iOS

The world’s most advanced mobile operating system

4,849 'iOS' stories August 2010 - October 2015

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 releases first iOS 9.2, Xcode 7.2 betas to developers

Mark Gurman Oct 27 2015 - 10:07 am PT

11 Comments

Just the week following the public release of iOS 9.1 with bug fixes and new emojis, Apple has seeded the first beta of the upcoming iOS 9.2 to developers. The new download for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is available via the Developer Center. We recently noted that internal Apple testing of iOS 9.2 has increased over the past couple of weeks.

The first indications from testers are that this upgrade includes notable bug fixes and changes to how third-party apps handle embedded Safari views:

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Facebook bolstering iOS Notifications tab with sports scores, birthdays, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 11:46 am PT

3 Comments

If you’re a Facebook user, you’re definitely familiar with the Notifications tab in the company’s iOS app. Although it has barely evolved from being a simple stream of your notifications since its introduction many years ago, Facebook has today come out to outline some changes on the way to make it more useful and personalized.

Assumably since most of us rarely use or view notifications that are more than a day old, Facebook has decided to use the space in the Notifications tab in other, more useful, ways. With the new version, you’ll find the 5 or so most recent activity notifications at the top, with handfuls of additional — and hopefully useful — information below.

Among the things that Facebook says it is adding to the Notifications tab are friends and family “milestones” (which include birthdays, major life events, and the like), sports scores and television notifications based on the pages you have already liked, as well as events that are around the corner (but, seemingly, only those that you’ve already joined).

Facebook says that if you head into the app settings and allow it to see your location history (which many users already have), you can see things like local events based on your physical location, as well as weather updates, movies that are playing at nearby theaters, and even places to eat. Unsurprisingly, most of these features will connect you with many locations’ Facebook pages.

Facebook says that the update is rolling out “gradually,” so it should appear on your device sometime in the next few days.

Verizon joins AT&T in asking FCC permission to fully support Wi-Fi calling feature in iOS 9

Ben Lovejoy Oct 26 2015 - 4:06 am PT

6 Comments

Wi-Fi calling – the iPhone feature Apple introduced in iOS 8 – is a really handy feature, routing phone calls over Wi-Fi when the mobile signal is poor or non-existent. There’s just one problem: it’s illegal for U.S. carriers to support the feature because it breaks the TTY text-chat protocol used by some hearing-impaired users. AT&T asked the FCC to grant it a waiver to switch on the service, and now Verizon has done the same.

The two companies have, however, adopted different positions on the service …
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Educator on iPad Pro: Huge potential, but pricey for students & Smart Keyboard disappoints

Chance Miller Oct 24 2015 - 1:04 pm PT

46 Comments

We’ve already seen the Disney and Pixar teams go hands-on with Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro and now Apple is showing the device off to people in other fields. Fraser Speirs, the head of Computing and IT at Cedars School of Excellence, says he attended a preview event in London to try out the iPad Pro and spent about an hour with it. Speirs took to Twitter to voice some of his thoughts about the usefulness of iPad Pro in education and in general…

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Apple faces $5M class action suit over iOS 9 Wi-Fi Assist feature using too much data

Cam Bunton Oct 24 2015 - 12:25 pm PT

65 Comments

Apple is now faced with yet another class action lawsuit claiming that the company failed to properly educate or warn users over the potential for iOS 9’s Wi-Fi Assist to use substantial amounts of cellular data. The lawsuit arose after users complained that Wi-Fi Assist resulted in significant overages after going over their data allowance…

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DOJ says Apple should be forced to unlock encrypted user data if asked by government

Chance Miller Oct 24 2015 - 12:03 pm PT

29 Comments

Earlier this week, Apple stated that it would be nearly impossible for it to access the data on a passcode-locked iOS device running iOS 8 or later. The company also noted, however, that even if it were possible, it would not feel comfortable doing so as to not tarnish the trust it shares with its customers. The Department of Justice has now dismissed that argument, saying that Apple should be required to unlock encrypted data because iOS is “licensed, not sold” to customers (via DailyDot).

