Would ROMs be possible on an iPhone?

FatGuy007 · Dec 27, 2012, 09:49 PM

After returning to iOS from Android, probably the only thing I miss were the roms. Because once an iOS device is jailbroken, it's basically rooted. Is their a chip inside an Android phone that's not inside an iOS device, what's stopping them?

Applejuiced · Dec 27, 2012, 09:50 PM

What?
What exactly do you mean when you say ROMs?

eyoungren · Dec 27, 2012, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

What?
What exactly do you mean when you say ROMs?

With Android and older WinMo phones it's possible to flash custom versions of an OS to the device. These are called ROMs and they can change the way the device functions how the GUI looks or unlock certain features that aren't ordinarily available. Custom ROMs can be built around themes or specific features. There are tools available (much like jailbreaking tools) that allow these ROMs to be flashed.

Custom ROMS have a large following (most devs build them for free) and are one of the reasons Android is so popular; because you can customize your phone any which way you want.

OP, I don't think this is possible with iOS. But I am frequently wrong, so, you never know.

Applejuiced · Dec 27, 2012, 10:08 PM

Oh, I thought he was talking about SNES ROMs or such.
Thanks for clearing it.
My take is if you JB an iphone you can install tons of different addons, tweaks, hacks, winterboard and dreamboard themes and such that can make the phone behave or act very different than stock.
Similar to what you experienced with android roms.
Once an iphone is JB sky is the limit. There's some really nice, usefull and very creative packages on Cydia.

Axious · Dec 27, 2012, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

What?
What exactly do you mean when you say ROMs?

I think its the ability to change Android OS into a whole new experience.You can put IOS created roms into android so it look and feel like an IOS but it may not function exactly like IOS or you can put any version of Android with or without modifycation from developers. Basically its customization to the MAX its an Android thing i may be wrong

eyoungren · Dec 27, 2012, 10:20 PM

I would try poking around Cydia first, as Applejuiced mentioned, just to see what's there. At one point I had my iPhone 3GS setup to display the HTC Flipclock with Weather (5 day forecast) on the lock screen and one of my home screens. Cydia has a ton of themes for just about anything (and Android themes are popular).

You can accomplish quite a bit without a custom ROM if you dig deep enough.

throAU · Dec 27, 2012, 10:59 PM

If an iOS device is jailbroken, it could have a fully custom OS on it, yes.

The only thing stopping it is that no one has written a fully custom OS, likely because apple do not release the source code for iOS as a base for them to work with.

But in theory, yes you could even run android on an iphone.

Like this:

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/11...ix-easy-steps/

dictoresno · Dec 28, 2012, 01:00 AM

iOS is a closed source OS, like Windows. Linux, which Android is based off of, is open sourced. Therefore, anyone is able to take a distro and rework it to make it suitable for them. Since iOS is closed and not released to the public, theres no code to customize and build ROMS off of.

Personally, as an ex-Android user, custom ROMs are hit or miss and you are at the mercy of the writer. Some work really well, some dont. I wouldnt call myself a true purist, but of all the custom ROMs ive used, I could never find one I truly liked that didnt have some minor bugs. Not to mention, it was a pain to flash ROMs over and over again. Im satisfied that im not tempted anymore, like i did with Blackberry and Android, to keep messing with OS files and manipulate things.

Agent-P · Dec 28, 2012, 02:36 AM

I have to agree with the previous posters. While there aren't custom roms for iOS, with the plethora of various tweaks and customizations available via jailbreaking, you can pretty much create a custom rom yourself.

AppleFanatic10 · Dec 28, 2012, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Oh, I thought he was talking about SNES ROMs or such.
Thanks for clearing it.
My take is if you JB an iphone you can install tons of different addons, tweaks, hacks, winterboard and dreamboard themes and such that can make the phone behave or act very different than stock.
Similar to what you experienced with android roms.
Once an iphone is JB sky is the limit. There's some really nice, usefull and very creative packages on Cydia.

Lol. That's what I was thinking. I was about to explain the whole game ROM thing too. Glad that got cleared up.

FatGuy007 · Dec 28, 2012, 11:07 AM

Thanks for clearing that I mean custom roms, not game roms. But I mean roms like the Cyanogenmod rom on the iPhone. Roms that develpors made and you can flash.

Applejuiced · Dec 28, 2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatGuy007

Thanks for clearing that I mean custom roms, not game roms. But I mean roms like the Cyanogenmod rom on the iPhone. Roms that develpors made and you can flash.

