Evolution from iPhone OS 1 to iOS 10 — Journey of iOS
At the Apple event that took place on September 7, the public release of iOS 10 was announced. The iOS has come a long way from 2007 when it was first launched. Throughout the evolution of Apple’s indigenous mobile operating system, it has always tried to push the envelope and introduce unprecedented features to mesmerize users. Let’s have a look at the journey of iOS, from its launch to the latest iOS 10.
iPhone OS 1
iPhone OS 1 was launched on June 29th, 2007 with a limited set of features and a few apps such as Mail, iPod, Calendar, Photos, Clock, Text, Safari, Notes, YouTube, Calculator, Maps, Settings, Camera, Stocks, and Phone. This version of iOS didn’t have App Store or iTunes Store app.
iPhone OS 2
This version of iOS was launched on 11th July 2008 with one of the major addition, the “App Store”. The App store had support for third-party apps which gave users access to apps created by developers. The Push email and home screen pages were one of the significant additions to iPhone OS 2.0. The count of the apps since then has reached millions from creative iOS app developers.
iPhone OS 3
There were no major changes in this version of iOS but it had many small critical improvements. iOS 3.0 released on June 17, 2009, had the ability to cut, copy and paste. Apple improved the accuracy of its GPS by adding a magnetic compass to iPhones Map app. The iPhone equipped with iOS 3.0 could record videos, a feature which was not available in its predecessors. The SMS app was renamed to Messages with an addition of support for MMS. An incremental update iOS 3.2 was launched on April 3, 2010 which allowed changing home screen backgrounds as well as support for home screen in landscape mode.
iOS 4
The most significant feature introduced in iOS 4 was Video Chatting Capabilities of FaceTime. The version was released on June 17, 2010. Apple also launched iBooks, it was the first time that native support for eBooks on iOS devices was introduced. The creation of folders on the home screen for apps was provided by iOS 4. iOS 4 also introduced Game Centre.
iOS 5
This version of iOS could be considered as the biggest iOS update as compared to the previous versions. There were over 200 new features introduced. iOS 5 housed a new notification center and released iMessage with iOS 5. The Camera app was upgraded with the ability to edit photos. The iOS devices were made PC- independent by introducing wireless syncing. Twitter integration for sharing content was another feature introduced with this version.
iOS 6
With this version of iOS, Apple created their own Maps solution which provides turn-by-turn navigation and fly-over 3D modeling of certain cities. The iOS was no longer dependent on Google Maps but the launch of Apple Maps backfired and resulted in firing of iOS Chief Scott Forstall. The App Store got a major redesign which was reflected in iTune Store and iBookstore as well. Facebook Integration was introduced with iOS 6. FaceTime calls could be made through cellular networks instead of Wi-Fi only as was the case in previous versions. The phone app was updated with a new keypad and the ability to respond to incoming calls via text messages was introduced.
iOS 7
The iOS 7 had the biggest visual redesign since the launch of iOS in 2007. The user interface of iOS 7 has colourful gradients, eye-catching graphics and sliding transparent panes. Every element was redesigned to give a simple look and feel. The Control Centre was launched with the ability to toggle Wifi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode and number of other settings .It also allowed to quickly launch flashlight, calculator or camera. iTune Radio was another major feature introduced in iOS 7.Apple also added AirDrop to share pictures, driving directions and video etc.
iOS 8
The iOS 8 introduced Family Sharing which lets Apple users share all the content they have downloaded from iTunes. The content can be shared with up to six designated family members. In the built-in messaging app, Apple added a feature to send audio and video messages. One of the major upgrades was widgets which allow apps to share data and function with other apps. iOS 8 added iCloud Drive which offers cloud storage similar to Dropbox. iOS 8 also introduced predictive typing in its onscreen keyboard that suggests several options for next word.
iOS 9
In iOS 9, content blocking extensions for Safari was introduced which gave end users control over what content is being loaded and how they are being tracked. iOS 9 included a new News app which displayed news from sources such as The New York Times, CNN, Wired, and ESPN. Apple Maps included transit directions for many cities in the US and several cities in China. The Maps also made recommendations to point of interest. iOS also added a number of features to the iPad to improve productivity and provide enhanced multitasking.
iOS 10
The lock screen on iOS 10 has a fresh new look. The screen will lit up when a user lifts it to the face. Notification gets a new look in iOS 10. The 3D touch works on the items present in the control center. In the latest version of iOS users can send drawings, heartbeats and other taps using Digital Touch. Apple Maps get a fresh look which offers easy to access recent searches and places visited most often. In iOS 10, Apple Music has a major redesign with simpler navigation, easy access to downloaded content. There many other exciting features which are exclusive to iOS 10.
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Originally published at www.mobiloitte.com on September 14, 2016.
