iOS 5.0.1 running on an iPhone 4S |
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| Company / developer | Apple |
| Programmed in | C, C++, Objective-C |
| OS family | Mac OS X/BSD/Unix-like |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Closed |
| Initial release | June 29, 2007 |
| Latest stable release |
5.0.1 (Build 9A406) (December 15, 2011)
5.0.1 (Build 9A405) (November 10, 2011)
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| Latest unstable release |
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| Available language(s) | 34 languages[1][2] |
| Supported platforms | ARM (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac OS X, and 2nd gen Apple TV) |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| Default user interface | Cocoa Touch (Multi-touch, GUI) |
| License | Proprietary EULA except for open-source components |
| Official website | www.apple.com/ios |
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is Apple's mobile operating system. Originally developed for the iPhone, it has since been extended to support other Apple, Inc. devices such as the iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple TV. Apple, Inc. does not license iOS for installation on non-Apple hardware. As of October 4, 2011[update], Apple, Inc.'s App Store contained more than 500,000 iOS applications,[3] which have collectively been downloaded more than 18 billion times. It had a 26% share of the smartphone operating system units sold in the last quarter of 2010, behind both Google's Android and Nokia's Symbian.[4] In May 2010 in the USA, it accounted for 59% of mobile web data consumption (including use on both the iPod Touch and the iPad).[5]
The user interface of iOS is based on the concept of direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures. Interface control elements consist of sliders, switches, and buttons. The response to user input is immediate and provides a fluid interface. Interaction with the OS includes gestures such as swipe, tap, pinch, and reverse pinch, all of which have specific definitions within the context of the iOS operating system and its multi-touch interface. Internal accelerometers are used by some applications to respond to shaking the device (one common result is the undo command) or rotating it in three dimensions (one common result is switching from portrait to landscape mode).
iOS is derived from Mac OS X, with which it shares the Darwin foundation, and is therefore a Unix-like operating system by nature.
In iOS, there are four abstraction layers: the Core OS layer, the Core Services layer, the Media layer, and the Cocoa Touch layer. The current version of the operating system (iOS 5.0.1) uses roughly 770 megabytes of the device's storage, varying for each model.[6]
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The operating system was unveiled with the iPhone at the Macworld Conference & Expo, January 9, 2007, and released in June of that year.[7] At first, Apple marketing literature did not specify a separate name for the operating system, stating simply that the "iPhone runs OS X".[8] Initially, third-party applications were not supported. Steve Jobs argued that developers could build web applications that "would behave like native apps on the iPhone".[9][10] On October 17, 2007, Apple announced that a native Software Development Kit (SDK) was under development and that they planned to put it "in developers' hands in February".[11] On March 6, 2008, Apple released the first beta, along with a new name for the operating system: "iPhone OS".
The previous September, Apple had released the iPod touch, which had most of the non-phone capabilities of the iPhone. Apple also sold more than one million iPhones during the 2007 holiday season.[12] On January 27, 2010, Apple announced the iPad, featuring a larger screen than the iPhone and iPod touch, and designed for web browsing, media consumption, and reading iBooks.[13]
In June 2010, Apple rebranded iPhone OS as "iOS". The trademark "IOS" had been used by Cisco for over a decade for its operating system, IOS, used on its routers. To avoid any potential lawsuit, Apple licensed the "IOS" trademark from Cisco.[14]
Apple licensed the trademark for "iOS" from Cisco Systems (which owned IOS), the same company with which Apple had earlier settled a dispute over the "iPhone" trademark.[15]
Apple released iOS 4 on June 21, 2010, three days before the iPhone 4,[16] in an effort to reduce the strain on Apple's servers. iOS 4 was the first version of the OS to be a free upgrade on the iPod touch; Apple had charged $4.99 for earlier upgrades. Apple previously announced that iPad users with 3.x software would receive a free upgrade to the next major (4.x) release.[17]
iOS 4.0.1 included a fix to the reception signal strength indicator(s). It was released on July 15, 2010, the day before Apple hosted a press conference to discuss its response to the widely publicized iPhone antenna issues. Apple also released iOS 3.2.1 for the iPad which tweaked the tablet's Wi-Fi connectivity, video playback, and copy-and-paste for PDF attachments, among other updates.
iOS 4.1 for the iPhone and iPod touch was released on September 8, 2010; the update fixed some bugs reported by users, improved battery life and added several new features:
iOS 4.1 also updated carrier settings which (at that time in the United States, AT&T 8.0 only). At the same time, TV show rentals became available on the iTunes US Store.
