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4,884 'iOS' stories August 2010 - July 2019
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The world’s most advanced mobile operating system

iOS is Apple’s mobile operating system that runs on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 13.

In 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone and iPhone OS. During the event, Jobs referred to the operating system as OS X because it shared a similar Unix core compared to the Mac. When Apple launched the iPhone SDK a year later, they officially changed the name to iPhone OS.

In the summer of 2008, Apple added the App Store to iPhone OS with version 2.0, and this set the stage for the “app economy” that we still enjoy to this day.

Version 3.0 was released in 2009, and it included copy/paste, MMS support, Spotlight, mobile tethering, and push notifications for 3rd party apps.

In version 4, Apple finally renamed iPhone OS to iOS (with the iPad sharing the same software). The major features were multitasking and FaceTime.

iOS 5.0 introduced Notification Center, iMessage, Siri, and iCloud.

iOS 6.0 removes Google Maps in favor of Apple Maps and added the Passbook app (now known as Wallet).

Version 7.0 brought a dramatic redesign of iOS with a new font, flatter icons, a and new Photos app. The redesign was led by Jony Ive.

Version iOS 8.0, Apple finally allowed third-party keyboards and the ability to share files from different apps.

Version 9.0 included Apple Maps, an overhauled Notes app, and multitasking for iPad.

Version 10.0 included an SDK for Siri, Maps, and iMessages.

Version 11.0 included a new iPad Dock, Customizable Control center, drag and drop on iPad, and the Files app with third-party integration.

Version 12.0 added Screen Time features for managing your time on devices, the Shortcuts app, ARKit 2.0, and Memoji.

iOS 13 added Dark Mode, swipe-style typing, a redesigned share sheet, made app downloads 50% smaller, 2x faster app launch speed, Memoji Stickers and Memoji Makeup, HomeKit-enabled routers and HomeKit Secure Video, a new “Sign in with Apple” option for logging into third-party services, all-new Apple Maps, and much more.

Compatible Devices with iOS 13

  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 6s
  • iPhone 6s Plus
  • iPhone SE
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

China installs spyware on tourists’ Android phones, downloads data from iPhones

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jul 3 2019 - 5:17 am PT
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Spyware installed on smartphones at border

Foreigners visiting certain areas of China are having their smartphones searched at the border. With Android phones, authorities install a piece of spyware that has access to the user’s calendar, phone contacts, call logs, and text messages — as well as the apps they use and their usernames in some of those apps.

iOS protections mean that an iPhone app wouldn’t give them the same access, so they instead take a different approach …


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iOS 13 beta 2 coming today for developers ahead of public beta release [U: Now available]

Avatar for Zac Hall Jun 17 2019 - 9:52 am PT
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macOS iOS 13

[Update: Second beta versions of iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13 are now available as an over-the-air update after installing developer profiles from Apple’s developer portal.]

Are you a thrill seeker testing Apple’s pre-release software and dealing with beta 1 life? Good news! It’s time to move on to beta 2 life in search of more stability and performance improvements. Apple will release iOS 13 beta 2 to registered developers later today, allowing developers to test their apps against a slightly more complete version of iOS 13.


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Twitterrific 6 now available: autoplaying media, uncropped images in timeline, colorful themes and a new business model

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 13 2019 - 6:39 am PT
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Twitterrific has just released the next major version of their Twitter client for iPhone and iPad, version 6. The app brings many new features and improvements to the popular alternative Twitter client, as well as a new business model.

With Twitterrific 6, all features are usable for free. However, the app will feature ads and occasional prompts to upgrade. Users can upgrade to remove ads by signing up for a subscription or buying a $30 in-app Purchase.


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iOS 13 Apple Maps: Share your live route ETA with a friend

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 12 2019 - 3:35 am PT
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In iOS 13, integrated into the Apple Maps app on your iPhone, you can you share your journey status with personal contacts in a feature called Share ETA.

The recipient receives the address of your destination and your expected arrival time. What’s really cool about this feature is that the estimated time of arrival (ETA) will update automatically, so you can see if they hit traffic or otherwise get delayed.


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iOS 13 brings detailed street view imagery to Apple Maps

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 4 2019 - 4:50 am PT
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As part of iOS 13, the new Maps app includes better organization of favorite places. It also adds support for what Apple calls ‘Look Around’, an Apple take on the popular Google Maps Street View feature.

You can jump into this mode by tapping a binoculars button in the Maps app. The binoculars only appear when Apple has imagery for the current area — right now the easiest way to find somewhere to try this is to search for the Columbus Tower in San Francisco.


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Microsoft chasing Pokémon GO’s AR success with ‘Minecraft Earth’ for iOS and Android

Avatar for Michael Potuck May 17 2019 - 6:57 am PT
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Minecraft Earth US launch iOS Android

Microsoft is working on a major new Minecraft game for iOS and Android that takes the highly popular platform into the real world. After teasing the title earlier this month, the company has unveiled Minecraft Earth which is set to arrive in beta this summer. The new mobile game will bring a Pokémon Go-style AR experience to let players collaborate with others in real time and cover “the entire planet in Minecraft.”


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Apple celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day with top featured apps, user and developer profiles, more

Avatar for Michael Potuck May 16 2019 - 8:00 am PT
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Apple accessibility

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day and Apple is celebrating and promoting accessibility in a few different ways. The App Store has multiple features highlighting developers, athletes, and creatives, and also has feature for the top accessibility apps for vision, hearing, speech, learning, physical and motor, and more.


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