Windows Phone hack could create Android dual-boot

Enterprising modders are seemingly one step closer to getting Windows Phone 7 devices to dual-boot with Android and other platforms, with Samsung's Focus being coaxed into running an unofficial bootloader. The handiwork of DFT (Dark Forces Team)'s Cotulla, the hack currently allows the MAGLDR bootloader to run after the Focus' original bootloader, with the eventual goal being a selection of official and unofficial ROMs to choose from.

One obvious possibility is that the aftermarket ROM community could get newer versions of Windows Phone running on the Focus, long after Samsung has given up support for the first-gen device. However, it's also likely that attentions will also turn to other popular mobile platforms, such as Android.

We've already seen Android and Windows Phone 7 running on unofficial hardware: the venerable HTC HD2 has been blessed with both Google and Microsoft's platforms at different times, and there's a dual-boot hack out in the wild too. However, efforts to get dual-boot options running on current Windows Phone hardware have been less fruitful

Cotulla's first release will apparently be for the Focus only, though future builds may add support for other Samsung handsets such as the Omnia 7. It's unclear what work would be required to bring it to other devices, such as Nokia's new Lumia 800; we can think of plenty of people who would jump at the opportunity to have Lumia hardware running both Windows Phone and Android.

[via WPCentral; via Steve Troughton-Smith]