iOS - Wikipedia

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mobile operating system by Apple
For other uses, see
IOS (disambiguation)
Operating system
iOS
Home screen of
iOS 26
, the most recent version
Developer
Apple
Written in
C++
Objective-C
Swift
assembly language
OS family
Unix-like
, based on
Darwin
BSD
),
macOS
Working state
Current
Source model
Closed
, with
open-source
components
Initial release
June 29, 2007
; 18 years ago
2007-06-29
Latest release
26.4.2
(April 22, 2026
; 1 day ago
2026-04-22
[±]
Marketing target
iPhone
iPad
(until
13.0
iPod Touch
(until
16.0
Available in
41 languages
List of languages
Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional (Hong Kong), Chinese Traditional (Taiwan), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (Australia), English (United Kingdom), English (United States), Finnish, French (Canada), French (France), German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian (iOS 18), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Update method
Over-the-air
(since
5.0
Wired connection
Supported platforms
ARM architecture family
ARM64
(since
7.0
ARM32
(until
11.0
Kernel
type
Hybrid
XNU
Default
user interface
Multi-touch
GUI
License
Proprietary software
except for open-source components
Official website
www
.apple
.com
/ios
Articles in the series
iOS version history
iOS
(formerly
iPhone OS
) is a
mobile operating system
created and developed by
Apple
for its
iPhone
line of
smartphones
. It was unveiled in January 2007 alongside the
first-generation iPhone
, and was released in June 2007.
Major versions of iOS
are released annually; the current stable version,
iOS 26
, was released to the public on September 15, 2025.
Besides powering iPhone, iOS is the basis for three other
operating systems made by Apple
iPadOS
tvOS
, and
watchOS
iOS formerly also powered
iPads
until iPadOS was introduced in 2019 and the
iPod Touch
line of devices until its discontinuation.
iOS is the world's
second most widely installed mobile operating system
, after
Android
. As of December 2023, Apple's
App Store
contains more than 3.8 million iOS
mobile apps
iOS is based on
macOS
. Like macOS, it includes components of the
Mach
microkernel and
FreeBSD
It is a
Unix-like
operating system. Although some parts of iOS are open source under the
Apple Public Source License
and other licenses,
10
iOS is
proprietary software
11
History
See also:
iOS version history
In 2005, when
Steve Jobs
began planning the iPhone, he stated that he had a choice to either "shrink the Mac, which would be an epic feat of engineering, or enlarge the iPod". Jobs favored the former approach but pitted the
Macintosh
and
iPod
teams, led by
Scott Forstall
and
Tony Fadell
, respectively, against each other in an internal competition, with Forstall winning by creating iPhone OS. The decision enabled the success of the iPhone as a platform for third-party developers: using a well-known desktop operating system as its basis allowed the many third-party Mac developers to write software for the iPhone with minimal retraining. Forstall was also responsible for creating a
software development kit
for programmers to build iPhone apps, as well as an
App Store
within
iTunes
12
13
The operating system was unveiled with the iPhone at the
Macworld Conference & Expo
on January 9, 2007, and released in June of that year.
14
15
16
At the time of its unveiling in January, Steve Jobs claimed: "iPhone runs OS X" and runs "desktop class applications",
17
18
but at the time of the iPhone's release, the operating system was renamed "iPhone OS".
19
Initially, third-party native applications were not supported. Jobs' reasoning was that developers could build
web applications
through the
Safari
web browser that "would behave like native apps on the iPhone".
20
21
In October 2007, Apple announced that a native
software development kit
(SDK) was under development and that they planned to put it "in developers' hands in February".
22
23
24
On March 6, 2008, Apple held a press event, announcing the iPhone SDK.
25
26
first-generation iPhone
(2007), the first commercially released device running iOS, then called
iPhone OS
The
iOS App Store
was opened on July 10, 2008, with an initial 500 applications available.
27
This quickly grew to 3,000 in September 2008,
28
15,000 in January 2009,
29
50,000 in June 2009,
30
100,000 in November 2009,
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250,000 in August 2010,
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650,000 in July 2012,
35
1 million in October 2013,
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2 million in June 2016,
38
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and 2.2 million in January 2017.
41
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As of March 2016
[update]
, 1 million apps are natively compatible with the
iPad
tablet computer.
43
These apps have collectively been downloaded more than 130 billion times.
38
In September 2007, Apple announced the
iPod Touch
, a redesigned
iPod
based on the iPhone form factor.
44
On January 27, 2010, Apple introduced their much-anticipated media
tablet
, the iPad, featuring a larger screen than the iPhone and iPod Touch, and designed for web browsing, media consumption, and reading, and offering multi-touch interaction with multimedia formats including newspapers, e-books, photos, videos, music, word processing documents, video games, and most existing iPhone apps using a 9.7-inch (25 cm) screen.