iOS 4.2 was never released but instead iOS 4.2.1 was released on November 22, 2010. It added iPad compatibility. Further on iOS 4.2.5 was released as a demo version for the CDMA version of the iPhone 4. This iPhone 4 variant was released for Verizon Wireless customers in the US on February 10, 2011, but pre-ordering was available for qualified Verizon Wireless Customers on February 3. The version released with the phone, 4.2.6, has some slight UI changes specifically for the CDMA version of the phone, including a "Personal Hotspot" switch in the Settings app, a service which has to be activated by the carrier in order for the feature to be usable. This became available for purchase from Verizon as a separate plan, as is currently possible on other smartphones.
iOS 4.3 was released to the public on March 9, 2011, two days before the iPad 2 was available in the United States. In addition to earlier features, the public release of iOS 4.3 included many new features such as a Nitro JavaScript engine in Safari, making Safari run up to twice as fast according to Apple.[18] iTunes Home Sharing also received a major revision in iOS 4.3; it allows users to connect to their home Wi-Fi networks and stream content from iOS devices to speakers, TVs and other devices, or vice versa.[18] Personal Hotspot for iPhone 4 is a new feature to GSM iPhones (previously released with the Verizon CDMA iPhone) that allows the user to create a Wi-Fi network with an iPhone 4 and provide Internet access for up to five other devices on Verizon Wireless, three on AT&T.[19][20] In addition, the side button on the iPad is now customizable, with users able to use it either as a system sound mute or as a screen rotation lock.[18] iOS 4.3 was not released for CDMA iPhones, which stayed on 4.2.x versions until they were upgraded to iOS 5 with the rest of the iOS line on October 12, 2011.
iOS 5.0 and its features were announced on June 6 at the WWDC 2011 keynote address. The update was released at 6pm GMT on October 12, 2011. iOS 5 introduced the iCloud service and the Notification Center, as well as improvements to native apps such as Camera. The operating system also features new applications, such as the "Reminders" app and "Newsstand", an application that lets you buy newspapers and magazines. Newsstand is the first native application to run on the homescreen. "iMessage" is an application that allows iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad users to communicate, much like a chat service only used between these devices. The iMessage feature has been integrated into the "Messages" application on the iPhone. The iPod application on the iPhone and iPad has now been split into the Music and Video application, just as it had been on the iPod touch. it also added updated security and bug fixes. iOS 5 also brings long-awaited Hindi virtual keyboard. According to Apple, the new OS has over 200 new features.[21]
The home screen (rendered by "SpringBoard") displays application icons and a dock at the bottom of the screen where users can pin their most frequently used apps. The home screen appears whenever the user switches on the device or presses the "Home" button (a physical button on the device). The screen has a status bar across the top to display data, such as time, battery level, and signal strength. The rest of the screen is devoted to the current application.
Since iOS version 3.0, a Spotlight Search function has been available on the left page of the home screen page allowing users to search through media, applications, emails, contacts and similar files.
With iOS 4 came the introduction of a simple folder system. When applications are in "jiggle mode", any two can be dragged on top of each other to create a folder, and from then on, more apps can be added to the folder using the same procedure, up to 12 on iPhone and iPod touch and 20 on iPad. A title for the folder is automatically selected by the type of applications inside, but the name can also be edited by the user.
In the iOS 5 update, the notifications feature has been completely redesigned. Notifications now collate in a window which can be dragged down from the top of the screen, much like Google's Android Operating System. If a user touches a received notification, he/she will go to the application that sent the notification.
The iOS home screen contains these default "apps". Some of these applications are hidden by default and accessed by the user through the Settings app or another method—for instance, Nike+iPod is activated through the Settings app.
