Skip to main content

iOS

5,034 'iOS' stories August 2010 - August 2017
See All Stories

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 announces IBM-style iOS app partnership with management consultants Accenture

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 29 2017 - 6:47 am PT
0 Comments

Apple has announced that it is partnering with management consultancy Accenture to create iOS apps for businesses. The deal is similar to the one reached with IBM back in 2014 and follows others reached with SAP and Cisco.

Apple and Accenture are partnering to help businesses transform how their people engage with customers through innovative business solutions for iOS. The partnership will take full advantage of the power, simplicity and security of iOS, the leading enterprise mobility platform, and Accenture’s capabilities as a leader in industry and digital transformation to help companies unlock new revenue streams, increase productivity, improve customer experience and reduce costs.

The companies shared a little information about how they will work together …


Expand
Expanding
Close

AccuWeather iOS app misleads users as it sends location data even when denied access

Avatar for Greg Barbosa Aug 21 2017 - 6:24 pm PT
0 Comments
AccuWeather

Update #2: AccuWeather has released a joint statement with Reveal Mobile. From the statement:

Despite stories to the contrary from sources not connected to the actual information, if a user opts out of location tracking on AccuWeather, no GPS coordinates are collected or passed without further opt-in permission from the user.

Other data, such as Wi-Fi network information that is not user information, was for a short period available on the Reveal SDK, but was unused by AccuWeather. In fact, AccuWeather was unaware the data was available to it. Accordingly, at no point was the data used by AccuWeather for any purpose.

Update: Reveal Mobile has issued the following statement to 9to5Mac in response to Strafach’s audit:

We don’t attempt to reverse engineer a device’s location if someone opts out of location services, regardless of the data signal it comes from. In looking at our current SDK’s behavior, we see how that can be misconstrued. In response to that, we’re releasing a new version of our SDK today which will no longer send any data points which could be used to infer location when someone opts out of location sharing.

AccuWeather on iOS may be violating Apple’s developer agreement as well as user trust, a new security audit reveals. Will Strafach, a security researcher, discovered that the iOS weather app is potentially sending out the identifiable user and device information to a third-party company even when location data sharing is denied.


Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS 11 ‘cop button’ also helps users w/ Medical ID protect their data if unconscious

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Aug 18 2017 - 11:01 am PT
0 Comments

iOS 11 beta 6 (released earlier this week) includes a new feature to quickly disable Touch ID from the lock screen. Tapping the lock button five times to access the SOS screen or opening a Medical ID will cause the iPhone or iPad to temporarily reject all Touch ID attempts, requiring a passcode to unlock.

We have confirmed with sources that this behavior is intentional rather than a bug, as well as some explanation as to why it was added. Whilst in theory it can be used to prevent law enforcement from compelling suspects to unlock their device with fingerprint, it also helps protect people who have fallen unconscious…


Expand
Expanding
Close

AAPL’s Q3 call ‘one of the most bullish,’ say analysts, as stock hits $158 in pre-market

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 2 2017 - 3:58 am PT
0 Comments

Apple’s Q3 financials seem to have been well-received, with AAPL stock sitting at $158 in pre-market trading at the time of writing – up more than 5% on yesterday’s close. The company reported revenue of $45.4b and sales of 41m iPhones, 11.4m iPads and 4.29m Macs.

Most analysts also seem pleased, with Macquarie describing the earnings call as “one of its most bullish in recent memory” – even if Barclays did sound a sour note …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Removal of 3D Touch app switching gesture in iOS 11 confirmed as intentional change

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 30 2017 - 11:51 am PT
0 Comments

Whilst iOS 11 includes a lot of new stuff to enjoy, there are also a few features that have been left behind. One such example is a lesser-known 3D Touch gesture that enabled faster access to the iPhone app switcher and a quick shortcut to move back to the previous app. Both of these elements are no longer present in iOS 11 and a bug report confirms that this was an intentional removal …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s Single Sign-on feature for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV gains another TV provider

Avatar for Zac Hall Jun 27 2017 - 8:08 am PT
0 Comments

Apple has recently gained a new TV provider for its Single Sign-on feature on iOS 10 and up as well as tvOS 10 and up.

WOW!, or Wide Open West, joins 13 other providers that let customers authenticate once through the Settings app to access content in paid video apps in the United States.

Wide Open West, which is the ninth largest cable provider in the country, hasn’t yet been added to Apple’s list of TV provider partners since it was updated earlier this month, but WOW! is live as an option on both iOS 10 and iOS 11 beta through the TV Provider section of the Settings app.


Expand
Expanding
Close