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It also includes a mobile version of Safari for web browsing, as well as access to the App Store,
iTunes
Library,
iBookstore
, Contacts, and Notes. Content is downloadable via
Wi-Fi
and optional
3G
service or synced through the user's computer.
48
AT&T
was initially the sole U.S. provider of 3G wireless access for the iPad.
49
In June 2010, Apple rebranded iPhone OS as "iOS".
50
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The trademark "IOS" had been used by
Cisco
for over a decade for its operating system,
IOS
, used on its routers. To avoid any potential lawsuit, Apple licensed the "IOS" trademark from Cisco.
52
The
Apple Watch
smartwatch
was announced by Tim Cook on September 9, 2014, being introduced as a product with health and fitness-tracking.
53
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It was released on April 24, 2015.
55
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It uses
watchOS
as its operating system; watchOS is based on iOS, with new features created specially for the Apple Watch such as an activity tracking app.
58
In October 2016, Apple opened its first iOS Developer Academy in
Naples
inside
University of Naples Federico II
's new campus.
59
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The course is completely free, aimed at acquiring specific technical skills on the creation and management of applications for the
Apple ecosystem
platforms.
61
At the academy there are also issues of
business administration
(business planning and business management with a focus on digital opportunities) and there is a path dedicated to the design of
graphical interfaces
. Students have the opportunity to participate in the "Enterprise Track", an in-depth training experience on the entire life cycle of an app, from design to implementation, to security,
troubleshooting
, data storage and cloud usage.
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As of 2020, the academy graduated almost a thousand students from all over the world, who have worked on 400 app ideas and have already published about 50 apps on the iOS
App Store
. In the 2018–2019 academic year, students from more than 30 countries arrived. 35 of these have been selected to attend the
Worldwide Developer Conference
, the annual Apple Developer Conference held annually in California in early June.
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Apple CEO
Steve Jobs
introduces the
iPad
(2010).
On June 3, 2019,
iPadOS
, the branded version of iOS for iPad, was announced during the WWDC 2019 keynote; it was launched on September 25, 2019.
66
On June 9, 2025, at WWDC 2025, Apple introduced
iOS 26
. The version number indicates the year following the year in which the version was introduced; this numbering scheme is now being used for all Apple operating systems, keeping their version numbers synchronized.
Features
Interface
The iOS
user interface
is based upon
direct manipulation
, using
multi-touch
gestures such as
swipe
tap
pinch
, and
reverse pinch
. Interface control elements include sliders, switches, and buttons.
67
Internal
accelerometers
are used by some applications to respond to shaking the device (one common result is the
undo
command) or rotating it in
three dimensions
(one common result is switching between portrait and landscape mode). Various
described in
§ Accessibility
functions enable users with vision and hearing disabilities to properly use iOS.
68
iOS devices boot to the lock screen. The lock screen shows the time and a user's lock screen widgets, which display timely information from apps.
69
The lock screen also has two buttons, called Controls, which are only available on iPhone. These default to flashlight and camera, but they can be customized to any control available in Control Center and can also be removed.
70
Upon unlock, a user is directed to the home screen, which is the primary navigation and information "hub" on iOS devices, analogous to the
desktop
found on personal computers. iOS home screens are typically made up of app icons and
widgets
; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live, auto-updating content, such as a
weather forecast
, the user's email inbox, or a
news ticker
directly on the home screen.
71
Along the top of the screen is a status bar, showing information about the device and its connectivity. The Control Center can be "pulled" down from the top right of the notch or Dynamic Island on iPhones with
Face ID
, or can be "pulled" up from the bottom to top of the screen on iPhones with
Touch ID
, giving access to various toggles to manage the device more quickly without having to open the Settings. It is possible to manage brightness, volume, wireless connections, music player, etc.
72
Scrolling from the top left to the bottom (or top to bottom on iPhones with Touch ID) will open the
Notification Center
, which in the latest versions of iOS is very similar to the lock screen. It displays notifications in chronological order and groups them by application. From the notifications of some apps it is possible to interact directly, for example by replying to a message directly from it. Notifications are sent in two modes, critical alerts that are displayed on the lock screen and signaled by a distinctive sound and vibration (e.g.
emergency alerts
or
severe weather
alerts), accompanied by a warning banner and the app badge icon, and standard alerts which use a default sound and vibration. Both can be found in the Notification Center, and show for a set amount of time on the lock screen (unless the user has Notification Center allowed when locked).
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On iPhones with Touch ID,
screenshots
can be created with the simultaneous press of the home and power buttons. In comparison to
Android
, which requires the buttons to be held down, a short press does suffice on iOS.
75
On iPhone with Face ID, screenshots are captured using the volume-up and power buttons instead.
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The camera application used a
skeuomorphic
closing camera shutter animation prior to iOS 7. Since then, it uses a simple short blackout effect.
