Hardcore Linux hackers have been looking for ways to make the iPhone and Linux co-exist on friendlier terms ever since the iPhone’s introduction. The best they’ve managed so far was to get Ubuntu and iPhone to wirelessly sync earlier this year.

It’s just what Linux hackers do: They try to install Linux on everything capable of running an OS and so far, they’ve been making good progress toward world domination.

However, not even the most hardened Linux advocates would have expected to see Linux running on the iPhone at this stage in the iPhone’s lifecycle. So, imagine their surprise when the iphone-Devteam announced that it has Linux up and running, sort of, on the iPhone.

The iPhone-Devteam, Apple’s nemesis, has cracked each update of the Apple’s iPhone OS, opening the phone to third-party apps you won’t find in the App Store.

Devteam member, “Planetbeing” made the big announcement 2 days ago on his Linux on the iPhone blog.

It’s more of a proof of concept than a real-live, working port, despite Planetbeing’s claim to the contrary. Here’s what Devteam has so far (straight off the Linux on the iPhone Blog):

- Framebuffer driver
- Serial driver
- Serial over USB driver
- Interrupts, MMU, clock, etc.

Here’s what’s missing:

- Write support for the NAND (flash memory)
- Wireless networking
- Touchscreen
- Sound
- Accelerometer
- Baseband support

Instructions and a download are available.

Here’s a video of Linux on the iPhone in action:

iPhone Linux Demonstration Video from Planetbeing on Vimeo.

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app category: Breaking News