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iOS

4,905 'iOS' stories August 2010 - April 2017
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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)

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

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 12 2017 - 6:49 am PT
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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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How to upload photos into iCloud Photo Library from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iCloud․com

Avatar for Michael Potuck Apr 10 2017 - 2:39 pm PT
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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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Phil Schiller announces official opening of Apple’s App Accelerator in Bengaluru, India

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 31 2017 - 3:56 am PT
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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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How to save emails from Mail to Notes as PDFs on iOS

Avatar for Zac Hall Mar 28 2017 - 9:37 am PT
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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

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Mar 28 2017 - 9:25 am PT
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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

Avatar for Greg Barbosa Mar 28 2017 - 9:16 am PT
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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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What feature would you most like to see included in iOS 11 this year? [Poll]

Avatar for Chance Miller Mar 23 2017 - 5:54 pm PT
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As we near the release of iOS 10.3, attention is slowly turning towards iOS 11 and what features Apple has in store for the update. Apple will likely preview the next major iOS release at WWDC in June, subsequently releasing developer betas and later making it available to the public.

What feature do you most want to see come with iOS 11?


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APFS explained; what you need to know for iOS 10.3 and macOS

Avatar for Greg Barbosa Mar 21 2017 - 9:24 am PT
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Recently released with the iOS 10.3 beta, APFS will soon replace your Apple device’s thirty year old file system. This means your Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV will all see upgrades from the HFS+ system. Bringing in new optimization for the storage technologies of today, with encryption built-in as a primary feature, Apple File System will bring a slew of new benefits to users in 2017. Let’s go over what these changes are, and what you should expect out of your favorite apps and devices.


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App Store highlighting indie games this week with new title launches, limited time discounts

Avatar for Zac Hall Mar 16 2017 - 11:20 am PT
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Apple has been highlighting loads of iOS games created by independent developers this week on the App Store. The promotion includes a special section at the top of the App Store where new apps and updates are usually promoted, several new indie game launches, and even discounts on a handful of popular indie titles.


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