped with an 8 Core 1.2GHz ARM chip, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a 2,500mAh battery. It also comes with inputs for USB 2.0, Micro-USB and HDMi out. The case accesses the iPhone’s touch display, which allows the Android version to be navigated through touch as if it were running natively on the phone.
Once hooked up and running, the Google Play Store, apps and core functions of the operating system can be opened and used as if it were a Frankenstein Android phone. The case is an experiment that reaped a mutated form of Android on iPhone, and while it is not the full experience, it’s a starting point for future attempts at connecting Apple’s hardware and Google’s software.
This isn’t the first time Nick has managed to mess around with Apple and its products. Back in 2010, he created the app Handy Light that doubled as a flashlight and tethering feature. When Apple found out about the app’s ulterior ability, the app was taken down from the App Store. He also successfully put Windows 95 on an Apple Watch. Nick and Apple go way back.
The dream of a full-fledged version of Android on an iPhone may still be a ways off, but the groundwork has been laid by Nick. Who knows, maybe in the not-too-distant future we way see a more integrated form of Android working on an iOS device. This is a good start and I can’t wait to see what future developers come up with both platforms.
Check out the videos above to see Jon’s interview with Nick Lee and the hands-on experience of Android on an iPhone.
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