A mobile operating system is an operating system used for smartphones , tablets , smartwatches , smartglasses, or other non-laptop personal mobile computing devices . While computers such as typical/mobile laptops are "mobile", the operating systems used on them are usually not considered mobile, as they were originally designed for desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific mobile features. This "fine line" distinguishing mobile and other forms has become blurred in recent years, due to the fact that newer devices have become smaller and more mobile, unlike the hardware of the past. Key notabilities blurring this line are the introduction of tablet computers , light laptops , and the hybridization of the two in 2-in-1 PCs .
113-536: IOS (formerly iPhone OS ) is a mobile operating system developed by Apple exclusively for its devices . It was unveiled in January 2007 for the first-generation iPhone , which launched in June 2007. Major versions of iOS are released annually; the current stable version, iOS 18 , was released to the public on September 16, 2024. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including
226-450: A desktop computer operating system with other features useful for mobile or handheld use, and usually including a wireless inbuilt modem and SIM tray for telephone and data connection. In Q1 2018, over 123 million smartphones were sold (the most ever recorded) with 60.2% running Android and 20.9% running iOS . Sales in 2012 were 1.56 billion; sales in 2023 were 1.43 billion with 53.32% being Android . Android alone has more sales than
339-400: A digital zoom shortcut ( iPhone 7 Plus , iOS 10 ). Some camera settings such as video resolution and frame rate are not adjustable through the camera interface itself, but are outsourced to the system settings. A new feature in iOS 13 called "context menus" shows related actions when you touch and hold an item. When the context menu is displayed, the background is blurred. To choose from
452-399: A modal window and could not be viewed after being dismissed. In iOS 5, Apple introduced Notification Center , which allows users to view a history of notifications. The user can tap a notification to open its corresponding app, or clear it. Notifications are now delivered in banners that appear briefly at the top of the screen. If a user taps a received notification, the application that sent
565-549: A network-attached storage system, and connect to that storage system through an app. iTunes includes sound processing features, such as equalization , "sound enhancement" and crossfade . There is also a feature called Sound Check , which normalizes the playback volume of all songs in the library to the same level. Introduced on April 28, 2003, The iTunes Music Store allows users to buy and download songs, with 200,000 tracks available at launch. In its first week, customers bought more than one million songs. Music purchased
678-469: A user experience . Samsung Experience is used internally by Samsung for smartphones, feature phones and tablet computers, and is not available for licensing by external parties. The Android version of Samsung Experience also came with Samsung-made apps preloaded until the Galaxy S6 , which removed all Samsung pre-loaded apps except Samsung Galaxy Store (formerly Galaxy Apps) to save storage space due to
791-438: A UIKit framework gets VoiceOver functionality built in. One example includes holding up the iPhone to take a photo, with VoiceOver describing the photo scenery. As part of a "Made for iPhone" program, introduced with the release of iOS 7 in 2013, Apple has developed technology to use Bluetooth and a special technology protocol to let compatible third-party equipment connect with iPhones and iPads for streaming audio directly to
904-452: A basic human right. Building into the core of our products supports a vision of an inclusive world where opportunity and access to information are barrier-free, empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve their goals". Criticism has been aimed at iOS depending on both internet connection (either WiFi or through iTunes) and a working SIM card upon first activation. This restriction has been loosened in iOS 12, which no longer requires
1017-556: A customized user interface and heavy ties to content available from Amazon's own storefronts and services. Flyme OS is an operating system developed by Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. , an open-source operating system based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Flyme OS is mainly installed on Meizu smartphones such as the MX series . However, it also has official ROM support for a few Android devices. FuntouchOS
1130-481: A dedicated section for apps rather than a separate app. In September 2017, Apple updated iTunes to version 12.7, removing the App Store section in the process. iTunes 12.6.3 was released the following month, retaining App Store functionality, with 9to5Mac noting that the secondary release was positioned by Apple as "necessary for some businesses performing internal app deployments". In May 2007, Apple announced