| Name | Use | First appearance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iPod touch | iPad | ||
| Phone | Telephone, FaceTime video calling | 1.0 (FaceTime 4.0) | FaceTime 4.1 | FaceTime 4.3 |
| E-mail client | 1.0 | 1.1.3 | 3.2 | |
| Safari | Web browser | 1.0 | ||
| Music (formerly iPod; combines "Music" and "Video") |
Portable media player | |||
| Name | Use | Version included | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iPod touch | iPad | ||
| Messages | Text messaging, MMS, iMessage instant messaging | 1.0 (MMS 3.0, iMessage 5.0) | iMessage 5.0 | iMessage 5.0 |
| Calendar | Calendar | 1.0 | 3.2 | |
| Photos | Photo viewer | 1.0 (Video viewer 2.0) | 3.2 | |
| Camera | Camera, Camcorder | 1.0 Video recording and auto-focus iPhone 3GS (3.0) onwards |
4.1 (4th generation only) Crop, red eye fix, auto enhance and photo rotate (5.0)(4th generation only) |
4.3 (iPad 2 only) Crop, red eye fix, auto enhance and photo rotate (5.0) (iPad 2 only) |
| YouTube | YouTube video streamer | 1.0 | 3.2 | |
| FaceTime | Video calling | 4.0 (iPhone 4, via Phone app) |
4.1 (4th generation) |
4.3 (iPad 2) |
| Stocks | Yahoo! Finance | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Maps | Google Maps | 1.0 (Assisted GPS 2.0) |
1.0 | 3.2 |
| Weather | Yahoo! Weather | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Voice Memos | Voice recorder | 3.0 | N/A | |
| Notes | A simple note-taking program | 1.0 | 3.2 | |
| Newsstand | A newspaper and magazine store | 5.0 | ||
| Reminders | A to-do list application | 5.0 | ||
| Clock | World clock, stopwatch, alarm clock and timer | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Calculator | Calculator (includes scientific version) | 1.0 (Scientific calculator 2.0; trigger by rotating to landscape) |
N/A | |
| Settings | Settings | 1.0 | 3.2 | |
| iTunes | Access to the iTunes Music Store and iTunes Podcast Directory | 1.1 | 3.2 | |
| App Store | To buy iOS apps | 2.0 | 3.2 | |
| Compass | Compass | 3.0 (iPhone 3GS onwards) |
N/A | N/A |
| Contacts | Address/phone book | 1.0 (integrated in Phone app) (Separate application for 2.0) |
1.1 | 3.2 |
| Nike + iPod | Records the distance and pace of a walk or run; can connect to Nike + iPod sensor | 3.0 (iPhone 3GS onwards) |
2.2.1+ (2nd Generation onwards) |
N/A |
| Game Center | Allows the user to play multiplayer games with other users, track in game achievements and view leaderboards. | 4.1 (iPhone 3GS onwards) |
4.1 (2nd Generation onwards) |
4.2 (4.2.1 to public) |
| Photo Booth | A camera application with added special effects | N/A | N/A | 4.3 (iPad 2) |
| Voice Control | Siri, Simple Voice Control | 3.0 (Siri 5.0) (iPhone 3GS & iPhone 4, Siri on iPhone 4S only) |
3.0 (iPod Touch 3rd Generation or higher, voice control only) | N/A |
All of the utilities, such as voice memos, clock, calculator, and compass are in one folder called "Utilities" in 4.0.[22][23] Many of the included applications are designed to share data (e.g., a phone number can be selected from an email and saved as a contact or dialed for a phone call).
The iPod touch retains the same applications that are present by default on the iPhone, with the exception of the Phone, Messages, Compass and Camera (before the 4th generation) apps. The "iPod" App present on the iPhone is split into two apps, on the iPod touch: Music, and Videos. The bottom row of applications is also used to delineate the iPod touch's main purposes: Music, Videos, Safari, and App Store (Dock Layout was changed in 3.1 Update). For the 4th Generation iPod touch, it includes FaceTime and Camera, and the dock layout had changed to Music, Mail, Safari, Video. As of iOS 5.0, "iMessage" will be available on all iOS devices running iOS 5. iMessage is effectively a version of the iPhone Messages app that sends free text or multimedia messages to other iOS devices (similar to BlackBerry Messenger).
The iPad comes with the same applications as the iPod touch excluding Stocks, Weather, Clock, Calculator, and the Nike + iPod app. Separate music and video apps are provided, as on the iPod touch, although (as on the iPhone) the music app is named "iPod". Although, that was changed in iOS 5 to "Music", to match the other devices in the family. In iOS 5, the iPod app will be replaced by Music and Video apps on all devices. Most of the default applications are completely rewritten to take advantage of the iPad's larger display. The default dock layout includes Safari, Mail, Photos and Music.
Before iOS 4, multitasking was limited to a selection of the applications Apple included on the devices.[24] Starting with iOS 4, on 3rd-generation and newer iOS devices, multitasking is supported through seven background APIs:[25]
Double-clicking the home button activates the application switcher. A scrollable dock-like interface appears from the bottom, moving the contents of the screen up. Choosing an icon switches to an application. To the far left are icons which function as music controls, and a rotation lock. Holding the icons briefly makes them "jiggle" (similarly to the homescreen) and allows the user to force quit the applications.
