poki: let AI agents operate a real iPhone, no jailbreak
poki is a local MCP server and agent that lets AI agents operate a real iPhone, reading the screen and tapping through apps with no jailbreak and no extra hardware; 367 stars a day after release.
Why it matters
It closes the gap between simulators and real devices: agents can test and operate an actual iPhone over a local MCP connection instead of guessing at device-specific behaviour.
What you could build with it
An indie developer could wire poki into a coding agent so the agent tests a mobile app on a real iPhone, tapping through flows and reading the screen, instead of relying on simulators that miss device-specific bugs.
Does it hold up?
Working but narrow: recorded demos drive a real iPhone through Maps, WeChat and Reminders via MCP, and it passed 700 stars in four days; physical devices are verified only on the Chinese interface in portrait, and the README warns it will send messages or make payments if asked, so it is an experiment, not a daily driver.
Built with poki
- Poki lets Claude Code or Codex drive a real iPhone over MCP with no jailbreakmindpattern · Walkthrough of Poki's local MCP server and standalone agent, setup needs (macOS 15, Xcode, USB pairing) and the caveats: physical devices verified only on the Chinese interface, portrait only.
- Poki — iPhone Control MCP Server for AIeverydev · Tool overview with the project's own demos: driving Maps, WeChat, Reminders, Notes and Calendar, including a train-booking demo that stops before payment.
- Poki repo overview and demo videosreporadar · Repo tracker page noting contributor-recorded demo videos of Poki driving a real iPhone, plus star growth and the AGPL-3.0 license.
Learn more
First spotted on github: source.
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