1243-402: A dock at the bottom where users can pin their most frequently used apps. iOS home screens are typically made up of app icons and widgets ; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live, auto-updating content, such as a weather forecast , the user's email inbox, or a news ticker directly on the home screen. The home screen appears whenever the user unlocks the device, presses
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#17327730384381356-467: A few months after the release of iPhone OS 3.2, which brought the feature to all iPhone and iPod Touch models that could run the operating system, with the exception of the iPhone 3G and the iPod touch (2nd generation) due to performance issues with icon animations. iOS 7 introduced a parallax effect on the Home Screen, which shifts the device's wallpaper and icons in response to the movement of
1469-505: A few options, a selection control is used. Selectors can appear anchored at the bottom or in line with the content (called date selectors). Date selectors take on the appearance of any other selection control, but with a column for day, month, and optionally year. Alerts appear in the center of the screen, but there are also alerts that scroll up from the bottom of the screen (called "action panels"). Destructive actions (such as eliminating any element) are colored red. The official font of iOS
1582-617: A full touch user interface . It is not an operating system. LG UX is used internally by LG for sophisticated feature phones and tablet computers, and is not available for licensing by external parties. Optimus UI 2, based on Android 4.1.2, has been released on the Optimus K II and the Optimus Neo 3. It features a more refined user interface compared to the prior version based on Android 4.1.1, along with new functionalities such as voice shutter and quick memo. Lineage Android Distribution
1695-451: A genre like Christmas music , songs that have not been played recently, or songs the user has listened to the most in a time period. Through a "Home Sharing" feature, users can share their iTunes library wirelessly. Computer firewalls must allow network traffic, and users must specifically enable sharing in the iTunes preferences menu. iOS applications also exist that can transfer content without Internet. Additionally, users can set up
1808-416: A larger screen than the iPhone and iPod Touch, and designed for web browsing, media consumption, and reading, and offering multi-touch interaction with multimedia formats including newspapers, e-books, photos, videos, music, word processing documents, video games, and most existing iPhone apps using a 9.7-inch (25 cm) screen. It also includes a mobile version of Safari for web browsing, as well as access to
1921-610: A live music radio station. In May 2005, video support was introduced to iTunes with the release of iTunes 4.8, though it was limited to bonus features part of album purchases. The following October, Apple introduced iTunes 6, enabling support for purchasing and viewing video content purchased from the iTunes Store . At launch, the store offered popular shows from the ABC network, including Desperate Housewives and Lost , along with Disney Channel series That's So Raven and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody . CEO Steve Jobs told
2034-459: A music library. Each track has attributes, called metadata , that can be edited by the user, including changing the name of the artist, album, and genre, year of release, artwork, among other additional settings. The software supports importing digital audio tracks that can then be transferred to iOS devices, as well as supporting ripping content from CDs. iTunes supports WAV , AIFF , Apple Lossless , AAC , and MP3 audio formats. It uses
2147-429: A playlist, setting criteria such as date and number of times listened to. Apple is credited for being the major catalyst behind the early growth of podcasting. On July 10, 2008, Apple introduced native mobile apps for its iOS operating system. On iOS, a dedicated App Store application served as the storefront for browsing, downloading, updating, and otherwise managing applications, whereas iTunes on computers had
2260-742: A press event, announcing the iPhone SDK. The iOS App Store was opened on July 10, 2008, with an initial 500 applications available. This quickly grew to 3,000 in September 2008, 15,000 in January 2009, 50,000 in June 2009, 100,000 in November 2009, 250,000 in August 2010, 650,000 in July 2012, 1 million in October 2013, 2 million in June 2016, and 2.2 million in January 2017. As of March 2016, 1 million apps are natively compatible with
2373-462: A range of security vulnerabilities permitting malicious base stations to gain high levels of control over the mobile device. Mobile operating systems have had the most use of any operating system since 2017 (measured by web use). Mobile operating system milestones mirror the development of mobile phones , PDAs , and smartphones: These operating systems often run atop baseband or other real-time operating systems that handle hardware aspects of
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#17327730384382486-419: A simpler "Up Next" feature that notably lost some of "iTunes DJ"'s functionality. Introduced in iTunes 8 in 2008, " Genius " can automatically generate a playlist of songs from the user's library that "go great together". "Genius" transmits information about the user's library to Apple anonymously, and evolves over time to enhance its recommendation system. It can also suggest purchases to fill out "holes" in