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iTunes U updated w/ iPad Pro support, grade book improvements, more

Chance Miller Oct 22 2015 - 4:04 pm PT

7 Comments

Apple today, just a short while after updating iMovie, has pushed an update to its iTunes U app on iOS. The update bumps the app to version 3.1 and includes a handful of new features, enhancements, and under-the-hood fixes.
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Facebook starting to fix iPhone battery drain issues with latest app update, explains why its happening

Benjamin Mayo Oct 22 2015 - 2:43 pm PT

28 Comments

Facebook has taken to, shocker, Facebook to explain some of the issues causing significant iPhone battery drain when using its app. The app has received a lot of criticism in the community in recent weeks with users reporting incredibly high levels of background activity time for disproportionally low time with the app actually in use. This included when iPhone users had explicitly turned off Background App Refresh in Settings. Facebook says it has started to fix battery drains issues with the latest version of the app in the App Store, version 42.0.

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AAA study ranks mental distraction of using iPhone voice commands on the road vs other platforms

Jordan Kahn Oct 22 2015 - 2:22 pm PT

20 Comments

In its continued research into distracted driving, the American Automobile Association (AAA) today published the results of its latest study that aimed to show the level of mental distraction related to using voice commands on the road. The study included using the iPhone’s Siri voice commands for making calls and changing music while driving and compared those results with using voice activated systems from car manufacturers and other smartphone makers.
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Apple supporting anti-bullying campaign with new eye emoji in iOS 9.1

Chance Miller Oct 22 2015 - 2:11 pm PT

2 Comments

Apple yesterday released iOS 9.1 to the public with a handful of improvements, but the one that the general public was most excited about was new emoji. While most of the emoji additions were self-explantory, one piqued the interest of many users: an eye inside of a speech bubble. Wired and Jeremy Burge both now note, however, that this emoji is Apple’s way to show its support for a new anti-bullying campaign launched today by the Ad Council.

Called the “I Am A Witness” campaign, the movement hopes to give teenagers the courage they need to speak up whenever they see or experience bullying. The Ad Council hopes that Apple adding the emoji to iOS 9.1 will help raise awareness for its campaign and bullying in general.

The design of the emoji is actually the combination of two already existing emojis, the eye emoji and the left speech bubble. By creating the emoji from preexisting images, Apple was able to fast track the emoji’s addition to its keyboard.

“When we first asked about bringing this emoji to the official Apple keyboard, they told us it would take at least a year or two to get it through and approved under Unicode,” says Wittmark. The company found a way to fast-track it, she says, by combining two existing emoji.

In addition to Apple, companies including Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google have expressed their support for the I Am A Witness anti-bullying campaign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V32xhSMhCXE

iOS
ios 9.2

Now that iOS 9.1 is out the door, Apple turns its attention to 9.2 internally

Mike Beasley Oct 22 2015 - 10:55 am PT

30 Comments

With yesterday’s release of iOS 9.1, Apple has finally pushed out the last bit of iPhone and iPad software that it was publicly testing. With that out of the way, the company has internally shifted its focus to the next mobile OS release on its roadmap: iOS 9.2.

As seen in the chart below, 9to5Mac has recently seen a significant uptick in the number of readers running iOS 9.2, indicating that the software has moved into wider testing among more Apple employees.

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Instagram takes on Apple’s Live Photos with new 1-second video loop app, Boomerang

Cam Bunton Oct 22 2015 - 7:43 am PT

2 Comments

Instagram is expanding its range of apps further today by introducing a new video-looping service to rival the likes of HTC Zoe and the iPhone’s baked-in Live Photos. Boomerang takes a quick burst of photos in-app, and then turns them in to a moving photo, or video, that loops forward and backward. Don’t call it a GIF though, it’s a Boomerang…
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PSA: Here’s how to keep seeing iPhone 6s Lock Screen notifications + wallpaper despite super-fast Touch ID

Jeremy Horwitz Oct 22 2015 - 6:42 am PT

11 Comments

“Faster” is almost always “better” with new iPhones, but the iPhone 6s’s lightning-quick Touch ID fingerprint scanner has created a small new issue: if you touch the Home Button to look at your Lock Screen, you’ll see that it disappears within a split-second. At a minimum, this is visually jarring, but it also impacts historic iPhone functionality — users have been customizing their Lock Screens with photos (most recently, Live Photos) and checking the date/time there since the first iPhone launched in 2007, and it subsequently became an easy place to view notifications and activate the camera.

If you want to continue using the Lock Screen for any of these reasons, there are a couple of workarounds:

Start using the Sleep/Wake Button on the iPhone’s right side for all screen activations and deactivations. This is the easiest way to do a quick turn on and off of the display for notifications.
Go into the Settings app, select Touch ID & Passcode, and remove your most commonly used finger scan from the list of stored Fingerprints. This will let you continue to activate the screen using the Home Button’s Touch ID sensor, without immediately moving to the Home Screen.