Game Center is an online multiplayer "social gaming network"[27] released by Apple.[28] It allows users to "invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through matchmaking, track their achievements, and compare their high scores on a leader board."[27]
Game Center was announced during an iOS 4 preview event hosted by Apple on April 8, 2010. A preview was released to registered Apple developers in August.[27] It was released on September 8, 2010 with iOS 4.1 on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 2nd generation through 4th generation. Game Center made its public debut on the iPad with iOS 4.2.1.[29] There will be no support for the iPhone 3G and original iPhone. However, Game Center is unofficially available on the iPhone 3G via a hack.[30]
The applications must be written and compiled specifically for iOS and the ARM architecture. The Safari web browser supports web applications as with other web browsers. Authorized third-party native applications are available for devices running iOS 2.0 and later through Apple's App Store.
On October 17, 2007, in an open letter posted to Apple's "Hot News" weblog, Steve Jobs announced that a software development kit (SDK) would be made available to third-party developers in February 2008.[31] The SDK was released on March 6, 2008, and allows developers to make applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as test them in an "iPhone simulator". However, loading an application onto the devices is only possible after paying an iPhone Developer Program fee. Since the release of Xcode 3.1, Xcode is the development environment for the iOS SDK. iPhone applications, like iOS and Mac OS X, are written in Objective-C.[32]
Developers are able to set any price above a set minimum for their applications to be distributed through the App Store, of which Apple will take 30% of the revenue (the other 70% goes to the developer). Alternately, they may opt to release the application for free and need not pay any costs to release or distribute the application except for the membership fee.[33]
The Alarm feature of the built in Clock app in the iPhone and iPod Touch has been plagued by major bugs in all versions of iOS 4. The first bug noticed was the "DST bug" which was first seen when the world switched between Daylight Savings Time and Standard Time in October/November 2010.[34] It caused recurring alarms to start going off an hour too late. Apple promised the bug would be fixed in iOS 4.2 but according to some reports it still exists even in iOS 4.3.1.[35]
The second alarm clock bug discovered was the "New Year's Day bug" which first showed up on 1 January 2011 and then reappeared on 1 January 2012. It caused non-recurring alarms to not go off at all.[36] However on January 3rd they "magically" start working again. This bug was seemingly fixed in iOS 4.3, however iOS 4.3 is not available for all iOS devices, like the iPhone 3G[37]
Apple has confirmed that several bugs are negatively affecting battery life in iOS 5.[38] They attempted to fix these bugs with iOS 5.0.1 but unfortunately the problem still remains.[39]
The launch of the iOS5 update on 12 October, 2011, (including iOS 5.0.1 released on November 10) led many users to report a major wifi bug causing the device to lose wifi access. As of 26 December, 2011, this problem remained unresolved. [40][41][42]
Ever since its initial release, iOS has been subject to a variety of different hacks centered around adding functionality not allowed by Apple. Prior to the 2008 debut of the native iOS App Store, the primary motive for jailbreaking was to install third-party native applications, which was not allowed by Apple at the time.[43] Apple has claimed that it will not release iOS software updates designed specifically to break these tools (other than applications that perform SIM unlocking); however, with each subsequent iOS update, previously un-patched jailbreak exploits are usually patched.[44]
Ever since the arrival of Apple's native iOS App Store, and—along with it—third-party applications, the general motives for jailbreaking have changed.[45] People now jailbreak for many different reasons, including pirating App Store applications, gaining filesystem access, installing custom device themes, and modifying the device SpringBoard.
In 2010, the EFF overthrew Apple's claim that jailbreaking is in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and declared that iOS jailbreaking is legal in the United States.[46]
The closed and proprietary nature of iOS has garnered criticism, particularly by digital rights advocates such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, computer engineer and activist Brewster Kahle, Internet-law specialist Jonathan Zittrain, and the Free Software Foundation who protested the iPad's introductory event and have targeted the iPad with their "Defective by Design" campaign.[47][48][49][50] Competitor Microsoft, via a PR spokesman, has also criticized Apple's control over its platform.[51]
At issue are restrictions imposed by the design of iOS, namely DRM intended to lock purchased media to Apple's platform, the development model (requiring a yearly subscription to distribute apps developed for the iOS), the centralized approval process for apps, as well as Apple's general control and lockdown of the platform itself. Particularly at issue is the ability for Apple to remotely disable or delete apps at will.
Some in the tech community have expressed concern that the locked-down iOS represents a growing trend in Apple's approach to computing, particularly Apple's shift away from machines that hobbyists can "tinker with" and note the potential for such restrictions to stifle software innovation.[52][53] However, there are some outside of Apple who have voiced support for the iOS closed model. Facebook developer Joe Hewitt, who had previously protested against Apple's control over its hardware as a "horrible precedent", has subsequently argued the locked apps in the iPad are akin to web applications and provide added security.[54]
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