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Notable additions over time include
HDR
photography and the option to save both normal and high dynamic range photographs simultaneously where the former prevents ghosting effects from moving objects (since
iPhone 5
on
iOS 6
), automatic HDR adjustment (since
iOS 7.1
), "live photo" with short video bundled to each photo if enabled (
iPhone 6s
iOS 9
), and a
digital zoom
shortcut (
iPhone 7 Plus
iOS 10
).
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Some camera settings such as video resolution and frame rate are not adjustable through the camera interface itself, but are outsourced to the system settings.
81
A new feature in
iOS 13
called "context menus" shows related actions when you touch and hold an item. When the context menu is displayed, the background is blurred.
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To choose from a few options, a selection control is used. Selectors can appear anchored at the bottom or in line with the content (called date selectors). Date selectors take on the appearance of any other selection control, but with a column for day, month, and optionally year.
Alerts appear in the center of the screen, but there are also alerts that scroll up from the bottom of the screen (called "action panels"). Destructive actions (such as eliminating any element) are colored red.
The official font of iOS is
San Francisco
. It is designed for small text readability, and is used throughout the operating system, including third-party apps.
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The icons are 180x180px in size for iPhones with a larger screen, usually models over 6 inches, including
iPhone 11 Pro
and
iPhone 8 Plus
, while they are 120x120px on iPhones with smaller displays.
83
Home screen
Main article:
SpringBoard
The home screen, rendered by
SpringBoard
, displays
application
icons and a dock at the bottom where users can pin their most frequently used apps. iOS home screens are typically made up of app icons and
widgets
; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live, auto-updating content, such as a
weather forecast
, the user's email inbox, or a
news ticker
directly on the home screen.
84
The home screen appears whenever the user unlocks the device, presses the physical "Home" button while in an app, or swipes up from the bottom of the screen using the home bar.
85
The screen has a status bar across the top to display data, such as time, battery level, and signal strength. The rest of the screen is devoted to the current application. When a passcode is set and a user switches on the device, the passcode must be entered at the Lock Screen before access to the Home screen is granted.
86
In iPhone OS 3,
Spotlight
was introduced, allowing users to search media, apps, emails, contacts, messages, reminders, calendar events, and similar content. In iOS 7 and later, Spotlight is accessed by pulling down anywhere on the home screen (except for the top and bottom edges that open Notification Center and Control Center).
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In iOS 9, there are two ways to access Spotlight. As with iOS 7 and 8, pulling down on any homescreen will show Spotlight. However, it can also be accessed as it was in iOS versions 3 through 6. This endows Spotlight with Siri suggestions, which include app suggestions, contact suggestions and news.
89
In iOS 10, Spotlight is at the top of the now-dedicated "Today" panel.
90
With the release of
iPhone OS 3.2
, users gained the ability to set a
wallpaper
for the Home Screen. The feature was initially only available on the
iPad (1st generation)
until the release of
iOS 4
a few months after the release of iPhone OS 3.2, which brought the feature to all iPhone and iPod Touch models that could run the operating system, with the exception of the
iPhone 3G
and the
iPod touch (2nd generation)
due to performance issues with icon animations.
91
iOS 7
introduced a parallax effect on the Home Screen, which shifts the device's wallpaper and icons in response to the movement of the device, creating a 3D effect and an illusion of floating icons. This effect is also visible in the tab view of Mail and Safari.
92
Researchers found that users organize icons on their homescreens based on usage frequency and relatedness of the applications, as well as for reasons of usability and aesthetics.
93
System font
iOS originally used
Helvetica
as the system font. Apple switched to
Helvetica Neue
exclusively for the
iPhone 4
and its
Retina Display
, and retained Helvetica as the system font for older iPhone devices on iOS 4.
94
With iOS 7, Apple announced that they would change the system font to Helvetica Neue Light, a decision that sparked criticism for inappropriate usage of a light, thin typeface for low-resolution mobile screens. Apple eventually chose Helvetica Neue instead.
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The release of iOS 7 also introduced the ability to scale text or apply other forms of text accessibility changes through Settings.
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With iOS 9, Apple changed the font to
San Francisco
, an Apple-designed font aimed at maximum legibility and font consistency across its product lineup.
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Folders
iOS 4 introduced folders, which can be created by dragging an application on top of another, and from then on, more items can be added to the folder using the same procedure. A title for the folder is automatically selected by the category of applications inside, but the name can also be edited by the user.
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When apps inside folders receive notification badges, the individual numbers of notifications are added up and the total number is displayed as a notification badge on the folder itself.
101
Originally, folders on an iPhone could include up to 12 apps, while folders on iPad could include 20.
102
With increasing display sizes on newer iPhone hardware, iOS 7 updated the folders with pages similar to the home screen layout, allowing for a significant expansion of folder functionality. Each page of a folder can contain up to nine apps, and there can be 15 pages in total, allowing for a total of 135 apps in a single folder.
103
In iOS 9, Apple updated folder sizes for iPad hardware, allowing for 16 apps per page, still at 15 pages maximum, increasing the total to 240 apps.
