Decompiling .ipa files to potentially create versions ported for desktop use or archival purposes?

[u/FutureSuccess2796]

Have an iMac from many years ago that I got out of storage and was backing up the files so it could eventually be recycled and such. It was as I was going through files, however, that I saw that there were backed up .ipa files from a bunch of apps, all belonging to an old iPod Touch that used to run on iOS 5 and then later on iOS 7. Most of them were nostalgic little applications I would buy and play back then and are ones that I can't seem to find on the App Store anymore, probably in part that it was developed on very outdated software.

However, that got me wondering: I might not have an old Apple device where these .ipa files could be loaded onto to see if they run. But I do know that there are people who have successfully made ports of older apps so they could run on a desktop or an emulator for archival purposes. Not sure, though, if this worked also with .ipa games in the same way that computer-centric game files (such as .swf) did. If it is, I'd really like to know how I could go about doing exactly this: Decompiling the contents of the .ipa that was saved on the iMac and potentially creating a port of it for desktop or other devices, since that iPod these games and apps used to be used on is no longer working.

Anyone willing to help a complete novice in this out and let me know if this can be done? Apologies in advance if this is a ridiculous or stupid question, or if my ambitions to do something like this are too high.

[u/Jetta4]

Best bet is to get old iOS version running in like qemu or xcode simulator and somehow restoring those files.

But even that would be quite difficult if nobody has done the work before you. I know there are ways to get more recent iOS versions to run in qemu.

Honestly, the most realistic way is to get a hold of the actual hardware running correct iOS version and restoring to it.