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Hack Turns Apple's iPhone Into An Android (forbes.com) 99

Posted by msmash from the pushing-the-limits dept.
Ten years ago, David Wang pulled off a remarkable trick, installing Android on the first-generation iPhone. Now Wang and his colleagues at cybersecurity startup Corellium are doing it again with the ostentatiously titled Project Sandcastle. From a report: And Forbes got an exclusive hands-on look at their Android for iPhone product ahead of its public release scheduled for later this Wednesday. The timing is sure to have Apple fanboys rubbernecking: Corellium is in the middle of being sued by Apple. As previously reported by Forbes, in August last year, Corellium was taken to court over Apple claims the startup breached copyright laws by creating software versions of the iPhone for security and testing. The case took a surprise turn late last month when Apple subpoenaed Spanish banking giant Santander and the $50 billion U.S. military and intelligence contractor L3Harris.

But Corellium has lofty ambitions for Project Sandcastle, saying that it'll actually show how Apple's walled garden, which it has fiercely protected since launching its flagship phone in 2007, can be deconstructed and taken over by others' software. "Project Sandcastle is about having fun building something new from the sand -- from the literal silicon of the hardware," said Corellium CEO Amanda Gorton, in a statement sent to Forbes. "Apple restricts iPhone users to operate inside a sandbox, but users own that hardware, and they should be able to use that hardware the way they want. So where sandboxes create limits and boundaries on the hardware that users own, sandcastles provide an opportunity to create something new and wonderful from the limitless bounds of your imagination."
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Hack Turns Apple's iPhone Into An Android More

Hack Turns Apple's iPhone Into An Android

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  • just make a fun project (Score:4, Funny)

    by noobiedoobiedo ( 6194604 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @04:43PM (#59804452)
    "but users own that hardware, and they should be able to use that hardware the way they want" whats next - take your GM and put a Ford engine in it CuZ I ShOuLd BE AbLe To?

    • Re:just make a fun project (Score:5, Insightful)

      by spiritplumber ( 1944222 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @04:50PM (#59804480) Homepage
      You know people have been doing engine swaps since forever right?

      • Yeah, but usually the other way around

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by ebvwfbw ( 864834 )

          Yeah, but usually the other way around

          That's right. I thought it was hilarious when I'd see Fords with Chevy engines.
          Guy said - how do you make a Ford fast? Put in a Chevy engine.

      • Yes but they don't demand that Ford fix their GM-ified vehicle, or vice versa.

        • Not a great argument

          I build my own PC so if a component fails and that component is within a warranty period I can still get a replacement for free. Sure I might still be doing the labor but the individual parts still have support for them. Cars have this as well. You buy a component for your engine and it has a warranty to last a certain amount of time or you get a replacement for free.

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by Matheus ( 586080 )

          Also not a great argument because both Ford and GM have very specific, and generally reasonable, terms for what constitutes "voiding the warranty". The people who choose to swap their engine do so at full knowledge of and comfort with those terms. (or are outside of said warranty period anyway)

          Apple doesn't want you to make the changes at all. Regardless of warranty... to the point of suing companies that facilitate your ability to do so. (One of a long list of reasons I don't buy their shit)

          TBH, As it is I

          • Re:just make a fun project (Score:4, Informative)

            by QuesarVII ( 904243 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @06:39PM (#59804882)
            They can claim you voided the warranty... but the law might disagree
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

            Apple doesn't want you to make the changes at all. Regardless of warranty... to the point of suing companies that facilitate your ability to do so. (One of a long list of reasons I don't buy their shit)

            Apple hasn't sued anyone. They did lay a lawsuit over counterfeit batteries being imported by a well known third party repairer, but that's it. They were counterfeit Apple batteries in having Apple markings but were NOT manufacturered by Apple. (They did use harvested Apple parts). Making it more egregious wa

      • But, I would venture they own the vehicle outright and arenâ(TM)t financing it. You donâ(TM)t own it nor have the right to make the vehicleâ(TM)s value go down (besides normal depreciation) until you hold the title in your hands.