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Notification Center
Main article:
Notification Center
Before iOS 5, notifications were delivered in a
modal window
and could not be viewed after being dismissed. In iOS 5, Apple introduced
Notification Center
, which allows users to view a history of notifications. The user can tap a notification to open its corresponding app, or clear it.
105
Notifications are now delivered in banners that appear briefly at the top of the screen. If a user taps a received notification, the application that sent the notification will be opened. Users can also choose to view notifications in modal alert windows by adjusting the application's notification settings. Introduced with iOS 8, widgets are now accessible through the Notification Center, defined by 3rd parties.
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When an app sends a notification while closed, a red badge appears on its icon. This badge tells the user, at a glance, how many notifications that app has sent. Opening the app clears the badge.
Applications
See also:
List of built-in iOS apps
App Store (Apple)
, and
.ipa
iOS devices come with
preinstalled apps
developed by Apple including Mail, Maps, TV, Music, FaceTime, Wallet, Health, and many more.
Applications ("
apps
") are the most general form of application
software
that can be installed on iOS. They are downloaded from the official catalog of the
App Store
digital store, where apps are subjected to security checks before being made available to users. In June 2017, Apple updated its guidelines to specify that app developers will no longer have the ability to use custom prompts for encouraging users to leave reviews for their apps.
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IOS applications can also be installed directly from an IPA file provided by the software distributor, via unofficial ways. They are written using
iOS Software Development Kit
(SDK) and, often, combined with
Xcode
, using officially supported programming languages, including
Swift
and
Objective-C
. Other companies have also created tools that allow for the development of native iOS apps using their respective programming languages.
Applications for iOS are mostly built using components of
UIKit
, a programming framework. It allows applications to have a consistent look and feel with the OS, nevertheless offering customization.
Elements automatically update along with iOS updates, automatically including new interface rules. UIKit elements are very adaptable, this allows developers to design a single app that looks the same on any iOS device. In addition to defining the iOS interface, UIKit defines the functionality of the application.
At first, Apple did not intend to release an SDK to developers, because they did not want third-party apps to be developed for iOS, building
web apps
instead. However, this technology never entered into common use, this led Apple to change its opinion, so in October 2007 the SDK for developers was announced, finally released on March 6, 2008.
The SDK includes an inclusive set of development tools,
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including an audio mixer and an iPhone simulator. It is a free download for
Mac
users. It is not available for
Microsoft Windows
PCs. To test the application, get technical support, and distribute applications through
App Store
, developers are required to subscribe to the Apple Developer Program.
Over the years, the Apple Store apps surpassed multiple major milestones, including 50,000,
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100,000,
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250,000,
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500,000,
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1 million,
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and 2 million apps.
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The billionth application was installed on April 24, 2009.
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App Library
App Library automatically categorizes apps into folders based on their function or type and includes an alphabetical list of all installed apps. For example, it might group all social media apps into one folder and productivity apps into another.
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Users can quickly find and access apps by using the search bar at the top of the App Library. Users can choose to hide specific app pages from the home screen, making it easier to focus on the apps they use most frequently.
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Storage
See also:
iCloud
iOS enforces strict sandboxing to maintain security and privacy. Apps are generally limited to accessing their own containers and specific system-provided directories, such as the Photos library. To access files outside of their sandbox, iOS uses mechanisms like document pickers, file providers, and app extensions.
iOS 8 introduced the Document Picker and Document Provider extensions as part of the document interaction controller.
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This allows apps to open, save, and interact with documents stored in a central location or cloud storage services.
With iOS 11, Apple introduced the
Files app
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and the File Provider extension,
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providing a central location for users to manage and organize their files. Apps can integrate with the Files app to make their documents accessible and editable directly from the Files app.
The storage of iOS devices can be expanded through
iCloud
, the Apple's cloud-based storage solution that provides 5GB of storage for free to all users, while other plans require a paid subscription. iCloud Drive allows users to store various types of files, such as documents, presentations, and spreadsheets, in the cloud. These files can be accessed across multiple devices as long as the user is signed in with the same Apple ID.
iOS offers various accessibility features to help users with vision and hearing disabilities. One major feature,
VoiceOver
, provides a voice reading information on the screen, including contextual buttons, icons, links and other
user interface
elements, and allows the user to navigate the operating system through gestures. Any apps with default controls and developed with a UIKit
framework
gets VoiceOver functionality built in.
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One example includes holding up the iPhone to take a photo, with VoiceOver describing the photo scenery.
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As part of a "Made for iPhone" program, introduced with the release of
iOS 7
in 2013, Apple has developed technology to use
Bluetooth
and a special technology protocol to let compatible third-party equipment connect with iPhones and iPads for streaming audio directly to a user's ears. Additional customization available for Made for iPhone products include battery tracking and adjustable sound settings for different environments.
