Quick Explanation of iOS

Last updated: September 04, 2023


It is doubtless we have seen this abbreviation – iOS – hundreds of times. As you probably know, iOS stands for iPhone operating system. It functions for Apple Inc. hardware only. The number of iOS devices nowadays include Apple iPhone, iPod, iPad, iWatch, Apple TV and of course iMac, which was actually the first to use the “i” branding in its name.

iOS is widely known for its user-friendly intuitive interface. With iOS, you can easily download an app from the App Store, as the operating system runs flawlessly to make the apps run smoothly. In the Apple App Store, the most popular app store of any mobile device, it is possible to find and download around 2 mln apps.

In addition to its presence on iPhone, iPod, iPad, iWatch, and Apple TV, iOS also plays a crucial role in the mac ecosystem. However, it’s important to note that the macOS, used on Mac computers, is distinct from iOS. While iOS is designed for touchscreen mobile devices, macOS is tailored for desktop and laptop computers. Nevertheless, iOS has influenced certain features and applications on Mac, creating a seamless integration between Apple’s various product lines. This integration allows for features like Handoff, which enables users to start a task on one device and continue it on another, effortlessly bridging the gap between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

iOS is a synonym to the multi-touch interface, which is very convenient for an Apple device user. There exist a number of gestures for operating the device (swipe, pinch etc.).

Besides, iOS is the most popular operating system platform in the world for mobile apps development.

iOS in a nutshell

Developer Apple Inc.
Languages C, C++, Objective C, Swift
Latest version 14.6 version
Update Via iTunes

How to find out, what is the iOS version of my device?

Apple is constantly working on enhancing its software, so updates are quite often. Each update is assigned with a number, so there is no difficulty to figure it out. Just take your device and choose Settings, navigate to General, About, and check the version installed. The number that accompanies the version label is actually your current iOS version.what does iOS stand for

iOS 15

On June 7, 2021 another Apple corporation’s event – WWDC21 – took place. WWDC stands for annual Worldwide Developers Conference – Apple’s yearly event dedicated mostly for developers to announce upcoming software platforms and features.

Let’s have a look what Apple told about new iOS release, which is already available for developers and will be released in autumn 2021. In general, new features are mostly influenced by lockdown and pandemic situation.

FaceTime app huge update

Apple paid a lot of attention to their iOS FaceTime application: FaceTime video calls will be available not only on Apple devices, but also on Windows PCs and Android smartphones. Will see how smoothly will it work outside the Apple’s ecosystem. Actually, FaceTime is not a popular app for video calls, especially business ones, so Apple does its best to compete with major video calling apps that gained much popularity during lockdown, for instance, Zoom, Telegram and many others.

SharePlay for FaceTime

This feature will allow Apple users share their screen with contacts who also use Apple devices. If a user plays a video from a streaming o Video on Demand service then SharePlay will synchronize playback for all participants in the conversation. It is still unclear will it work for a participant who uses Windows PC or Android smartphone, but looks interesting.

Notification management features

One more interesting feature is about notification management. Apple tries to offer users some advanced features to customize features and help people who want to split work and “household” alerts. For instance, new iOS15 will allow users to limit notifications from Slack and other business apps on weekends, as well as limit notifications from social networks during business hours. Looks promising. Will see how “deeply” user will be able to customize notifications in iOS15, because for now it is unclear, for example, how to let relatives contact you in a messenger with some urgent news when these notifications are limited for business hours. Anyway, no doubt Apple does a great job when working in this direction.

This feature will be called “Focus” and will be based on AI, according to Apple.

Apple Maps update

Apple representatives announced an update for Apple Maps application. In iOS15 users will be able to see “which lane you can turn from”, “which roads have a dividing lane”, “where are cycle paths” and “where there are pedestrian crossings”. However, these advanced features will available for the users in the US only.

Text recognition

One more feature will allow users to recognize text on a photo and use it immediately. For instance, in iOS15 users will be able to copy a text right form the photo and insert it into email or message. iPhone device will recognize emails, phone numbers and other information right on the photo. This feature will be available for major languages: English, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Spanish.

Other iOS15 features

Let’s have a look at other features announced by Apple for the upcoming iOS15:

  • Smart home features: no-key access to a house and a car.
  • Official documents – driver license, state ID – right in the iPhone device. For the US users only.
  • Updated Weather app
  • AirPods update, some features for people with hearing impairments.

Other announcements were connected with iPadOS and WatchcOS, MacOS and their upcoming updates and features, Apple Safari browser update. For more updates to the upcoming iOS15 we recommend watching this video:

Benefits of iOS for your business

  • Mostly, iOS users are well-satisfied users. Apple’s intuitive, user-friendly interface makes software ideal for promoting your business;
  • iOS offers good security. It’s a great advantage for your business app, as it provides protection against viruses and other Internet threats;
  • The market of IOS apps is growing, where you can acquire new customers and tangibly increase your sales indicator.
  • By developing an iOS app, you are able to reach your target audience, which ensures return of your investments.
  • iPhone application development services ensure a high level of security for transactions. iOS-based apps enjoy high level of security, bringing the possibility of hacking to almost nothing.

Decided to launch your next iOS app? Contact Code Inspiration and hire one of the leading software development teams.