2599-422: A single app that looks the same on any iOS device. In addition to defining the iOS interface, UIKit defines the functionality of the application. At first, Apple did not intend to release an SDK to developers, because they did not want third-party apps to be developed for iOS, building web apps instead. However, this technology never entered into common use, this led Apple to change its opinion, so in October 2007
2712-475: A soft fork of LineageOS . Includes Monthly Updates, FOSS Focus, Deblobbing, Security and Privacy focus, and F-Droid Huawei EMUI is the front-end touch interface developed by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its sub-brand Honor which is based on Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP). EMUI is preinstalled on most Huawei and Honor devices. While it was based on the open-source Android operating system, it consists of closed-source proprietary software. Since
2825-406: A user is directed to the home screen, which is the primary navigation and information "hub" on iOS devices, analogous to the desktop found on personal computers. iOS home screens are typically made up of app icons and widgets ; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live, auto-updating content, such as a weather forecast , the user's email inbox, or a news ticker directly on
2938-432: A user's ears. Additional customization available for Made for iPhone products include battery tracking and adjustable sound settings for different environments. Apple made further efforts for accessibility for the release of iOS 10 in 2016, adding a new pronunciation editor to VoiceOver, adding a Magnifier setting to enlarge objects through the device's camera, software TTY support for deaf people to make phone calls from
3051-420: A wide range of user customization without requiring rooting the mobile device. The operating system is also bundled with utility applications that allow users to free up memory, freeze applications, limit data accessibility to applications among others. HiOS comes with features like Launcher, Private Safe, Split Screen and Lockscreen Notification. HTC Sense is a software suite developed by HTC, used primarily on
3164-418: Is San Francisco . It is designed for small text readability, and is used throughout the operating system, including third-party apps. The icons are 180x180px in size for iPhones with a larger screen, usually models over 6 inches, including iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 8 Plus , while they are 120x120px on iPhones with smaller displays. The home screen, rendered by SpringBoard , displays application icons and
3277-445: Is a custom Android UI developed by ZTE for their flagship smartphones and nubia smartphones. MyOS is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). This is a redesign from their previous custom Android UI, MiFavor. Nothing OS is a custom Android UI developed by Nothing for their Nothing Phone (1) . Nothing OS design interface are identical to the stock Android and Pixel UI experience, aside from their custom font and widget which
3390-458: Is a custom front-end touch interface based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and developed by OPPO Electronics Corp. In 2016, OPPO officially released ColorOS with every OPPO and Realme device and released an official ROM for the OnePlus One . Future Realme devices will have their own version of ColorOS. CopperheadOS is a security-hardened version of Android. DivestOS is
3503-610: Is a custom mobile operating system based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). It serves as the successor to the highly popular custom ROM, CyanogenMod , from which it was forked in December 2016 when Cyanogen Inc. announced it was discontinuing development and shut down the infrastructure behind the project. Since Cyanogen Inc. retained the rights to the Cyanogen name, the project rebranded its fork as LineageOS. Similar to CyanogenMod, it does not include any proprietary apps unless
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3616-530: Is a custom user interface developed by Vivo that is based on the Android Open Source Project. FuntouchOS 10.5 had a redesigned UI that resembled stock Androids. iQOO UI was a custom user interface based on Vivo's FuntouchOS. The UI largely resembled its predecessor, with a customized UI on top of the FuntouchOS. It was installed on iQOO smartphones sold in China and later was succeeded by OriginOS GrapheneOS
3729-482: Is a mobile operating system developed by Realme which is based on OPPO ColorOS , which itself is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The UI mostly resemble its predecessor, but with a custom UI on top of ColorOS to match Realme's target audience. realme UI R edition is a custom Android skin that Realme developed for their lower-end device line with "C" and Narzo series, the Android-based line of
