Why does iOS use so many pointers?

After looking at a ton of iOS code, I started wondering why almost EVERYTHING is a pointer. I used to program in C++/C a lot, so I am comfortable with pointers, but I am also used to deferencing them using the -> or *(somepointer) operators. Well, turns out you do not do that in objective C very often.

Anyways, after reading this article it makes sense that since the iOS is running on a phone, with limited hardware, you want to minimizing memory allocation/object copies and pointers solve that problem. I also feel like an idiot for not realizing that before.