Six Columbia University students have come up with “Cider,” an OS compatibility architecture capable of running iOS apps on Android.
9to5Mac notes that the video above shows the software in action on a Nexus 7, with iOS apps running alongside Android apps as if they were real Android apps.
As you might imagine, performance is an issue, and there are other issues, such as iOS apps can’t access most hardware, such as GPS and cellular hardware.
Cider is still in its early prototype stages, so such things are to be expected. If the software is allowed to mature, (i.e. Apple’s legal hammer doesn’t come down), it’s possible that current limitations can be fixed.
The full paper on the project can be read in PDF format on the Columbia University website.