3842-491: Is a mobile operating system in India. It is an Indian government-funded project to develop a free and open-source operating system (OS) for use in government and public systems. BlackBerry Secure is an operating system developed by BlackBerry , based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). BlackBerry officially announced the name for their Android-based front-end touch interface in August 2017, before which BlackBerry Secure
3955-429: Is a variant of Android for Pixel hardware. Hello UI (formerly called My UI and My UX) is a custom Android UI developed by Motorola for their devices. It used to look like the stock Android user experience up until My UI 3.x. HiOS is an Android-based operating system developed by Hong Kong mobile phone manufacturer Tecno Mobile , a subsidiary of Transsion Holdings , exclusively for their smartphones. HiOS allows for
4068-540: Is based on Android Go , hence the overall experience is tune down to allowed for smoother experience on budget Realme devices. Red Magic OS is a mobile operating system developed by ZTE and Nubia for their Red Magic devices. Replicant is a custom mobile operating system based on the Android with all proprietary drivers and bloated closed-source software removed. TCL UI is a custom user interface developed by TCL Technology for their in-house smartphone series. The OS
4181-603: Is based on macOS . Like macOS, it includes components of the Mach microkernel and FreeBSD . It is a Unix-like operating system. Although some parts of iOS are open source under the Apple Public Source License and other licenses, iOS is proprietary software . In 2005, when Steve Jobs began planning the iPhone , he had a choice to either "shrink the Mac, which would be an epic feat of engineering, or enlarge
4294-712: Is based on Huawei EMUI , which is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The overall user interface looks almost identical to EMUI, even after the separation. While it was based on the open-source Android operating system, it consists of closed-source proprietary software. Due to sanctions imposed by the US on Huawei, new devices released by both Huawei and Honor are no longer allowed to include Google Mobile Services . To allow Honor to regain access to Google services, Huawei sold off Honor to become an independent company, thereby allowing them to pre-install Google Mobile Services on their latest devices. MyOS (formerly called MiFavor)
4407-402: Is based on dot design. nubia UI was a custom Android UI developed by ZTE and nubia for their smartphones. nubia UI was based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). One UI (formerly called TouchWiz and Samsung Experience ) is a front-end touch interface developed by Samsung Electronics in 2008 with partners, featuring a full touch user interface. It is not a true operating system, but
4520-406: Is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). VOS is a custom Android UI developed by BQ Aquaris and Vsmart . XOS (formerly known as XUI) is an Android-based operating system developed by Hong Kong mobile phone manufacturer Infinix Mobile , a subsidiary of Transsion Holdings , exclusively for their smartphones. XOS allows for a wide range of user customization without requiring rooting
4633-466: Is completely free, aimed at acquiring specific technical skills on the creation and management of applications for the Apple ecosystem platforms. At the academy there are also issues of business administration (business planning and business management with a focus on digital opportunities) and there is a path dedicated to the design of graphical interfaces . Students have the opportunity to participate in
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4746-656: Is developed by Google and based on the open-source Android system. Unlike Nexus phones, where Google shipped with stock Android, the UI that came with first-generation Pixel phones was slightly modified. As part of the Google Pixel software, the Pixel UI and its home launcher are closed-source and proprietary, so it is only available on Pixel family devices. However, third-party mods allow non-Pixel smartphones to install Pixel Launcher with Google Now feed integration. realme UI
4859-444: Is displayed in users' libraries in columns, including album, artist, genre, composer, and more. Users can enable or disable different columns, as well as change view settings. Introduced in 2004, "Party Shuffle" selected tracks to play randomly from the library, though users could press a button to skip a song and go to the next in the list. The feature was later renamed "iTunes DJ", before being discontinued altogether, replaced by
4972-484: Is extremely important", though this was questioned by security researcher Brian Krebs , who told the publication that "A prominent security researcher warned Apple about this dangerous vulnerability in mid-2008, yet the company waited more than 1,200 days to fix the flaw." iTunes has been repeatedly accused of being bloated as part of Apple's efforts to turn it from a music player to an all-encompassing multimedia platform. Former PC World editor Ed Bott accused