The choice between 1 or 2 will come down to personal preference, the way you hold your iPhone, and how you use your iPhone when it’s docked or car-mounted. For example, if you want to quickly check notifications when your iPhone is car-mounted (and your car is stopped), you may find that the Sleep/Wake Button is out of reach or inconvenient to press inward, making the Home Button a better choice. Removing your index finger from the Touch ID list will let you naturally use one finger for screen and Home Button interactions.

More From This Author

Check out more of my editorials, How-To guides, and reviews for 9to5Mac here! I’ve covered a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users. I’ve recently discussed how to safely prepare and wipe your iPhone for resale or trade-in, and how to get the best iPhone trade-in price to help buy an iPhone 6s, amongst many other topics.

iOS 9 now installed on over 60% of devices, according to latest Apple App Store data

Benjamin Mayo Oct 22 2015 - 2:42 am PT

25 Comments

Apple has once again updated its App Store data chart with the latest statistics on iOS 9 adoption. iOS 9 came out of the gate with a ridiculously-high >50% adoption rate just a few days after it launched. This pace has definitely slowed following the initial rush of users upgrading, but achieving 61% penetration of iOS devices is still a strong result. This appears to be keeping up with Phil Schiller’s prediction that iOS 9 will be “downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history.” Remember, iOS 9 can be installed on any iPhone, iPad or iPod touch that runs iOS 8.

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Sprint enables iPhone Wi-Fi Calling for all with today’s iOS 9.1 release

Jordan Kahn Oct 21 2015 - 1:37 pm PT

6 Comments

Alongside the release of iOS 9.1 today, Sprint announced that the update officially enables access to the iPhone’s Wi-Fi calling feature for all of its users. That means Sprint users will join T-Mobile and AT&T customers in the US in being able to take advantage of the feature that offers Wi-Fi-assisted voice calling for poor coverage areas and the ability to accept calls on other Apple devices including iPods, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watch.

Following today’s release of iOS 9.1, iPhone customers on Sprint will gain access to Apple’s enhanced Wi-Fi calling feature… “Customers already enjoy seamlessly responding to texts and email from a variety of great Apple devices,” said David Owens, senior vice president, Product Development at Sprint. “Now they can bring that flexibility to the primary phone number their friends, family and colleagues know best. This great feature puts the power of device choice in our customers’ hands.”

Sprint customers will have to update their iPhones to iOS 9.1, released earlier today, make sure Wi-Fi Calling is enabled in the iPhone’s Settings, and sign into the same Apple ID and iCloud account across devices.

Apple’s iOS 9.1 release includes enhancements to its Live Photos feature, over 150 new emoji, refreshed wallpapers, and the usual fixes and improvements for a long list of other features and bugs. We have the full rundown here.

Apple releases watchOS 2.0.1 for Apple Watch with battery life improvements and other bug fixes, tvOS GM for Apple TV

Benjamin Mayo Oct 21 2015 - 10:10 am PT

23 Comments

Alongside updates to iOS and OS X, Apple has released watchOS 2.0.1 with a whole host of changes and bug fixes. As well as including the new emoji character set like Apple’s other operating systems, watchOS 2.0.1 includes bug fixes for poor battery life, stalling software updates, Calendar event syncing and much more.

It has also seeded developers with the Gold Master release of tvOS for Apple TV. We’ll update with any changes …

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Apple takes Siri ‘Back to the Future’ with movie-themed responses

Jordan Kahn Oct 21 2015 - 10:06 am PT

0 Comments

Not to be left out on ‘Back to the Future Day‘, Apple too is joining in on the Internet’s celebrations for reaching the day, October 21, 2015, in which fictional character Marty McFly time travelled to in 1989’s “Back to the Future Part II”. What better way to officially celebrate being in the future than to have our pocket-sized electronic assistant updated with a few witty remarks related to the occasion.

Here’s a sampling of the Back to the Future related responses from Siri:

While some of the predictions about what the world would look like in 2015 actually came true— video chat, 3D movies, hoverboards, for example— I’m not holding my breath for the Chicago Cubs winning the 2015 World Series as the film depicted, although it’s still a possibility.