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Apple made further efforts for accessibility for the release of
iOS 10
in 2016, adding a new pronunciation editor to VoiceOver, adding a
Magnifier
setting to enlarge objects through the device's camera, software
TTY
support for deaf people to make phone calls from the iPhone, and giving tutorials and guidelines for third-party developers to incorporate proper accessibility functions into their apps.
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In 2012, Liat Kornowski from
The Atlantic
wrote that "the iPhone has turned out to be one of the most revolutionary developments since the invention of
Braille
",
129
and in 2016, Steven Aquino of
TechCrunch
described Apple as "leading the way in assistive technology", with Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Manager for Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple, stating that "We see accessibility as a basic human right. Building into the core of our products supports a vision of an inclusive world where opportunity and
access to information
are barrier-free, empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve their goals".
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Criticism has been aimed at iOS depending on both internet connection (either WiFi or through iTunes) and a working
SIM card
upon first activation.
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This restriction has been loosened in iOS 12, which no longer requires the latter.
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Multitasking
Multitasking
for iOS was first released in June 2010 along with the release of
iOS 4
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Only certain devices—
iPhone 4
iPhone 3GS
, and
iPod Touch
3rd generation—were able to multitask.
135
The
iPad
did not get multitasking until iOS 4.2.1 in that November.
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The implementation of multitasking in iOS has been criticized for its approach, which limits the work that applications in the background can perform to a limited function set and requires application developers to add explicit support for it.
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Before iOS 4, multitasking was limited to a selection of the applications Apple included on the device. Users could however "
jailbreak
" their device in order to unofficially multitask.
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Starting with iOS 4, on third-generation and newer iOS devices, multitasking is supported through seven background
APIs
139
Background audio – application continues to run in the background as long as it is playing audio or video content
140
Voice over IP – application is suspended when a phone call is not in progress
140
Background location – application is notified of location changes
140
Push notifications
Local notifications – application schedules local notifications to be delivered at a predetermined time
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Task completion – application asks the system for extra time to complete a given task
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Fast app switching – application does not execute any code and may be removed from memory at any time
140
In iOS 5, three new background APIs were introduced:
Newsstand – application can download content in the background to be ready for the user
140
External Accessory – application communicates with an external accessory and shares data at regular intervals
140
Bluetooth Accessory – application communicates with a bluetooth accessory and shares data at regular intervals
140
In iOS 7, Apple introduced a new multitasking feature, providing all apps with the ability to perform background updates. This feature prefers to update the user's most frequently used apps and prefers to use Wi-Fi networks over a cellular network, without markedly reducing the device's battery life.
Switching applications
In iOS 4.0 to iOS 6.x, double-clicking the home button activates the application switcher. A scrollable dock-style interface appears from the bottom, moving the contents of the screen up. Choosing an icon switches to an application. To the far left are icons which function as music controls, a rotation lock, and on iOS 4.2 and above, a volume controller.
With the introduction of iOS 7, double-clicking the home button also activates the application switcher. However, unlike previous versions it displays screenshots of open applications on top of the icon and horizontal scrolling allows for browsing through previous apps, and it is possible to close applications by dragging them up, similar to how
WebOS
handled multiple cards.
141
With the introduction of iOS 9, the application switcher received a significant visual change; while still retaining the card metaphor introduced in iOS 7, the application icon is smaller, and appears above the screenshot (which is now larger, due to the removal of "Recent and Favorite Contacts"), and each application "card" overlaps the other, forming a
rolodex
effect as the user scrolls. Now, instead of the home screen appearing at the leftmost of the application switcher, it appears rightmost.
142
In
iOS 11
, the application switcher receives a major redesign. In the iPad, the
Control Center
and app switcher are combined. The app switcher in the iPad can also be accessed by swiping up from the bottom. In the iPhone, the app switcher cannot be accessed if there are no apps in the
RAM
Ending tasks
In iOS 4.0 to iOS 6.x, briefly holding the icons in the application switcher makes them "jiggle" (similarly to the homescreen) and allows the user to
force
quit the applications by tapping the red minus circle that appears at the corner of the app's icon.
143
Clearing applications from multitasking stayed the same from iOS 4.0 through 6.1.6, the last version of iOS 6.
As of iOS 7, the process has become faster and easier. In iOS 7, instead of holding the icons to close them, they are closed by simply swiping them upwards off the screen. Up to three apps can be cleared at a time compared to one in versions up to iOS 6.1.6.
144
Task completion
Task completion allows apps to continue a certain task after the app has been suspended.
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As of iOS 4.0, apps can request up to ten minutes to complete a task in the background.
147
This doesn't extend to background uploads and downloads though (e.g. if a user starts a download in one application, it won't finish if they switch away from the application).
Siri
Main article:
Siri
Siri (
ɪr
) is a
virtual assistant
integrated into iOS. The assistant uses voice queries and a
natural-language user interface
to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Internet services. The software adapts to users' individual language usages, searches, and preferences, with continuing use. Returned results are individualized.