5085-500: Is not a popular operating system for regular (desktop) personal computers (PCs). Although the Android operating system is free and open-source software , in devices sold, much of the software bundled with it (including Google apps and vendor-installed software) is proprietary software and closed-source. Android's releases before 2.0 (1.0, 1.5 , 1.6 ) were used exclusively on mobile phones. Android 2.x releases were mostly used for mobile phones but also some tablets. Android 3.0
5198-421: Is possible to interact directly, for example by replying to a message directly from it. Notifications are sent in two modes, critical alerts that are displayed on the lock screen and signaled by a distinctive sound and vibration (e.g. emergency alerts or severe weather alerts), accompanied by a warning banner and the app badge icon, and standard alerts which use a default sound and vibration. Both can be found in
5311-519: The Gracenote music database to provide track name listings for audio CDs. When users rip content from a CD, iTunes attempts to match songs to the Gracenote service. For self-published CDs, or those from obscure record labels , iTunes would normally only list tracks as numbered entries ("Track 1" and "Track 2") on an unnamed album by an unknown artist, requiring manual input of data. File metadata
5424-482: The OnePlus One . It is preinstalled on the OnePlus 2 , OnePlus X , OnePlus 3 , OnePlus 3T , OnePlus 5 , OnePlus 5T , and OnePlus 6 . As stated by Oneplus, OxygenOS is focused on stabilizing and maintaining of stock Android functionalities like those found on Nexus devices. It consists of mainly Google apps and minor UI customization to maintain the sleekness of stock Android. Google Pixel UI or Pixel Launcher
5537-690: The Worldwide Developer Conference , the annual Apple Developer Conference held annually in California in early June. On June 3, 2019, iPadOS , the branded version of iOS for iPad, was announced at the 2019 WWDC; it was launched on September 25, 2019. The iOS user interface is based upon direct manipulation , using multi-touch gestures such as swipe , tap , pinch , and reverse pinch . Interface control elements include sliders, switches, and buttons. Internal accelerometers are used by some applications to respond to shaking
5650-508: The iOS App Store . Since the release of iOS 5 in 2011, these devices have become less dependent on iTunes, though it can still be used to back up their contents. Though well received in its early years, iTunes received increasing criticism for a bloated user experience, which incorporated features beyond its original focus on music. Beginning with Macs running macOS Catalina , iTunes was replaced by separate apps, namely Music , Podcasts , and TV , with Finder and Apple Devices taking over
5763-416: The iPad tablet computer. These apps have collectively been downloaded more than 130 billion times. App intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimated that the App Store would reach 5 million apps by 2020. In September 2007, Apple announced the iPod Touch , a redesigned iPod based on the iPhone form factor. On January 27, 2010, Apple introduced their much-anticipated media tablet , the iPad, featuring
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#17327730384385876-443: The iPhone , and is the basis for three other operating systems made by Apple : iPadOS , tvOS , and watchOS . iOS formerly also powered iPads until iPadOS was introduced in 2019, and the iPod Touch line of devices until its discontinuation. iOS is the world's second most widely installed mobile operating system , after Android . As of December 2023, Apple's App Store contains more than 3.8 million iOS mobile apps . iOS
5989-412: The iPhone 4 and its Retina Display , and retained Helvetica as the system font for older iPhone devices on iOS 4. With iOS 7, Apple announced that they would change the system font to Helvetica Neue Light, a decision that sparked criticism for inappropriate usage of a light, thin typeface for low-resolution mobile screens. Apple eventually chose Helvetica Neue instead. The release of iOS 7 also introduced
6102-436: The iTunes Store , and new audio formats. Apple released iTunes for Windows on October 16, 2003. On April 26, 2018, iTunes was released on Microsoft Store for Windows 10 , primarily to allow it to be installed on Windows 10 devices configured to only allow installation of software from Microsoft Store. Unlike Windows versions for other platforms, it is more self-contained due to technical requirements for distribution on
6215-425: The macOS and Windows operating systems, and can be used to rip songs from CDs as well as playing content from dynamic, smart playlists . It includes options for sound optimization and wirelessly sharing iTunes libraries. iTunes was announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January 9, 2001. Its original and main focus was music, with a library offering organization and storage of Mac users' music collections. With
6328-487: The "Enterprise Track", an in-depth training experience on the entire life cycle of an app, from design to implementation, to security, troubleshooting , data storage and cloud usage. As of 2020, the academy graduated almost a thousand students from all over the world, who have worked on 400 app ideas and have already published about 50 apps on the iOS App Store . In the 2018–2019 academic year, students from more than 30 countries arrived. 35 of these have been selected to attend