Apple releases iOS 9.1 for iPhone & iPad with new emoji, fresh wallpapers, more

Zac Hall Oct 21 2015 - 9:55 am PT

24 Comments

Apple is out with a new update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch today, the official iOS 9.1 release. For most users, a collection of new emoji characters including a taco, unicorn, and yes, a middle finger is the most notable new feature within the update. Apple has also tweaked its three planetary wallpapers and developer support for Live Photos as well as improvements to the capture experience.
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Misfit unveils the Shine 2 w/ improved sleep & activity tracking, inactivity alerts, more

Chance Miller Oct 20 2015 - 7:29 pm PT

2 Comments

Misfit, the company co-founded by John Scully, this evening has officially taken the wraps off its Shine 2 wearable. The device offers a fully designed look with a handful of new functionalities, as well. The original Misfit Shine was revealed over two years ago, so today’s refresh is definitely welcomed as a lot has changed in the wearable industry since 2013.

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Apple says it has no way to access data on devices with a passcode running iOS 8 or later

Chance Miller Oct 20 2015 - 3:41 pm PT

11 Comments

Reuters today reports that Apple has informed a federal judge that it has no way of accessing data that is stored on an iPhone that is locked with a passcode and running iOS 8 or later. Apple revealed this information in a court filing recently in response to the U.S. Justice Department asking if the company would help authorities access data on a seized iPhone.

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Guitar Hero Live lands on iOS with a new mobile instrument bundle

Trevor Daugherty Oct 20 2015 - 10:31 am PT

1 Comment

From 9to5Toys.com:

Guitar Hero Live has hit iOS today in what is being billed as essentially a full-on port of the console game. The highly-anticipated virtual band title also launched on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this morning. Activision has opted for an in-app purchase model for this title. The iOS version is available for free to download, but only includes two songs. If you’re after the full catalog, you’ll have to purchase the full game or grab the new iOS bundle that includes a guitar controller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev66m8Obosw

It’ll take a $49.99 in-app purchase to secure all the songs available on Guitar Hero Live for iOS. The guitar bundle can be had for $99.99 at T-Mobile (or with monthly financing, if that’s your thing). It includes a six-button Bluetooth LE guitar, strap and everything needed to redeem your music within the app.

The new Guitar Hero Live for iOS comes with single and multiplayer modes. There are over 200 songs available today, all of which are playable via touch controls or the add-on guitar. Guitar Hero Live’s add-on hardware is compatible with Lightning-capable iOS devices.

Be sure to head over to 9to5Toys for the latest iOS deals and freebies each day.

Source: Touch Arcade

Watch the new Apple TV’s beautiful HD aerial screensavers ahead of release later this month

Benjamin Mayo Oct 19 2015 - 11:54 am PT

5 Comments

The Apple TV is supposedly set to ship sometime in October although 9to5Mac has already reported that many orders will likely slip to November. While everyone waits to be able to get their hands on Apple’s new set-top box, I found a way to watch all of the brand new Apple TV aerial video screensavers right now, before the box is actually available. Visit my blog to see them all — there’s currently 34 videos in total on the random rotation.

The current set of videos includes scenes from Hawaii, London, China, New York City and San Francisco. Most locations have several different videos as well as shots for night and day — the Apple TV will pick the right one for the user’s local time. The slow pan over the Great Wall China is particularly stunning.

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Apple Maps gains Amtrak routes + Boston transit, partners with Yellow Pages in Canada for business data

Zac Hall Oct 19 2015 - 11:36 am PT

6 Comments

Apple delivered a major upgrade to Maps in iOS 9, OS X El Capitan, and watchOS 2 with the addition of transit directions in select cities, and now its rolling out additional cities and transportation methods to bolster that feature. In addition to expanding transit, Apple has found a new partner in Canada to provide rich local business data for use in Maps.
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Apple removing hundreds of App Store apps as advertising SDK found to collect sensitive user data via private APIs

Benjamin Mayo Oct 19 2015 - 6:40 am PT

10 Comments

Code analytics platform SourceDNA has found hundreds of apps on the App Store that used private APIs to collect private user data, like email addresses and device identifiers, slipping under Apple’s radar in the approval process. The code got into these apps through the inclusion of a mischievous third-party advertising SDK, which secretly stored this data and sent it off to its own servers.

Apple has now verified the SourceDNA report and is removing all of the apps that included the advertising SDK from the store, as using private API calls is a breach of App Review Guidelines. Apple has also patched its approval processes to prevent any more apps that use this technique to make it onto the App Store.

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