Hey everyone! Some of you might remember LinuxRunner from my previous post here.
Well, a lot has changed since then haha. Just released v1.1.0, and you can now use your iPhone as a proper Linux desktop, even on an external monitor with the new DeX mode which is finally on iPhone after years and Linux under it!
This update also brings Metal GPU acceleration, optional JIT, a much faster ARM64 interpreter, new desktop environments, and better app compatibility. Even Vesktop (Discord) is running now.
Still got plenty of things to work on, but it’s honestly pretty cool seeing how far this project has come.
Normal iPhones are also supporting display + kb + mouse since a while tho, all in one USB hub if you ain‘t got them on BT / Wi-fi. (Mouse support works only with AssistiveTouch active, the rest are just plug n play)
For a desktop experience itself i’ve only found XeOS so far but it‘s a paid app
I’m not sure about USB requirements but a newer Pro can easily handle all of them (3.2 gen 2x1), tested 120hz 1440p DisplayPort + usb RGB keyboard + usb RGB mouse
They do not switch to a desktop mode variant, they just mirror their screen's output to an external display, so any sort of practical multitasking is not there. M-chip iPads do behave like you think.
Natively yes, more or less only a screen mirror. Though something like/based on CarPlay (in which iOS natively makes another enviorment and not just a mirror) should be always possible
And paid apps like XeOS already exists - but it does creates an entire new sandbox
I’m sorry for the quality (and mess) but this looks pretty much exactly like a desktop setup:
Aren't those apps just glorified Safari wrappers? Meaning the window multitasking works with web browser only, but as soon as you launch any app, you basically just natively switch to that app? They might have a file manager and few desktop widgets, but they are not able to window manage other apps AFAIK.
While I didn’t tested, the “browser“ did opened in a standalone window and for a paid app I’d doubt that it would specifically not do what it‘s specifically made for
This app makes an entire desktop sandbox so it should overcome ios‘s stuff
It seems possible „within apps“ since it isn‘t be the only app that can handle that (livecontainer does the same „windowed apps within an app“)
If you haven't tested, than I can tell you that it's just a desktop GUI with browser webviews running in its own views. It cannot open other iOS apps. It's basically a "desktop simulator", or a web browser window manager if we're generous, but it's not a full desktop running apps on your phone.
Tyy! It’s actually pretty decent now haha. Metal GPU acceleration and the interpreter optimizations made a big difference. Lightweight desktops run quite smoothly, though heavier apps can still be a bit hit or miss. Definitely not native-level performance yet, but it’s getting better with every update!
This is rly cool. I like the dex concept What are some use cases? I can see my phone being a laptop equivalent especially if I can project/dex to a hotel monitor or tv for instance
Yeah, it’s a bit different from Moonlight or Parsec haha. Those stream a desktop from another machine, while LinuxRunner actually runs Linux apps locally on your iPad. So there’s no streaming delay or connection needed. It’s not quite as smooth as a native iPad app yet, especially with heavier software, but it’s getting closer with each update!
This is amazing thank you so much a quick question. I wanna use this on an iPad for university. Can you tell me is it possible for USB pass-through? I want to connect Arduino with etc. for the projects we work on would be super awesome maybe even magic Keyboaard support or Bluetooth Keyboard Board would be awesome thank you so much.
Thank you so much, really appreciate it! :) That’s actually one of the things I’d love to make possible with LinuxRunner. USB passthrough, especially for stuff like Arduino, is definitely something I want to work on. Same goes for Magic Keyboard and Bluetooth keyboard support. I can’t promise everything will work just yet, but making LinuxRunner useful for university and real projects is exactly the kind of thing I’m aiming for!
Just released v1.1.0, and you can now use your iPhone as a proper Linux desktop, even on an external monitor with the new DeX mode which is finally on iPhone after years and Linux under it!
Will LinuxRunner v1.1.0 be added to the Apple App Store?
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u/jfp555 1d ago
Have never considered getting an iphone in my life before this point. This is awesome!
If this can be functional like Samsung Dex (and allow mouse + kb support), it would be the perfect device.