iOS

    Apple's proprietary mobile OS for iPhone, iPod Touch, and formerly iPad

    ...

    What is iOS?

    iOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. and distributed exclusively for Apple hardware. It is the operating system that powers iPhone, iPod Touch, and formerly iPad.

    Each main version of iOS / iPhone OS has introduced a big, main feature of the new version.
    - iPhone OS 1 was the original "iOS", and had only first-party Apple, preinstalled apps such as "Phone", "iPod", and "Safari".
    - iPhone OS 2 introduced the App Store that we know today.
    - iPhone OS 3 added in copy and paste functionality, several Google-licensed apps (Maps and Youtube), as well as basic tethering functions.
    - iOS 4 brought in multitasking and Wallpaper-changing. iOS 4 also dropped the original iPhone from it's supported devices, and the iPhone 3G held limited support.
    - iOS 5 introduced several new features, such as iMessage, Newsstand, Reminders, Twitter integration, iCloud, and a beta of Siri.
    - iOS 6 fully released Siri and Siri Eyes Free, brought in Passbook and Facebook integration, as well as Apple-sourced maps instead of Google sourced, marking the removal of the Youtube app as well.
    - iOS 7 held a massive design overhaul, turning skeumorphic into modern and flat. Also brought in a "Control Center" which offered a quick-access area for commonly used features (flashlight, wifi on/off, bluetooth on/off, calculator app, etc.).
    - iOS 8 introduced the Health App, which enables data-mixing from all kinds of fitness apps, from MyFitnessPal to Misfit. iMessages gained voice messaging, and Indoor Mapping with the iPhone 5S, 6, and 6+'s M7 and M8 coprocessors.
    - iOS 9 introduced a new multitasking features on iPad, new Notes features, the iCloud Drive app, HomeKit integration, Apple Maps improvements.
    - iOS 10 incorporated changes to 3D Touch and the lock screen. There were new features to Messages, Maps, Photos and Siri.
    - iOS 11 had significant design changes: combined lock screen and Notification Center, Appstore restyle, translation between languages for Siri, screen recording.
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    OAKSIF0
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    • Top negative comment  almost 4 years ago • 0 replies
    If this Review contains spam or other abuse, notify admins about it.

    iOS and the iPhones that are made now by tim cook are restrictive and spying on you and overpriced and expensive. It is a pain to get jailbreaking working and there are many fake jailbreaks out there. iPhones and iOS won't let you boot any other OS like Android, they won't let you dual boot! I don't know why people love iPhones so much, just get an Android phone come on cause apple don't care about its customers and its support is horrible!

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    6
    kayvonkamyar
    ★
    ★
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    • Review • 4 months ago • 0 replies
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    It’s an OK mobile OS for phones, but it is pain to use on iPad. In general, it sucks. You can’t sideload apps and customize it. And there’s no recovery mode.

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    1
    TerrifiedTyphlosion
    ★
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    • Negative comment • almost 3 years ago • 0 replies
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    I chose to stick to iOS 8.4.1 forever. I don't really understand why Apple keeps changing the interface of iOS every single update. On iPhones, the bootloader will only run Apple-signed software.

    Basically, iOS is as locked down as locked down can be, if you don't jailbreak it. Even then, jailbreaking has been pretty difficult. On the iOS version I am on, there's no jailbreak for my 64-bit device as of this writing.

    Honestly, I would jump to LineageOS or some similar open source mobile OS if I could.

    I give it 2 stars because the interface does look nice...at least for iOS 8.

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    3

    Categories

    Backup & Sync • OS & Utilities

    Tags

    • mobile-apps
    • Operating System
    • idevice
    iOS

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    iOS

    Summary

    Our users have written 3 comments and reviews about iOS, and it has gotten 128 likes

    • Developed by Apple
    • Proprietary and Free product.
    • Average rating of 2
    • 26 alternatives listed

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    iOS was added to AlternativeTo by RemovedUser on Nov 14, 2011 and this page was last updated Nov 4, 2021. iOS is sometimes referred to as iPhone OS.

    Recent user activities on iOS

    • headlines Upvoted a comment on iOS
      It’s an OK mobile OS for phones, but it is pain to use on iPad. In general, it sucks. You can’t sideload apps and customize it. And there’s no recovery mode.
      21 days ago
    • headlines Upvoted a comment on iOS
      iOS and the iPhones that are made now by tim cook are restrictive and spying on you and overpriced and expensive. It is a pain to get jailbreaking working and there are many fake jailbreaks out there. iPhones and iOS won't let you boot any other OS like Android, they won't let you dual boot! I don't know why people love iPhones so much, just get an Android phone come on cause apple don't care about its customers and its support is horrible!
      Show more ▾
      21 days ago
    • headlines added iOS as alternative(s) to Oniro
      23 days ago