»It's Android. For the iPhone. «With this sentence, the two developers at Project Sandcastle are promoting their Android version for iPhones, which they are now calling free beta version for download provide.
Interested iPhone owners can use the Android version Jailbreak tools chekra1n Install version 0.9.8.1 like Heise reported. The checkra1n developers emphasize on Twitter that the installation is not invasive and can be carried out very easily:
This is completely non-invasive and should not damage the current iOS install at all. Plus, the setup is very simple. Try it out!
– checkra1n (@ checkra1n) March 4, 2020
Less electronic waste thanks to Android?
The company Corellium, which is behind the development of Project Sandcastle, bases the idea behind the Android version for iPhones on the advantages that such a smartphone with a dual system offers:
- Android for iPhones gives users more freedom over the hardware they own.
- Older iPhones can still be used with Android, which inhibits the spread of electronic waste.
- Users can use iPhones with Android for forensic security research or as volatile dual-boot devices (for example for encrypted communication, which is why the Android build from Project Sandcastle automatically includes the messenger signal).
Compatible only with older iPhone models: Project Sandcastle's beta currently only works on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7+ and the seventh generation iPod Touch. However, more iPhone models will follow.
Apple and Corellium – a difficult relationship
It remains to be seen whether Apple will tolerate the Sandcastle project in the long term. The US company is currently located in a lawsuit with the developer Corellium.
Subject of the lawsuit from Apple represents a cloud-based virtualization of iOS, which should provide a test environment for the identification of security gaps.
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Apple claims Corellium simply copied iOS without a license, which is a copyright infringement. Corellium argues against it.
The own virtualization of iOS is covered by the existing exceptions to the DRM environmental ban and Apple simply wants to have sole control over iOS security research. Incidentally, Apple itself is said to have tried several times to buy Corellium.