        Should the financier repossess your vehicle, you are still responsible for the remaining payments on its value if they resell it. Mod it and youâ(TM)re out that money as well. Itâ(TM)s also why you must have insurance on it - they get the money should you

    • I am failing to see your point.
      People have been doing that... The will often not, just because the parts may not always fit. But with some work it can happen, and it has happened. It may require filling in some holes and drilling in other ones. replacing some additional working parts just so everything can fit... But if you got a good Ford Engine for cheap and a Good GM Frame why not?

      • I'm trying to figure out why someone would want to fuck up an iPhone by putting android on it in the first place?

        I like my phone to just simply work and be straightforward to use, etc.

      • Re:just make a fun project (Score:5, Informative)

        by dryeo ( 100693 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @06:34PM (#59804866)

        Actually there are aftermarket parts available, adapters for transmissions and such, that make it fairly easy, and neither Ford or GM complain and try to sue over it.

        • Ford was one of Hitler's idols , i don't know about mister General or Steve ... other than for teh lulz i also don't see the point in forcing android on a machine that wasnt built for it ... but for the lulz i can ... wasting time on "people get to use it how they want" ? is something i imagine rich kids can spend daddy money on what's wrong with a perfectly fine huawei or xiami for 5% of the price to get on fudberg and add rabbit teeth to your pictures ? OR should we make sure people can install iOs on t

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by guruevi ( 827432 )

        "good Ford Engine and a Good GM Frame"

        There's two oxymorons.

    • "but users own that hardware, and they should be able to use that hardware the way they want" whats next - take your GM and put a Ford engine in it CuZ I ShOuLd BE AbLe To?

      Well, can I please put that 440 V8 and Chrysler tranny into my Mazda Meatta anyway? The blooming thing IDLES at 45 MPH so I'm going through brake pads at a frightening pace, but it looks totally stock.

      Oh yea? Wanna race to the next light buddy? See ya suckers!

      • That's one of the more creative ways I've seen someone spell Miata.

        • Oh man.. LOL.. I admit that's bad.. Sorry, I must have been distracted during the proofreading..

          Where can I go to complain to SlashDot about giving us a way to correct our posts? /P

      • As a shade tree mechanic, and one who has had my own car idle at a idle speed, may I suggest looking for a vacuum leak, and perhaps consider a manual gearbox, because at that speed with an automatic, you've got the torque converter fully engaged, and I would be HAPPY to be your brake pad salesman! And tires and clutches as well! Because you'll be going through all of those in no time flat!

        Now, let me find your car....

        Me...Me.. Me.. Me..
        (hmmm)
        Mea Culpa...
        .
        .
        meow...

        Darn, there went my hopes of making good mo

      • It's not a big block Mopar, but here's a big block Chevy in a Miata [youtube.com]...
    • yeah, to echo what someone else said, it has happened that people have put Chevy 350's in Jaguars and such... among other things. Myself, I have done such back in the day as well. (Chevy 350 into Pinto Wagon)

    • Re:just make a fun project (Score:5, Insightful)

      by rsierpe ( 2678773 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:17PM (#59804600)

      "but users own that hardware, and they should be able to use that hardware the way they want"

      whats next - take your GM and put a Ford engine in it CuZ I ShOuLd BE AbLe To?

      And if I feel like it, I can make it electric. Hell, i can make operate on pedals. Or plant all the explosives I can get my hands on and blow it into tiny pieces. It's my stuff, I paid for it with good cash and whatever I may want to do with it is ok.

      Sure, tell me the software is just a licence. Well then, let's get rid of it and put a different one more to my liking. So now I'm in trouble for DELETING your stuff from MY property?