Originally released as an app for iOS in February 2010,
148
it was acquired by Apple two months later,
149
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and then integrated into
iPhone 4S
at its release in October 2011.
152
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At that time, the separate app was also removed from the iOS
App Store
154
Siri supports a wide range of user commands, including performing phone actions, checking basic information, scheduling events and reminders, handling device settings, searching the Internet, navigating areas, finding information on entertainment, and is able to engage with iOS-integrated apps.
155
With the release of
iOS 10
in 2016, Apple opened up limited third-party access to Siri, including third-party messaging apps, as well as payments, ride-sharing, and Internet calling apps.
156
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With the release of
iOS 11
, Apple updated Siri's voices for more clear, human voices, it now supports follow-up questions and language translation, and additional third-party actions.
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iOS 17
enabled users to activate Siri by simply saying "Siri", while the previous command, "Hey Siri", is still supported.
Game Center
Main article:
Game Center
Game Center is an
online
multiplayer
"social gaming network"
160
released by Apple.
161
It allows users to "invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through matchmaking, track their
achievements
, and compare their high scores on a
leaderboard
." iOS 5 and above adds support for profile photos.
160
Game Center was announced during an iOS 4 preview event hosted by Apple on April 8, 2010. A preview was released to registered Apple developers in August.
160
It was released on September 8, 2010, with iOS 4.1 on
iPhone 4
, iPhone 3GS, and iPod Touch 2nd generation through 4th generation.
162
Game Center made its public debut on the iPad with iOS 4.2.1.
163
There is no support for the
iPhone 3G
original iPhone
and the
first-generation iPod Touch
(the latter two devices did not have Game Center because they did not get iOS 4).
164
However, Game Center is unofficially available on the iPhone 3G via a hack.
165
Supported processors
The instruction set architectures supported by iOS are the
ARM architectures
. With currently supported ARM architectures being various versions of the
ARMv8
and
ARMv9
architectures. iOS, prior to the release of
iOS 7
in 2013, only supported devices with
32-bit
ARM processors supporting the
ARMv6
or
ARMv7-A
architectures, however iOS 7 added full support for the
64-bit
architecture (including a native 64-bit kernel, libraries, drivers as well as all built-in applications),
166
after Apple announced that they were switching to 64-bit
ARMv8-A
processors with the introduction of the
Apple A7
chip.
167
64-bit support has been enforced for all app submissions made to the
App Store
since 2015; specifically, new apps since February 2015, and all updates to apps since June 1, 2015.
168
iOS 11
, released in 2017, dropped support for all iOS devices with 32-bit ARM processors as well as 32-bit applications,
169
170
making iOS 64-bit only.
171
Devices
iOS powers almost exclusively
Apple
hardware. It is used for all iPhones and iPod Touch devices. Further, Apple Watches, Apple TVs, and iPads either also use iOS for some models or use OSes based on iOS for other models.
172
Main article:
List of iPhone models
Timeline of iOS devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch models
Sources: Apple Inc. Newsroom Archive,
173
Mactracker
Apple Inc. model database
174
See also:
List of Apple products
iOS version history
iPod § Timeline of models
, and
iPhone models § Timeline
Development
Main article:
iOS SDK
The iOS
software development kit
(SDK) allows for the development of
mobile apps
that can run on iOS.
While originally developing
iPhone
prior to its unveiling in 2007, Apple's then-
CEO
Steve Jobs
did not intend to let third-party developers build native apps for iOS, instead directing them to make
web applications
for the
Safari
web browser.
175
However, backlash from developers prompted the company to reconsider,
175
with Jobs announcing in October 2007 that Apple would have a software development kit available for developers by February 2008.
176
177
The SDK was released on March 6, 2008.
178
179
The SDK is a free download for users of
Mac
personal computers.
180
It is not available for
Microsoft Windows
PCs.
180
The SDK contains sets giving developers access to various functions and services of iOS devices, such as hardware and software attributes.
181
It also contains an iPhone
simulator
to mimic the look and feel of the device on the computer while developing.
181
New versions of the SDK accompany new versions of iOS.
182
183
In order to test applications, get technical support, and distribute apps through App Store, developers are required to subscribe to the Apple Developer Program.
180
Combined with
Xcode
, the iOS SDK helps developers write iOS apps using officially supported programming languages, including
Swift
and
Objective-C
184
Other companies have also created tools that allow for the development of native iOS apps using their respective programming languages.
185
186
Update history and schedule
Main articles:
iOS version history
and
Issues relating to iOS
iPhone platform usage as measured by the
App Store
on June 4th, 2025
187
iOS 18
(82.0%)
iOS 17
(9.00%)
iOS 16
and earlier (9.00%)
iPad platform usage as measured by the
App Store
on January 21st, 2025
187
iPadOS 18
(71.0%)
iPadOS 17
(14.0%)
iPadOS 16
and earlier (15.0%)
Apple
provides major updates to the iOS operating system annually. Since iOS 5, the primary method of delivery has been
over-the-air
188
Updates are also available using
iTunes
on older versions of
macOS
and
Windows
, using
Finder
on macOS starting with
macOS Catalina
189
and using the
Apple Devices
app on Windows starting with
Windows 10
version 22H2.
