Who knows a company which started from a garage will become a trillion-dollar company and a magnum opus in the mobile industry. It has come a long way to reach this zenith.
Today, there are millions of iPhone and iPad users. IOS is known for its performance and security. Over the years, Apple has continuous given new updates. There have been 14 major updates over the years which have upped the bar of excellence on a YOY basis.
Every year, Apple has given many reasons for the young entrepreneurs and investors for why they should choose an iOS mobile app development company to begin their entrepreneurial journey. It includes innovation which constantly gets improved.
The updates are not only for the iOS mobile application developers or investors but even Google takes inspiration from these updates.
In this article, we are going to discuss this long journey of Apple over the years on the steps of iOS Evolution from iOS 1 to iOS 14.
iPhone OS 1
Release Year: 2007
Support End Year: 2010
Major Features:
- Core iOS UI
- Multi-touch Gestures
- Mobile Safari
- Visual Voicemail
- Maps
- Web Clips on Home Screen
- Multi-touch Keyboard
- iTunes Wi-fi Music Store
- iTunes Sync
This iOS evolution when released, it wasn’t called as iOS but iPhone OS or the First iPhone OS. The stage when the iOS history begins. The breakthrough this iOS version created was so spectacular that today’s iPhone users who are totally surrounded by so much technology would never able to understand. That was a time when the multi-touch screen was a big advancement in technology. Although it was a great achievement there were certain features which were missing in it such as Photos, Calendars, Camera, etc. We will encounter these features in the later on iOS evolutions.
iPhone OS 2
Release Year: 2008
Support End Year: 2011
Major Features:
- Native 3rd Party Apps
- App Store
- Microsoft Exchange Support
- Battery Life and Speed Fixes
- iTunes Genius Playlists
- Dropped Call Fixes
- Google Street View
- Podcast Downloads
- MobileMe
After the major release of iPhone OS 1, the company continued to make improvement and add new features. Within a year, they came with another major release of iPhone OS 2. It was in sync with the iPhone 3G. The biggest improvement was the introduction of App Store which came in support for around 500 third-party and native apps. Another big thing is iOS SDK in the face of Notification Center and iMessage.
Other important features were Microsoft exchange for calendars, contact, and push emails.
iPhone OS 3
Release Year: 2009
Support End Year: 2012
Major Features:
- Cut, Copy and Paste
- Voice Control
- MMS
- Spotlight Search
- Push Notifications
- USB & Bluetooth Tethering
- Genius Features
- Ringtone Downloads
- Remote Lock
- Landscape Keyboard
- Find My iPhone
- Voice Control Over Bluetooth
iPhone OS 3 release was aligned with iPhone 3GS release. There was a slew of changes which you could observe such spotlight search, copy-paste feature, recording videos, MMS etc. The most important was Push Notifications which was introduced in the market first time.
It could also support the iPad, whose first generating was introduced in 2010.
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iOS 4
Release Year: 2010
Support End Year: 2013
Major Features:
- Multitasking
- Game Center
- Home Screen Folders
- FaceTime Video Chat
- Unified Email Inbox
- iTunes Home Sharing
- Threaded Email Messages
- TV Rentals
- iTunes Ping
- HDR Photos
- Personal Hotspot (GSM)
- AirPlay for 3rd-Party Apps
- Retina Display Support
The iOS that we use today is what saw its foundations in 2010 with the release of iOS 4. From this OS, Apple started providing features like multitasking to its users. And there were features like Facetime, Personal Hotspot, iBooks, AirPrint, which are still the part of iOS devices even today. Also, with iOS 4, Apple for the first time dropped support for a device, for iOS 4 was not compatible with the 1st generation iPod touch and original iPhone.
iOS 5
Release Year: 2011
Support End Year: 2014
Major Features:
- Siri
- Notification Center
- PC-Free
- iTunes Wi-fi Sync
- iMessage
- iCloud
In 2011, Apple came with iCloud which can activate the iPhone wirelessly and can sync with iTunes through Wi-fi. The other two important features are the Notifications Center and iMessage.
Another major breakthrough in iOS 5 was the replacement of voice control with a virtual assistant that even today is popular “Siri”. It is amongst the most popular voice assistants which is even today giving answers in the natural language.
iOS 6
Release Year: 2012
Support End Year: 2015
Major Features:
- iCloud Tabs
- Siri enhancements
- Facebook Integration
- Homegrown Maps and Turn-by-Turn Navigation
- Mail Enhancements
- FaceTime Over Cellular
- Passbook
There are many changes observed in iOS 6 and a revamp of the major app on the platform –Maps. In iOS 6, Apple dropped the support of Google Maps which was in use on Apple since 2007. There were new revamped maps in iOS 6 which includes turn-by-turn navigations, Siri’s integration, and 3D Flyover mode. Other apps like Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook were also integrated into iOS. The other enhancements were in the reading list, iCloud tabs, FaceTime etc.
iOS 7
Release Year: 2013
Support End Year: 2016
Major Features:
- Visual Overhaul
- Control Center
- AirDrop
- iTunes Radios
- FaceTime Audio
- Refreshed Core Apps
In iOS 7, the skeuomorphism got replaced by Flat Design which was a very simplistic UI design. There were many other features which were added such as the new Control Center, this gives quick access to apps like Wi-fi, Do Not Disturb, Bluetooth, Sliders for volume or brightness, etc.
