iOS

The world’s most advanced mobile operating system

4,835 'iOS' stories August 2010 - April 2017

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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)

iOS
macOS

Apple releases fourth iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5 public betas

Chance Miller Apr 24 2017 - 2:52 pm PT

Earlier today, Apple released the fourth betas of macOS 10.12.5 and iOS 10.3.2 to developers. Now, the company has released the betas to public beta testers too, as it usually does following the initial release to developers…

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iOS

Latest ‘bug’ causes iOS to crash when certain Control Center options selected

Chance Miller Apr 24 2017 - 2:38 pm PT

Every so often, weird bugs emerge in iOS that cause the operating to crash or restart when a certain string of actions are performed. Now, a new “bug” has emerged that causes iOS to freeze and re-spring, but don’t expect it to become a major problem or for Apple to even address it…

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iOS

Apple releases fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta

Zac Hall Apr 24 2017 - 9:59 am PT

Apple has released the fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The version numbers also suggest we should only see under-the-hood bug fixes and security improvements in these releases when ready.

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How to use AirDrop

Michael Potuck Apr 23 2017 - 12:07 pm PT

Image showing how to turn on AirDrop on iOS with Control Center

AirDrop is a useful feature built-in to iOS and macOS to seamlessly share content directly to another Apple device. Whether you haven’t used AirDrop at all or just want a refresher, follow along for how to use AirDrop with iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

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iOS
macOS

Apple releases third iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5 public betas

Zac Hall Apr 18 2017 - 10:00 am PT

Apple has released the third iOS 10.3 public beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.3.2 public beta 3 follows one day after the third developer version of the upcoming software update. Apple has also released the third public beta version of macOS 10.12.5.

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iOS

Apple releases third iOS 10.3.2 beta

Zac Hall Apr 17 2017 - 10:13 am PT

Apple has released the third iOS 10.3.2 beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The version numbers also suggest we should only see under-the-hood bug fixes and security improvements in these releases when ready.

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iOS
Security

Apple patched iOS after researchers showed a website could use motion sensors to detect passcodes

Ben Lovejoy Apr 12 2017 - 6:49 am PT

Last year Apple patched iOS after cyber researchers from the UK demonstrated that a malicious webpage could use iPhone sensors to detect a passcode. The technique was so accurate that the team had a 100% success rate at working out 4-digit PINs within five attempts, reports Engadget.

You might think your phone’s movements are random, but they apparently create distinct patterns. During their tests, they were able to crack four-digit PINs on the first guess 70 percent of the time and 100 percent of the PINs they used by the fifth guess.

The attack vector was made possible, explained the study’s lead author Dr. Maryam Mehrnezhad, because mobile apps and websites were able to access sensor data without permission …

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Dropbox Paper app update includes offline mode and support for more languages

Michael Potuck Apr 11 2017 - 12:34 pm PT

An update to the Dropbox Paper iOS app today includes a new offline mode as well as support for 20 languages.
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WWDC Wishlist: How iPhone and iPad could improve with iOS 11

Greg Barbosa Apr 11 2017 - 10:37 am PT

Yesterday we took a look at a few new features we hope to see coming to macOS at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. With no Spring event in sight, Apple is set to have a strong WWDC 2017 with updates coming across all platforms. Today we’ll be taking a look at what we hope to see in Apple’s next major iOS update: iOS 11.

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iOS
macOS

Apple releases second iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5 public betas

Zac Hall Apr 11 2017 - 10:18 am PT

Apple has released the second iOS 10.3 public beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.3.2 public beta 2 follows one day after the second developer version of the upcoming software update. Apple has also released the second public beta version of macOS 10.12.5.

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How to upload photos into iCloud Photo Library from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iCloud․com

Michael Potuck Apr 10 2017 - 2:39 pm PT

iCloud Photo Library is a great feature built into Apple’s iOS and macOS operating systems, but it can feel a bit foreign depending on how you have been managing your photos and videos up until now. Follow along for how to set up this feature across your various Apple devices as well as upload photos to iCloud Photo Library.

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How to take a screenshot on iPhone and iPad

Michael Potuck Apr 6 2017 - 12:46 pm PT

Taking a screenshot does exactly what the name suggests, it captures whatever is on your screen in an image and saves it to your Photos app on iOS.

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iOS
How-to

How to get the emoji keyboard on your iPhone

Michael Potuck Apr 4 2017 - 8:24 am PT

Emoji are a fun and easy way to communicate with others on their own and can also enhance standard text-based messages. Whether you’re new to iPhone, just haven’t used emoji before, or the emoji keyboard was removed from your iPhone, follow along for how to get the emoji keyboard on your iPhone.

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iOS

What does iOS stand for?

