After initially rejecting it, Apple has approved the first PC emulator for iOS

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

What UTM SE Enables

  • Lets iOS/iPadOS devices run full PC operating systems (Windows, various Linux distros) without bundling them.
  • People note this finally allows “real” Linux, legacy Windows, and even old Flash runtimes on non‑jailbroken iPhones/iPads.
  • Several see this as much more interesting for iPads than for phones, especially with keyboard/mouse.

Performance and JIT Limitations

  • iOS’s ban on JIT and native virtualization means UTM SE relies on interpretation-only emulation.
  • Reports vary:
    • On some devices (e.g., M1 iPad Pro with Debian ARM + lightweight desktop), users find it “surprisingly usable.”
    • Others find x86 Linux installs effectively unusable (multi‑minute boots, laggy input) and very heavy on battery.
  • Many say the app is currently more of a proof‑of‑concept than a practical daily tool on iOS.

Technical Notes (QEMU TCTI and Interpreters)

  • Discussion of QEMU’s TCTI backend: a “threaded code” interpreter that amortizes decode overhead via jump tables, improving speed without JIT.
  • Some argue that even highly optimized interpreters top out around 15–20% of native speed; others call that “very fast for an interpreter but still very slow” compared to JIT.

Apple’s Control, Security, and Regulation

  • Strong debate over whether Apple’s JIT ban is:
    • A necessary security measure within iOS’s current design, or
    • A pretext to preserve App Store control and revenue.
  • DMA discussion:
    • One side claims JIT bans won’t survive the EU’s “strictly necessary and proportionate” standard, pointing to Android’s JIT as evidence.
    • Others counter that Android has more malware and that different OS designs justify different constraints.
  • Broader argument about whether iPhones/iPads should be treated as general‑purpose computers versus tightly managed appliances, and whether regulation (EU, DMA, right‑to‑repair) is appropriate.

Ownership, Repairability, and Philosophy

  • Some insist that once bought, devices should be fully under user control, including OS choice and side‑loading.
  • Others argue Apple clearly markets a locked‑down ecosystem; dissatisfied users should “buy something else” rather than legislate changes.
  • Tangents on lost service manuals/DIY repair culture, anti‑theft kill switches, and how security/anti‑theft features trade off against hackability and repair.