Apart from this, the AirDrop functionality was also introduced by which the users can share files and media with other users through iOS. Touch ID was another breakthrough, using this user can unlock devices through their fingerprint.
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iOS 8
Release Year: 2014
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- Continuity
- Widgets
- Extensibility
- HomeKit
- QuickType
- iCloud Drive
- HealthKit
- Family Sharing
iOS 8 was more about refining the existing features and improving the workflows. The users were now able to exchange information between desktops and mobile devices. AirDrop also allowed to exchange files between devices.
Users were able to take the call through their desktops which was earlier limited to their mobile devices. It also started support for 3rd party widgets such as Notification Center, which can offer real-time information to the users particular to stock updates, weather updates, etc.
iOS 9
Release Year: 2015
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- Night Shift
- Lower Power Mode
- Public Beta Program
In iOS 9, new features like Notes app, Maps app were updated and Passbook became ‘Wallet’. This version was focused on solidifying the OS for the future to come. Other updates were made for responsiveness, stability, speed, and performance.
iOS 10
Release Year: 2016
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- iMessage Apps
- Delete built-in Apps
In iOS 10, the applications were now able to interact with each other i.e. an app can now use the other app features. Siri was also now available for 3rd party app usage. Users were also able to customize the entire user experience by deleting in-built applications or adding new effects and animations in messages. Maps were also redesigned and the Home app now managed the HomeKit.
iOS 11
Release Year: 2017
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- Augmented Reality
- Major Enhancements on iPad
- AirPlay 2
In 2017, when iOS 11 was launched, “Files” was also launched. An app that users use on iPad for searching, organizing, and browsing files on their devices from Dropbox, iCloud Drive, and Box application.
There was a new Drag & Drop option which users could use for moving photos, files, or text from one app to another app. The best thing was the introduction of ARKit, a prominent part of the Apple iOS evolution. The iOS developers could use this ARKit for implementing augmented reality in the iOS applications.
Apple Pay was integrated into messages so the users can easily send money to their kith and kin through messages. Siri gets a new voice, Maps and Control Center setting was introduced with new features.
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iOS 12
Release Year: 2018
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- Grouped Notifications
- ARKit 2
- Siri Improvements
- Screen Time
- Memoji
A lot of things have happened to improve the AR front in iOS 12. Users were working around AR compatible hardware for better innovations in AR field. Memoji characters were introduced for the first time in iPhone X. For the digital health intact, Apple introduced Screen Time.
iOS 13
Release Year: 2019
Support End Year: N/A
Major Features:
- System-Wide Dark Mode
- New, Improved Siri Voice
- Overhauled Stock Apps like Reminders and Notes
- New Portrait Lighting Option
- New Privacy and Security Options
- Sign In With Apple User Account System
Last but not least, in iOS 13 we get numerous new features such as Dark mode, quick device unlock through Face ID, Sign in with Apple in users’ account systems, new portrait lighting, improved Siri’s voice, look around functionality Map etc.
iOS 14
Release Year: 2020
Support End Year: N/A
- Major Features:
- Compatibility with all devices able to run iOS 13
- Home screen redesign with widgets
- New App Library
- Picture in Picture
- App Clips
- No full-screen calls
- Privacy enhancements
- Translate app
- Cycling and EV routes
- Better Messaging Features
- Car Keys as well as Car Play
- Smarter Siri
Apple in June 2020 introduced the latest version of its iOS operating system, iOS 14, which was released on September 16. iOS 14 is one of Apple’s biggest iOS updates to date, introducing Home screen design changes, major new features, updates for existing apps, Siri improvements, and many other tweaks that streamline the iOS interface.
First and foremost, iOS 14 brings a redesigned Home Screen that includes support for widgets for the first time. Widgets can be dragged from the Today view right onto the Home Screen, and can be pinned in different sizes.
With a Smart Stack feature, the iPhone can use on-device intelligence to surface the right widget based on time, location, and activity. Each Home Screen page can display widgets customized for work, travel, sports, and more. The Today section where widgets are housed has also been redesigned, and there’s a widgets gallery where users can choose new widgets from apps and customize those widgets.
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Wrapping Up
At Amplework, the best mobile application development company in India, we get in-depth knowledge of each releasing updates of the OS for both iOS and Android and make the best out of it while developing mobile applications. We are having expertise in developing mobile applications for both iOS and Android. Let us know your requirements.
