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High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

github.com

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Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#41

Post by layer8 »

ianlevesque wrote: post #2

Very interesting. The "why" context seems to be buried in an issue comment https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuec... and I guess the purpose is to emulate old iOS games, from the early Cambrian explosion of ideas at the start of the App Store. This is also an era I am nostalgic for, with lots of new concepts, art pieces, and indie games, before anyone knew how to sustainably monetize, for better…

A lot of games were cut off by the 64-bit transition. I'm still a bit sour that Apple didn’t add a 32-bit compatibility layer.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#42

Post by layer8 »

gmerc wrote: post #7
ianlevesque wrote: post #2

Very interesting. The "why" context seems to be buried in an issue comment https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuec... and I guess the purpose is to emulate old iOS games, from the early Cambrian explosion of ideas at the start of the App Store. This is also an era I am nostalgic for, with lots of new concepts, art pieces, and indie games, before anyone knew how to sustainably monetize, for better…

if this can run bookworm I am sold

Not yet: https://appdb.touchhle.org/

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#43

Post by vasdae »

callalex wrote: post #4

Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version, and even on new Linux distros that couldn’t have even been imagined in 2009. Exactly zero software that I purchased on the App Store since 2009 still functions at all, on the exact same platform. What a pathetic showing by Apple.

>Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version

I don't believe this. Perhaps you meant "Every single program"? ;)

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#44

Post by devnullbrain »

jeswin wrote: post #9
jwells89 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that really a fair comparison, though? The changes seen by smartphones (both hardware and software) in that period of time are much more dramatic than PCs saw in the same period. In 2009, PCs as a device category were mature already while smartphones were just getting started. Windows (and thus anything mimicking it) is also a bit of on outlier when it comes to backwards compatibility anyway. There aren’t too many…

> Is that really a fair comparison, though? GP is highlighting a problem with Apple, and it's quite true. I have a licenses to Macomedia Fireworks (from 2010) for macOS and Windows. Windows version works still flawlessly. macOS dropped 32-bit support after Mojave (2018). I paid good money for Fireworks, and more importantly I loved that app.

I can run x86 Steam games on Windows for Arm because Microsoft added x86 emulation.

I can't run Mac Steam games on Mac because Apple dropped 32-bit support.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#45

Post by fuzzy2 »

callalex wrote: post #4

Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version, and even on new Linux distros that couldn’t have even been imagined in 2009. Exactly zero software that I purchased on the App Store since 2009 still functions at all, on the exact same platform. What a pathetic showing by Apple.

Yes, Microsoft is incredibly (read: ridiculously) focused on backwards-compatibility. It is Windows’ USP. It’s also a huge driver in making Windows suck so much.

Apple appears to be rather focused on not keeping legacy stuff around too long. Good on them.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#46

Post by mchanson »

callalex wrote: post #4

Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version, and even on new Linux distros that couldn’t have even been imagined in 2009. Exactly zero software that I purchased on the App Store since 2009 still functions at all, on the exact same platform. What a pathetic showing by Apple.

Apple doesn't prioritize it. And it is a bummer. Leaves it to the community, but then their OSes are so locked down that its probably a harder problem than on other platforms.

History matters and Apple could invest a bit here to go a long way.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#47

Post by BirAdam »

devnullbrain wrote: post #44
jeswin wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is that really a fair comparison, though? GP is highlighting a problem with Apple, and it's quite true. I have a licenses to Macomedia Fireworks (from 2010) for macOS and Windows. Windows version works still flawlessly. macOS dropped 32-bit support after Mojave (2018). I paid good money for Fireworks, and more importantly I loved that app.

I can run x86 Steam games on Windows for Arm because Microsoft added x86 emulation. I can't run Mac Steam games on Mac because Apple dropped 32-bit support.

Binaries from just a few releases ago may not run on macOS due to OS changes, but Apple isn’t alone in this. With a Linux system, your distro may change so rapidly that something from 6 months ago may not run. In both cases, an adept user may be able to make most things work, but it is annoying.

The flip side of this is that both Linux and macOS are typically a bit more reliable than Windows. The heavy focus on backwards compatibility limits what Microsoft can do to push NT forward. Also, Microsoft should more heavily leverage NT’s personalities… that’d be fun.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#48

Post by hedora »

callalex wrote: post #4

Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version, and even on new Linux distros that couldn’t have even been imagined in 2009. Exactly zero software that I purchased on the App Store since 2009 still functions at all, on the exact same platform. What a pathetic showing by Apple.

About half the MacOS software I had in 2009 still works, but only because it has Windows ports that I can run in Linux via Steam.

About 10% still works on MacOS.

Re: High-level emulator for iPhone OS apps

#49

Post by TazeTSchnitzel »

jwells89 wrote: post #6
callalex wrote: post #4

Almost every program that I bought on the Steam store in 2009 runs flawlessly today on the latest Windows version, and even on new Linux distros that couldn’t have even been imagined in 2009. Exactly zero software that I purchased on the App Store since 2009 still functions at all, on the exact same platform. What a pathetic showing by Apple.

Is that really a fair comparison, though? The changes seen by smartphones (both hardware and software) in that period of time are much more dramatic than PCs saw in the same period. In 2009, PCs as a device category were mature already while smartphones were just getting started. Windows (and thus anything mimicking it) is also a bit of on outlier when it comes to backwards compatibility anyway. There aren’t too many…

> The changes seen by smartphones (both hardware and software) in that period of time are much more dramatic than PCs saw in the same period.

They certainly got a lot more powerful, but the fundamental software architecture hasn't radically changed. An iPhone OS app from 2008 can be recompiled for 2023's iOS and will still work. iPhone OS inherited its whole architecture from OS X, which gave it room to grow into more powerful devices without radical changes. Pre-iPhone smartphones were a different beast.

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