What Does iOS Stand For?

As a smartphone owner, you've likely heard of the debate of which phone is best. To make a verdict, tech-savvy people look beyond a phone’s physical appearance. 

What's also essential is inside it—the mobile operating system (OS) enabling your phone to run applications and programs.

Each mobile phone has its OS. It typically updates regularly with new software to keep your mobile phone current.

An excellent example of an OS delivering impressive updates is Apple Inc's OS known as iOS.

iOS has a global market share of 28.36% as of the second quarter of 2023. It is among the popular operating systems with Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone OS.

If you want to understand how iOS works, this article is for you. Read on to learn about the history behind this operating system and more about the latest iOS features!

Understanding the Meaning of iOS

iOS stands for the iPhone Operating System. It was made to support the iPhone and was born the same day the first iPhone was introduced. 

It was January 9, 2007, when Apple CEO Steve Jobs gave an audience of 4,000 people a speech saying:

Apple iOS's first release was a breakthrough of its time, and as the iPhone evolved over the years, so did the iOS.

iOS was originally called iPhone OS until the fourth generation of the software debuted in June 2010.

There are already 16 versions of iOS so far. The first iOS 17 public beta was released on July 12, 2023, but the official rollout is expected in September.

iOS has come a long way. Most iOS apps now seamlessly integrate with the iOS ecosystem using Objective C and Swift languages.

iOS Programming Languages

In technical terms, iOS was built with an object-oriented programming (OOP) language called ‘objective C.’ It adds Smalltalk-style messaging to the C language.

Objective C has become the go-to language for developing iOS before another language came in 2014 called Swift.

Swift is an open-source programming language that allows developers to get even more creative.

Other than for iOS, Apple created Swift for building apps with Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.

Below are the Apple products that use iOS.

iOS Devices

Photo from: Unsplash

The OS that works the magic inside billions of Apple devices is called iOS, which initially supported the iPhone and later expanded to support the iPod touch. iPod Touch development was discontinued in May 2022.

The iPod Touch is an iconic MP3 player that resembles a pocket-sized iPhone but lacks cellular connectivity.

In conclusion, iOS currently only supports iPhones. Apple’s tablet PC, mostly known as the iPad, used to use iOS too. It got its own OS in 2019 called the iPadOS.

Features of an iOS Device

It's worth noting that the first iPhone with the iPhone OS 1 already had some amazing features at that time: the multitouch screen, visual voicemail, threaded text messaging, and iTunes integration, among others.

As of mid-July 2023, the latest iOS available to the public is iOS 16. Its notable features include the redesigned lock screens and the fact that Siri can now hang up a phone or FaceTime call.

Below are some of the iOS features made to improve user experience.

Applications

The latest data from Statista show that as of the 3rd quarter of 2022, there are roughly 1.6 million available apps for iOS.

The number has been increasing over the years. It's also established that new apps appear earlier on iOS than other operating systems.

An iPhone's graphical user interface also comes with pre-installed Apple applications. It includes the following: 

• App Store
• iTunes Store
• TV
• FaceTime
• Contacts
• Messages
• Translate
• Phone
• Find My app
• Safari browser
• Files
• Photos
• Camera
• Mail
• Calendar
• Music
• Notes
• Reminders
• Voice Memos
• Podcasts
• Maps
• Tips
• Settings
• Watch
• Apple Health
• Wallet
• Weather
• Home
• News
• Stocks
• Books
• Shortcuts
• Utility Apps

All these apps are managed by a mechanism called the Springboard. 

Providing all application launching services, the springboard is essentially iOS's graphical user interface.

Interface

When you turn on your iPhone, the operating system (iOS) takes control and starts the device. It then turns on the Springboard which is responsible for displaying the icons for each app installed.

iPhones have an optimized user interface that stands out among others. It was in 2013 when Apple made a major design shift that cemented the iPhone UI flat design.

Interface control elements on iOS include sliders, switches, and buttons. On the front end, you have the lock screen, home screen, and a list of apps to fiddle around with.

iOS maintains its esthetic integrity with standard text styles and subtle graphics. Below is the latest iPhone user interface with iOS 16. 

Image from Apple

Not only does the iOS 16 have a great interface design, but it was also beefed up with multitasking features.

Discover more of iOS’ multitasking capabilities below.

Multitasking

Apple makes sure iOS integrates features and functionalities like easy multitasking. Meaning, leaving one app running in the background while you do something else.

iOS behaves in ways people expect, which encourages constant multitasking among users.

Apple uses the "Fast App Switching" technology that makes switching apps on an iPhone fluid. 

Imagine swiping up to leave an app and return to the home screen. The app freezes where you left it until you return, so you pick up where you left off instead of starting anew.

To see all your open apps in the App Switcher, do one of the following steps:

• For iPhones with Face ID (on iPhone X or later): Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, then pause in the center.
• For iPhones with a Home button (on iPhone 8 plus and below): Double-click the Home button.

To browse the open apps, swipe right, and tap the app you want to return to.

New iOS features in iOS 16 make it simpler to see which apps are open and switch between tasks.

Another way iOS carries out convenience is by using a voice-controlled virtual assistant, Siri.

See how Siri makes its users' lives easier in many ways below.

Siri

Apple's Siri is its intelligent voice assistant for iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, Beats, HomePod, and Mac.

Siri works like Amazon's Alexa and Google's Google Assistant. This AI will help you find information, send texts, or even video call with people with one voice command.

Here’s a list of the other things Siri can do:

• Answer questions. You can ask curious questions like, "What does a fox sound like?" or quickly check facts like "Is today Saturday?"
• Control apps with your voice. Siri can play music, create an event in Calendar, add items to Reminders, tell you the weather, the news, and more.
• Share information with people in your contacts. It includes onscreen items like photos, videos, webpages, and more.
• Perform time-saving commands. You can ask, "Hey Siri, please text my spouse that I am running ten minutes behind."
• Siri is customizable. Get personalized responses with Siri Suggestions or change the Siri settings, where you can also choose what language Siri responds to.

Simply ask Siri for what you need, and she’ll respond through the device's speaker.

Facetime

Apple Facetime is a video and audio chatting platform for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. You can make video and voice calls via Wi-Fi or over cellular data.

Facetime was updated many times in 2023; the most notable is video voicemail. It lets you leave spontaneous videos or voice messages when you call someone unavailable.

Another notable thing about FaceTime is that you can turn on live captions. To see the conversation transcribed on the screen makes it easier for users to follow along with the conversation.

Last but not least, one important iOS feature covered in this article is Safari, Apple's built-in browser.

Safari

Apple's Safari browser is number two among the best internet browsers worldwide. It accounts for 21% of market share as of May 2023.

There are many things that Safari does that other browsers don't. If you want to translate websites displayed in a foreign language, click the AA icon and select "Translate to [your language]."

iOS is a powerful entity packed with features, but it also has its disadvantages. Learn the benefits and drawbacks of iOS fully below.

Pros and Cons of iOS

iOS enables you to do many things. However, there are a few factors why an iPhone is not every consumer’s cup of tea.

Here are the pros and cons of iOS that may help you decide whether it is the right device for you: 

The iOS's advantages far outweigh the cons, giving a superior user experience that no one else can provide. Switching to Apple is worth a shot if you're a non-iOS user looking for options.

Wrapping Up

Users enjoy their iPhone's performance thanks to its outstanding operating system that constantly updates with essential updates and enhancements.

Competitors are trying to do something similar but can't seem to match an iPhone's high-quality design and build. 

So if iOS meets your demands to the greatest extent possible, do not hesitate to experience it firsthand.