190
The device checks an XML-based PLIST file on mesu.apple.com
citation needed
for updates. Updates are delivered as unencrypted ZIP files. Updates are checked for regularly, and are downloaded and installed automatically if enabled. Otherwise, the user can install them manually or are prompted to allow automatic installation overnight if plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.
iPod Touch users originally had to pay for system software updates due to accounting rules that designated it not a "subscription device" like the iPhone or Apple TV,
191
192
causing many iPod Touch owners not to update.
193
In September 2009, a change in accounting rules won tentative approval, affecting Apple's earnings and stock price, and allowing iPod Touch updates to be delivered free of charge.
194
195
Apple significantly extended the cycle of updates for iOS-supported devices over the years. The
iPhone (1st generation)
and
iPhone 3G
only received two iOS updates, while later models had support for five, six, and seven years.
196
197
XNU kernel
Main article:
XNU
iOS uses the
XNU
kernel included in the
Darwin
operating system and used by
macOS
, adapted to work with devices that run iOS. It is additionally used as the kernel for Apple's other platforms and operating systems, including
iPadOS
watchOS
visionOS
, and
tvOS
, and also serves as the kernel used by the software powering the
HomePod
range of smart speakers. iOS 18, the second-to-latest stable version of iOS, uses version 24 of Darwin. Darwin, and by definition XNU, is
open source
software dual-licensed under the
3-clause BSD license
for components developed specifically for
BSD
, and the
Apple Public Source License
(APSL) for components of the operating system and kernel that have been developed by Apple; however, XNU is licensed specifically under the APSL.
198
Since the release of
iOS 6
in 2012, the kernel uses
kernel address space layout randomization
(KASLR), a technology and security technique introduced in
OS X Mountain Lion
and included in later versions of macOS that makes it harder to exploit known and future
memory corruption
security vulnerabilities
by randomizing the memory addresses used by the kernel.
199
Jailbreaking
Main article:
iOS jailbreaking
This section
needs additional citations for
verification
Please help
improve this article
by
adding citations to reliable sources
in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources:
"IOS"
news
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JSTOR
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Since its initial release, iOS has been subject to a variety of different hacks centered around adding functionality not allowed by Apple.
200
Prior to the 2008 debut of Apple's native
iOS App Store
, the primary motive for jailbreaking was to bypass Apple's purchase mechanism for installing the App Store's native applications.
201
Apple claimed that it would not release iOS software updates designed specifically to break these tools (other than applications that perform
SIM unlocking
); however, with each subsequent iOS update, previously un-patched jailbreak exploits are usually patched.
202
When a device is booting, it loads Apple's own
kernel
initially,
203
204
so a jailbroken device must be exploited and have the kernel patched each time it is booted up.
There are different types of jailbreak. An
untethered
jailbreak uses exploits that are powerful enough to allow the user to turn their device off and back on at will, with the device starting up completely, and the kernel will be patched without the help of a computer – in other words, it will be jailbroken even after each reboot.
204
However, some jailbreaks are
tethered
. A tethered jailbreak is only able to temporarily jailbreak the device during a single boot. If the user turns the device off and then boots it back up without the help of a jailbreak tool, the device will no longer be running a patched kernel, and it may get stuck in a partially started state, such as Recovery Mode. In order for the device to start completely and with a patched kernel, it must be "re-jailbroken" with a computer (using the "boot tethered" feature of a tool) each time it is turned on. All changes to the files on the device (such as installed package files or edited system files) will persist between reboots, including changes that can only function if the device is jailbroken (such as installed package files).
205
In more recent years, two other solutions have been created –
semi-tethered
and
semi-untethered
203
A semi-tethered solution is one where the device is able to start up on its own, but it will no longer have a patched kernel, and therefore will not be able to run modified code. It will, however, still be usable for normal functions, just like stock iOS. To start with a patched kernel, the user must start the device with the help of the jailbreak tool.
204
A semi-untethered jailbreak gives the ability to start the device on its own. On first boot, the device will not be running a patched kernel. However, rather than having to run a tool from a computer to apply the kernel patches, the user is able to re-jailbreak their device with the help of an app (usually sideloaded using
Cydia
Impactor) running on their device. In the case of the iOS 9.2-9.3.3 and 64-bit 10.x jailbreaks, Safari-based exploits were available, thereby meaning websites could be used to re-jailbreak.
In more detail: Each iOS device has a bootchain that tries to make sure only trusted/signed code is loaded. A device with a tethered jailbreak is able to boot up with the help of a jailbreaking tool because the tool executes exploits via USB that bypass parts of that "chain of trust", bootstrapping to a
pwned
(no signature check) iBEC, or
iBoot
to finish the boot process.