      Essentially, I consider this a pointless exercise, more like a proof of concept than anything viable from the Joe Average perspective, but it's excellent that it's happening.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dryeo ( 100693 )

        Actually there are companies selling drop in electric motors for common Ford, Chevy's and such. Example, https://electricgt.com/ [electricgt.com] you do need to supply the batteries and it is a bit weird using your tranny but you are free to do it (might need an inspection in some jurisdictions for safety reasons)

    • You are comparing apples to oranges. It would be like flashing the ECU for more horsepower on your GM. It is still the same hardware just different software on the engine computer.

      Nothing says you can't do that and 100's if not 1,000's do it every year.

      But I have also put a Lexus motor out of an ES 350 into a Nissan Altma because of the flawed 4 cylinder engine design. So, I kinda know what I am talking about.
      • And to reply to myself, I have taken the Nissan Altima to the Toyota dealer to look at the Lexus motor and the guys in the service department at Toyota get a big kick out of it.

        Some of them have seen the same swap from the Camry to the Corolla, but never to an Altima.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dryeo ( 100693 )

        Flashing the ECU may be illegal depending on jurisdiction, for air quality reasons which is understandable. Flashing a phone to increase the radio output is probably illegal too.

    • Most drag racers use Chevy motors - even in their Fords, Mopars, and occasional imports (Honda/Nissan/Mitsubishi).

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Khyber ( 864651 )

      I can tell you've never heard of conversion kits and adapter motor mounts.

      Suck my NorthStar V8 Fiero.

    • "but users own that hardware, and they should be able to use that hardware the way they want" whats next - take your GM and put a Ford engine in it CuZ I ShOuLd BE AbLe To?

      Why the hell not? If you've got the skill you should be allowed to make your deLorean into a time machine. It is YOURS the makers don't have and shouldn't have rights over what you do with it. Most they should be able to do is say you voided the warranty.

    • I know a guy (my BIL) who put a Lincoln Continental body and interior (1966 I think) on a Ford F150 chassis.

      No shit, it looks damn cool and rides like a drunken dog, but still...

      Should Lincoln or Ford have been able to tell him not to? Of course not.

    • Claim: 'copyright laws by creating software versions of the iPhone for security and testing' Strange: I don't know if it was EVER possible to buy any iPhone without the OS. So how can you infringe - let alone claim any damages? Surely Corellium knows it it perfectly legal to take an effective backup of the phone, dump it in a binary file and call it stage 1 deck. They then run a 'zap' program to change bits, splice and merge till its good and calculate checksums and the like call it stage 2 deck. Stage 3 ap
      • In the public domain! Make an after market exhaust pipe for a Tesla. Drive it with a minature rotary engine to recreate the 80's. In the UK, Rolls Royce and Bentleys NEVER broke down. What really happened was a closed side towtruck hid the vehicle so almost no one ever saw one broken down. The point is claimed reputational damage, ignoring everyone has the right to parody something. Mind you there are plenty of ugly overweight persons with uncouth manners who own an iPhone. That should also be illegal.
    • hahahahaha you waded into something you know absolutely nothing about. People have been doing engine swaps since the dawn of the motor vehicle.
  • They should take one to an Apple Genius Bar (TM) and film it just to get the reactions of the staff there ;)

    • Re:Genius Bar (TM) (Score:4, Informative)

      by jellomizer ( 103300 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:05PM (#59804550)

      Probably annoyances. Because a jerk wasted your time just to show off that he had hacked his phone and showing it off just to troll them. Where they had better things to do.

      It would be like going to McDonalds and Demanding a Whopper knowing quite well they don't sell them there. You will probably annoy the employee, not because you were clever, just that you are wasting their time, and just making their lives difficult for the reason you wanted to be a jerk.

      • I dunno. I suspect at least a few employees might be interested in how you managed to get Android on an iPhone. I suspect a lot of them are bored most of the time and it's a neat little trick even if it's barely functional. They might get annoyed if you try it on them when they're busy, though.

