Windows XP might be long gone, but not forgotten. One developer has managed to get the outdated operating system running on a new iPhone 7 through emulation. That does mean it’s rather slow, but if making songs from its error noises wasn’t enough for you, a quick mobile flashback might do the nostalgia trick.
Achieved by Youtuber Hacking Jules, Windows XP Professional was booted up on the iPhone 7 running iOS version 10.2.1 using the Xcode emulator. It’s not the speediest of boots, partly due to the old operating system and partly because it’s not being run natively. The reason it looks rather poor graphically, too, is due to the emulated video card being VGA only, we are told.
When it does finally boot up at around the three-minute mark of the above video, you can really tell how much Windows XP was not designed with the touch interface in mind, as getting the mouse pointer to do what you want with gesture commands is not easy.
Still, Jules does manage it and we are treated to a slow loading control panel and system menu, as well as a look at a classic tool — the Windows calculator.
If you too would like to experience the wonders of a turn-of-the-century operating system on a contemporary piece of hardware, you can follow in Jules’ footsteps using the GitHub linked files and guide. You will need a bit of technical know-how and a willingness to turn your zippy, modern device into something far less impressive, but for anyone wishing for a fun, nostalgic challenge, it might fill a few hours of your time.
If you are still using Windows XP on your desktop or laptop, though, remember that it is not only not supported by Microsoft for even the most important security updates, but game developer Blizzard will be dropping support this year. XP gamers need to update before they miss out.