Under different instructions, the foundation framework, the memory layout of a class, the arrangement or implementation of virtual function table are slightly different. Nevertheless, the ABI includes not only c standards but also c++ ones. In order to do that, we hacked compiler of LLVM, scanning the whole SDK, generating all API parameter infomation, under which part of the ABI bridge may finally work. We have to build an ABI bridge for 2 instructions for they have different ABI standards.

In the whole emulation, only the instructions within the iOS App is run in the mode of qemu JIT, while all the frameworks from Apple run natively on Intel CPU. First, and most obviously, we face the problem of instruction translation between x86-64 and ARM. The are many puzzles to solve in order to run ARM-based iOS Apps on x86-based systems. We abandoned the plan due to efficiency and compatibility problems. Our emulator once has a Virtulbox-based shell in which macOS runs, so the whole system runs in Windows. We modified and hacked a lot on the simulator, making it possbile to run ARM-based commerical iOS Apps released in AppStore inside iOS Simulator. The iOS Simulator that comes with Xcode is capable of running iOS Apps based on x86 instructions, which means you must own the source. The emulator runs on Intel x86-64 macOS/Xcode (This release works under Catalina). When there was no working iOS emulator throughout the world, we decided to work one out for ourselves. However, our development settled years ago.

In the year of 2021, Apple has unleashed ARM-based M1 chips for macintosh, making it much easier to run iOS Apps on PC-platform. Hello everyone, we present a working iOS App emulator for x86-based macOS here. Take note that this list is live and based on most frequent questions in posts will be updated with 'quicklinks'.

There's too many to list them all, however here's a convenient link to all programming guides at

There is also dedicated subreddit for learning Objective-C: /r/learnobjectivec.

Objective-C primer if you are new to the language and CocoaTouch frameworks.

The Swift Programming Language also available as an iBook - new Apple's programming language for writing iOS and OS X applications.

Swift or Objective-C? if you don't know which language to choose.

If you are looking to get started (iOS programming in general or some specific area), here are more relevant links for you: Please browse it first before asking questions that are answered there.

Apple iphone emulator for mac