      • Probably annoyances. Because a jerk wasted your time just to show off that he had hacked his phone and showing it off just to troll them. Where they had better things to do.

        It would be like going to McDonalds and Demanding a Whopper knowing quite well they don't sell them there. You will probably annoy the employee, not because you were clever, just that you are wasting their time, and just making their lives difficult for the reason you wanted to be a jerk.

        I bet you're fun at parties.

  • It is becoming far too common that an individual doesn't own anything. Even your half a million dollar house is not yours. Your car is not yours. Your software has never been yours. Privacy is not yours. Now paperclips have a EULA. Just kidding but you certainly see where I am going with this.
    • Totally wrong. My software IS mine, because I use open source software. It is your fault if you don't.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dryeo ( 100693 )

        Try distributing it without the source and it's possible you will be sued for breaking the license by the owners.
        Of course if you wrote it, it is yours.

    • I have owned my truck for almost ten years now.

      • Me too!

      • And if you don't pay rent - otherwise known as PP taxes on it, how do you get plates?
        You don't own diddly.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Pascoea ( 968200 )
          You only need plates/registration if you intend on operating it on public roads. But, I understand your sentiment, the amount of things that we really own is shrinking.

          • Maybe, but I'm not sure about that perspective. I can still buy all the physical copies of books, CDs, Movies, that I want. People choose to buy digital when they have the choice of paper or physical copies. And buying the DVD is a lot cheaper than it was to buy VHS tapes.

            It's like if you used to walk everywhere in your town, and it was free, but then they created a bus service, so you use that to get around, and now people complain that they used to get around for free, but now it's so unfair that they hav

            • Point being: if you "own" 100 games on Steam, but you're not willing to put aside the terabytes of storage space to have them all downloaded at once, then *no shit* the company has more stake in your ownership. You're using their service because you explicitly didn't want to deal with having to physically manage your collection. Most of these people probably got most of their games for less than $1 each on Humble Bundle, but then they demand free ongoing tech support for life for no additional cost, and spi

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by dryeo ( 100693 )

          Just means you can't drive it on public roads. Friend of mine has an old cornbinder for plowing his long driveway and he has never paid for plates etc.
          The problem is the new vehicles software.

        • That's a usage fee for roads, not an ownership tax on having a car. You can have 50 cars driving around on your own land and not have to pay anything except for fuel.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by anegg ( 1390659 )
          Some states (Virginia?) have a personal property tax for vehicles, but many don't. In the state I live in, we pay registration fees to cover the use of the vehicle on public roads, but that's all. If we don't use the vehicle on public roads, we don't have to pay registration and there aren't any other taxes on vehicle ownership. I have a Jeep and three motorcycles that are not currently registered. I don't use them on the public roads, and I don't pay any money to the government for owning them.

  • Just to bring new live into an outdated older iPhone say an iPhone 6 or earlier. Where Apple isn't giving OS support anymore, Putting on Android, may bring some new functionality to the device.

    It is like taking an older windows PC and putting Linux on it, to speed it up. Or putting Windows 10 on an older Mac as the primary OS.

    • Windows 10 on an old machine to speed it up? Really?

      • He specifically said an old Mac. And that's more likely because Windows 10 is designed to install on a much wider range of hardware than the latest Mac OS. Apple aren't very good when it comes to support for previous generation stuff.

        • You miss my point. Windows being faster than macOS, on the same hardware? At one point, I had a dual Xeon 1.4 Ghz running windows and Linux, and I still preferred using my 450Mhz Mac.

    • iPhone 6 is still useful (Score:4, Informative)

      by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:20PM (#59804616)

      Just to bring new live into an outdated older iPhone say an iPhone 6 or earlier. Where Apple isn't giving OS support anymore, Putting on Android, may bring some new functionality to the device.