Michael Potuck Apr 4 2017 - 7:58 am PT

Whether you’re a new Apple user or been using Apple products for years, you might be wondering what iOS stands for. You likely already know that OS is short for operating system, so let’s take a look at where the world-famous ‘i’ branding comes from and what it means.

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iOS
India

Phil Schiller announces official opening of Apple’s App Accelerator in Bengaluru, India

Ben Lovejoy Mar 31 2017 - 3:56 am PT

Phil Schiller has announced the official opening of Apple’s iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru, India. The center is designed to provide free guidance, inspiration and one-on-one app reviews for local developers.

https://twitter.com/pschiller/status/847719929373577217

The company first promised the center back in May of last year, the company explaining then why it had chosen the location …

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iOS

Apple confirms iOS 10.3 fixes flaw that caused iPhones to repeatedly dial 911

Chance Miller Mar 30 2017 - 2:59 pm PT

Earlier this week, Apple officially released iOS 10.3 to the public and included in it were a variety of fixes, some of which are continuing to surface. A new report from The Wall Street Journal highlights that iOS 10.3 fixes a flaw we initially covered back in October that caused iOS devices to repeatedly call 911…

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iOS

Apple releases first iOS 10.3.2 public beta

Zac Hall Mar 29 2017 - 10:08 am PT

Apple has released the first iOS 10.3 public beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.3.2 public beta 1 follows one day after the first developer version of the upcoming software update.

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Apple releases first iOS 10.3.2, tvOS 10.2.1, and watchOS 3.2.2 betas

Zac Hall Mar 28 2017 - 10:01 am PT

Apple has released the first beta versions of iOS 10.3.2, tvOS 10.2.1, and watchOS 3.2.2. These new versions follow one day after iOS 10.3, tvOS 10.2, and watchOS 3.2 were officially released.

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How to save emails from Mail to Notes as PDFs on iOS

Zac Hall Mar 28 2017 - 9:37 am PT

I’m really good at managing my inbox (for personal email at least) and rarely leave messages there for keeping. Most emails go in a receipt folder or get deleted, I aggressively unsubscribe to mailing lists and mark spam as junk, and special messages are archived for keeping.

Occasionally I’ll have a message with important information that I don’t need right now and will want to easily reference in the near future. I’ve tried flagging but I don’t entirely understand how the feature is supposed to work between iOS and the Mac.

Usually I just leave the email in my inbox, but what I’d like to do is save the message somewhere with other important information like Apple’s Notes app. Luckily this is possible on iOS, but it’s a bit confusing to discover…

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Apple now lists 20+ more carriers w/ Wi-Fi Calling and or VoLTE support following iOS 10.3

Jordan Kahn Mar 28 2017 - 9:25 am PT

Following the public release of iOS 10.3 yesterday, Apple has updated its list of wireless carrier support and features by country to note a number of carriers that now support Wi-Fi calling and or VoLTE functionality.

Wi-Fi Calling, which enables calling over Wi-Fi connections when cellular coverage is limited, and the wideband, higher-quality phone calls enabled with VoLTE, are now available in 20+ new countries and carriers (full list below).

Among the new additions is Verizon in the US, which we noted yesterday added Wi-Fi Calling for iCloud-connected devices with yesterday’s iOS 10.3 release.

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iOS 10.3 and other updates include over 300 important security fixes, here’s why you should care

Greg Barbosa Mar 28 2017 - 9:16 am PT

Yesterday, Apple had a busy day rolling out new updates across its software product lines. Most noticeably we got updates to macOS and iOS, but Apple also jam-packed a ton of security fixes into all its software. Totaling nearly 350 known vulnerabilities, Apple has pushed to make all its software more secure.

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Pages, Numbers, & Keynote for Mac and iOS add editing features & Touch ID for password protected docs

Greg Barbosa Mar 27 2017 - 10:10 am PT

Apple has just released new updates to their iWork suite across iOS, macOS, and the iCloud webapps. The updates today includes the ability to open password-protected documents using Touch ID on the new MacBook Pro, iPhones and iPads, alongside new editing features for all the applications.

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Apple opens WWDC 2017 lottery and scholarship registration for developers

Zac Hall Mar 27 2017 - 10:02 am PT

If you plan on attending Apple’s annual developers conference, the window for WWDC 2017 registration is now open. Apple is expected to unveil iOS 11 and macOS 10.13 at the upcoming conference.

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Apple releases iOS 10.3 with Find My AirPods, Apple File System, CarPlay updates, more

Zac Hall Mar 27 2017 - 9:56 am PT

ios-10-3-find-my-airpods

Apple is rolling out iOS 10.3 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The latest software update includes Find My AirPods support, CarPlay improvements, Apple’s new filesystem, and more.

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