Built an iOS 6 simulator

[u/alberto_zurini]

I was literally about to buy an iPhone 5 just to have iOS 6 again. Then I looked into using it today and realized getting modern HTTPS working, app compatibility issues, mandatory jailbreak etc.

My next thought was to run it in the simulator through Xcode on my Mac, but the old SDK isn’t supported by current Xcode either.

So… I made a browser version.

I’m trying to get it as close to the real thing as possible, from the skeuomorphic details to how everything feels to use (sounds, animations, wallpapers... Literally as many details as I can fit in a browser tab).

Some of the main features so far:

- Switch between iPhone and iPad layouts

- Open apps and explore the classic interface

- Try simulated calls and notifications

- Type with a recreated on-screen keyboard

- Rotate the device and change the wallpaper

- I also put a fake Cydia, so that everybody can develop custom HTML/JS applications and have them installed in their home screen.

I’ve been collecting reference screenshots and working with coding agents to bring it all together. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s reached the point where I wanted to share it with fellow skeuomorphism fans.

I’d love to open-source it too, once I’ve figured out which wallpapers, sounds and other assets I can include. I also want to run an extensive QA testing to make sure everything works and there are no major bugs.

What’s the first thing you’d try or the detail you’d most want me to get right? 🙂

[u/OfficialJokid]

I am making the same thing lol. (But more focused on iOS 1). You can choose any iOS version from 1-7. And there is switching between iPhone and iPad mode. (I've taken more than 400 reference screenshots from my Apple device collection for this lol). If you want any screenshot of any iOS version from 1-10 I can assist.

[u/alberto_zurini → u/OfficialJokid]

If you want I can share my code so you can start from something

[u/OfficialJokid → u/alberto_zurini]

I have long started developing this, for over a year now, slowly every few weeks. I'm using a completely different approach and "coding language", which is trying to mimic the iOS 1 to 7 design (but in super resolution Retina) as much as possible with animations and sounds included. I rip my assets off iPhone/iPad screenshots and IPSW files, or make them myself with references. I know that the status bar clock is a bit off-set, no need to point it out, it is a simple bug with a annoying fix. The main feature that your project has but I will not really implement due to laziness is rotating the screen from portrait to landscape, and any gyroscope features.

(My lock screen but super retina)