      Just to be pedantic, the iPhone 6 still runs iOS 12.x, and is still getting patches [wikipedia.org]... iOS devs generally support at least one version back so pretty much any app would run on it.

      In fact you have to go all the way back to the iPhone 5 (released Sep 2013) to find a model that Apple is not providing fixes for,

      • Though that is both pretty good and better than I thought (I read that the 6 didn't get the latest iOS anymore), the 6 was still being sold less than 2 years ago where I live...

        Contrast that to my old Galaxy Siii which dates back to 2012, was sold up to 2014 but there are still custom ROMs available for it. I also have 2 Galaxy S4 which get a weekly or daily update of Lineage OS.

        Regarding official updates, my OnePlus 3T got its final update last October, hadn't been on sale since spring 2017, and it rec

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by pak9rabid ( 1011935 )
      Considering that Android hardware needs about twice the amount of RAM that a comparable iPhone does, I doubt putting a recent version of Android OS on an older iPhone would be breathing much life into it.
    • I know the first-gen iPad hardware is limited, and a RTOS would be a better fit for it, but perhaps a stripped down version of Android would work on the two I still have. They're fully functional and in good shape, but I can't use them for much because they're running iOS 5.1.1 with all its glorious security issues and old bug-riddled apps.

      Even if I could turn it into an embedded display for home automation or a network-enabled calendar/picture display, that would be better than the abandoned disaster-i

  • For most users... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by sinij ( 911942 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:10PM (#59804572)
    For most users, these walls keep the barbarian hordes out. Apple does a much better job keeping malware off my elderly mother phone than any Android could. I rarely if ever get a technical support call from her. I used to get them almost weekly back when she had a Windows desktop.

    • Wait. Apple is doing a good job for your mother phone, sure. Windows is total crap on that front, sure. But please explain how Android is worse than Apple.

      Android is doing a great job on my parents phone as well, never had a call either. Same on my phone, never had any worry about it. Just the same as my linux PCs.

      So it's pretty much only Microsoft that never managed to understand how to manage software and drivers through a central, controlled repo.

      The core issue here is about the time you get security

    • Not a great argument: aren't you saying that Apple is better than Android because Windows is worse than Apple?

  • 0wn what you Own (Score:3)

    by bill_mcgonigle ( 4333 ) * on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:10PM (#59804574) Homepage Journal

    It would be hilarious if LineageOS was able to make the iPhone 4/5 series securely usable again on the Internet.

    PS who has a good typeface?

  • This time, with BSD.

  • So basically they are cursing the iPhone. (Score:3)

    by Dirk Becher ( 1061828 ) on Friday March 06, 2020 @05:14PM (#59804590)

    It's like D&D in real life.

  • I'm not sure I see how it removes their legal liability if they really did just wholesale copy iOS from the phone and resell the code to other people? I thought that's originally what Apple claimed, or at least strongly implied?

    I'm seeing some news stories out there now that talk of this case possibly dangerously expanding copyright law, etc. But they seem to be operating under the assumption that Apple's only legal complaint is that you can't write your own software simulation of an iPhone without violati

  • Does Forbes.com still insist you turn off your ad blocker before giving you an article?
    Do they still deal with untrustworthy third-party ad aggregators that push out malware?

  • You may own your phone and the ability to load whatever on to it,
    but would there be issues with connecting it to the cellular network
    as well as the device no longer being the same thing that the FCC
    cleared for its radio emission profile?

  • contractor L3Harris". Now there's a giant mouth sucking at the public tit.

  • (title says it all!)

  • Let me know when someone can load iOS on an Android phone, now THAT would deserve accolades!
    Getting sick of landfill Androids and the insecure play store.

  • Gee, I hope that doesn't void my warranty.

  • ...but at the same time, I don't see any reason why doing this should be disallowed. So long as Apple isn't held responsible for people screwing up the software, or any hardware damage installation and use could entail, people should be allowed to screw with their phones however they want, even if it does seem useless.

    Yaz

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