No, cyanogenmod is only for androids.
Different OS's.
You cant get every thing you see on the android for the iphone.
Totally different ecosystems.
You cant install custom firmware with all the changes done up to them prior.
For the iphone you have to JB first and then make the changes with addons and JB packages to your phone.
It doesnt work the same way as androids.
Hope we explained it in a simple way for you. No such thing as custom ROM's for iphones.

Dec 27, 2012, 09:49 PM	#1
FatGuy007 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: New York	Would ROMs be possible on an iPhone? After returning to iOS from Android, probably the only thing I miss were the roms. Because once an iOS device is jailbroken, it's basically rooted. Is their a chip inside an Android phone that's not inside an iOS device, what's stopping them?
	1

Dec 27, 2012, 10:20 PM	#6
eyoungren macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Phoenix, AZ USA	I would try poking around Cydia first, as Applejuiced mentioned, just to see what's there. At one point I had my iPhone 3GS setup to display the HTC Flipclock with Weather (5 day forecast) on the lock screen and one of my home screens. Cydia has a ton of themes for just about anything (and Android themes are popular). You can accomplish quite a bit without a custom ROM if you dig deep enough. __________________ 17" PBG4: 1GHZ, 2GB RAM, 100GB HD • 17" PBG4 DLSD-HD: 1.67 GHZ, 2GB RAM, 320GB HD • PMG5: 1.8GHZ, 4GB RAM, 2-435GB HD i5: 64GB, BLK
	2

Dec 27, 2012, 10:59 PM	#7
throAU macrumors 68020 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia	If an iOS device is jailbroken, it could have a fully custom OS on it, yes. The only thing stopping it is that no one has written a fully custom OS, likely because apple do not release the source code for iOS as a base for them to work with. But in theory, yes you could even run android on an iphone. Like this: http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/11...ix-easy-steps/ __________________ MBP (early 2011) - Core i7 2720 2.2ghz, Hires Glossy, 16GB, Seagate Momentus XT 750GB Mac Mini (mid 2007) - Core2 Duo 1.8, 2gb, 320gb 7200 rpm iPhone 4S, iPad 4
	1

Dec 28, 2012, 01:00 AM	#8
dictoresno macrumors 65816 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NJ	iOS is a closed source OS, like Windows. Linux, which Android is based off of, is open sourced. Therefore, anyone is able to take a distro and rework it to make it suitable for them. Since iOS is closed and not released to the public, theres no code to customize and build ROMS off of. Personally, as an ex-Android user, custom ROMs are hit or miss and you are at the mercy of the writer. Some work really well, some dont. I wouldnt call myself a true purist, but of all the custom ROMs ive used, I could never find one I truly liked that didnt have some minor bugs. Not to mention, it was a pain to flash ROMs over and over again. Im satisfied that im not tempted anymore, like i did with Blackberry and Android, to keep messing with OS files and manipulate things. __________________ Verizon iPhone 5 32GB Black iPad Mini 16GB Black iPod Touch 4th Generation 64GB
	1

Dec 28, 2012, 02:36 AM	#9
Agent-P macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Colorado	I have to agree with the previous posters. While there aren't custom roms for iOS, with the plethora of various tweaks and customizations available via jailbreaking, you can pretty much create a custom rom yourself. __________________ I have a dream that one day iOS users, Android users, and Windows Phone users will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. Follow me on Twitter
	1

Dec 27, 2012, 09:50 PM	#2
Applejuiced macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: At the iPhone hacks section.	What? What exactly do you mean when you say ROMs?
	1

Dec 27, 2012, 10:08 PM	#4
Applejuiced macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: At the iPhone hacks section.	Oh, I thought he was talking about SNES ROMs or such. Thanks for clearing it. My take is if you JB an iphone you can install tons of different addons, tweaks, hacks, winterboard and dreamboard themes and such that can make the phone behave or act very different than stock. Similar to what you experienced with android roms. Once an iphone is JB sky is the limit. There's some really nice, usefull and very creative packages on Cydia.
	1

Dec 28, 2012, 11:07 AM	#11
FatGuy007 Thread Starter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: New York	Thanks for clearing that I mean custom roms, not game roms. But I mean roms like the Cyanogenmod rom on the iPhone. Roms that develpors made and you can flash.
	0

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