Since the arrival of Apple's native iOS App Store, and—along with it—third-party applications, the general motives for jailbreaking have changed.
206
People jailbreak for many different reasons, including gaining filesystem access, installing custom device themes, and modifying SpringBoard. An additional motivation is that it may enable the installation of pirated apps. On some devices, jailbreaking also makes it possible to install alternative operating systems, such as Android and the Linux kernel. Primarily, users jailbreak their devices because of the limitations of iOS. Depending on the method used, the effects of jailbreaking may be permanent or temporary.
207
In 2010, the
Electronic Frontier Foundation
(EFF) successfully convinced the U.S. Copyright Office to allow an exemption to the general prohibition on circumvention of copyright protection systems under the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
(DMCA). The exemption allows jailbreaking of iPhones for the sole purpose of allowing legally obtained applications to be added to the iPhone.
208
The exemption does not affect the contractual relations between Apple and an iPhone owner, for example, jailbreaking voiding the iPhone warranty; however, it is solely based on Apple's discretion on whether they will fix jailbroken devices in the event that they need to be repaired. At the same time, the Copyright Office exempted unlocking an iPhone from DMCA's anticircumvention prohibitions.
209
Unlocking an iPhone allows the iPhone to be used with any wireless carrier using the same GSM or CDMA technology for which the particular phone model was designed to operate.
210
Unlocking
Main article:
SIM lock
Initially most wireless carriers in the US did not allow iPhone owners to unlock it for use with other carriers. However AT&T allowed iPhone owners who had satisfied contract requirements to unlock their iPhone.
211
Instructions to unlock the device are available from Apple,
212
but it is ultimately at the sole discretion of the carrier to authorize unlocking the device.
213
This allows the use of a carrier-sourced iPhone on other networks. Modern versions of iOS and the iPhone fully support LTE across multiple carriers wherever the phone was purchased.
214
Programs to remove SIM lock restrictions are available, but are not supported by Apple, and most often not a permanent unlock – a soft unlock,
215
which modifies the iPhone so that the baseband will accept the
SIM
card of any GSM carrier. SIM unlocking is not jailbreaking, but a jailbreak is also required for these unofficial software unlocks.
The legality of software unlocking varies in each country; for example, in the US, there is a DMCA exemption for unofficial software unlocking of devices purchased before January 26, 2013.
216
Digital rights management
The closed and proprietary nature of iOS has garnered criticism, particularly by
digital rights
advocates such as the
Electronic Frontier Foundation
, computer engineer and activist
Brewster Kahle
, Internet-law specialist
Jonathan Zittrain
, and the
Free Software Foundation
who protested the iPad's introductory event and have targeted the iPad with their "
Defective by Design
" campaign.
217
218
219
220
Competitor
Microsoft
, via a PR spokesman, criticized Apple's control over its platform.
221
At issue are restrictions imposed by the design of iOS, namely
digital rights management
(DRM) intended to lock purchased media to Apple's platform, the development model (requiring a yearly subscription to distribute apps developed for the iOS), the centralized approval process for apps, as well as Apple's general control and lockdown of the platform itself. Particularly at issue is the ability for Apple to remotely disable or delete apps at will.
222
Apple co-founder
Steve Wozniak
and legal scholar
Jonathan Zittrain
have expressed concern that the locked-down nature of iOS represents a shift away from computers that hobbyists can tinker with, potentially stifling software innovation.
223
224
In 2009, former
developer
Joe Hewitt
ceased iOS development in protest of Apple's control over its hardware, calling its review policies a "horrible precedent," though he praised the operating system's
sandboxing
of apps.
225
Security and privacy
Main article:
Security and privacy of iOS
This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
making an edit request
adding missing information
March 2025
iOS utilizes many security features in both hardware and software.
Reception
Market share
See also:
Usage share of operating systems
Worldwide market share of smartphone operating systems
Android
72.23%
iOS
27.39%
Other
0.38%
Source:
Statcounter
(April 2025
[update]
).
226
iOS is the second most popular mobile operating system in the world, after
Android
. Sales of iPads in recent years are also behind Android, while, by web use (a proxy for all use), iPads (using iOS) are still the most popular.
227
At
WWDC
2014,
Tim Cook
said 800 million devices had been sold by June 2014.
228
During Apple's quarterly earnings call in January 2015, the company announced that they had sold over one billion iOS devices since 2007.
229
230
By February 2023, there were 2 billion devices activated,
231
and 1.5 billion iPhones had been sold since 2007.
232
By late 2011, iOS accounted for 60% of the market share for smartphones and tablets.
233
By the end of 2014, iOS accounted for 14.8% of the smartphone market
234
and 27.6% of the tablet and two-in-one market.
235
In May 2023,
StatCounter
reported iOS was used on 31.44% of smartphones and 55.75% of tablets worldwide, measured by internet usage instead of sales.
236
See also
Computer programming portal
Comparison of mobile operating systems
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