6441-624: The "IOS" trademark from Cisco. The Apple Watch smartwatch was announced by Tim Cook on September 9, 2014, being introduced as a product with health and fitness-tracking. It was released on April 24, 2015. It uses watchOS as its operating system; watchOS is based on iOS, with new features created specially for the Apple Watch such as an activity tracking app. In October 2016, Apple opened its first iOS Developer Academy in Naples inside University of Naples Federico II 's new campus. The course
6554-449: The 2003 addition of the iTunes Store for purchasing and downloading digital music, and a Windows version of the program, it became an ubiquitous tool for managing music and configuring other features on Apple's line of iPod media players, which extended to the iPhone and iPad upon their introduction. From 2005 on, Apple expanded its core music features with support for digital video, podcasts , e-books , and mobile apps purchased from
6667-735: The Android One User Interface (UI) closely resembles the Google Pixel UI, due to Android One being a software experience developed by Google and distributed to partners such as Nokia Mobile (HMD) and Xiaomi . Thus, the UI is intended to be as clean as possible. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners may tweak or add additional apps such as cameras to the firmware , but most of the apps are handled proprietarily by Google. Operating system updates are handled by Google and internally tested by OEMs before being distributed via an OTA update to end users . BharOS
6780-468: The App Store, iTunes Library, iBookstore , Contacts, and Notes. Content is downloadable via Wi-Fi and optional 3G service or synced through the user's computer. AT&T was initially the sole U.S. provider of 3G wireless access for the iPad. In June 2010, Apple rebranded iPhone OS as "iOS". The trademark "IOS" had been used by Cisco for over a decade for its operating system, IOS , used on its routers. To avoid any potential lawsuit, Apple licensed
6893-682: The Apple Developer Program. Over the years, the Apple Store apps surpassed multiple major milestones, including 50,000, 100,000, 250,000, 500,000, 1 million, and 2 million apps. The billionth application was installed on April 24, 2009. App Library automatically categorizes apps into folders based on their function or type and incluses an alphabetical list of all installed apps. For example, it might group all social media apps into one folder and productivity apps into another. Users can quickly find and access apps by using
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#17327730384387006-698: The Chinese electronic company Xiaomi , is a mobile operating system based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). It is mostly founded in Xiaomi smartphones and tablets such as the Xiaomi (formerly Mi) and Redmi Series. However, MIUI also had official ROM support for a few Android devices. Although HyperOS is based on AOSP, which is open-source, it consisted of closed-source proprietary software. A specific version of MIUI developed for Xiaomi sub-brand (Currently an independence brand) POCO ,
7119-464: The Cloud", in which music purchases were stored on Apple's servers and made available for automatic downloading on new devices. For music the user owns, such as content ripped from CDs, the company introduced "iTunes Match", a feature that can upload content to Apple's servers, match it to its catalog, change the quality to 256 kbit/s AAC format, and make it available to other devices. When iTunes
7232-704: The Document Picker and Document Provider extensions as part of the document interaction controller. This allows apps to open, save, and interact with documents stored in a central location or cloud storage services. With iOS 11, Apple introduced the Files app and the File Provider extension, providing a central location for users to manage and organize their files. Apps can integrate with the Files app to make their documents accessible and editable directly from
7345-457: The Files app. The storage of iOS devices can be expanded through iCloud , the Apple's cloud-based storage solution that provides 5GB of storage for free to all users, while other plans require a paid subscription. iCloud Drive allows users to store various types of files, such as documents, presentations, and spreadsheets, in the cloud. These files can be accessed across multiple devices as long as
7458-575: The Home screen is granted. In iPhone OS 3, Spotlight was introduced, allowing users to search media, apps, emails, contacts, messages, reminders, calendar events, and similar content. In iOS 7 and later, Spotlight is accessed by pulling down anywhere on the home screen (except for the top and bottom edges that open Notification Center and Control Center). In iOS 9, there are two ways to access Spotlight. As with iOS 7 and 8, pulling down on any homescreen will show Spotlight. However, it can also be accessed as it
7571-490: The Notification Center, and show for a set amount of time on the lock screen (unless the user has Notification Center allowed when locked). On iPhones with Touch ID, screenshots can be created with the simultaneous press of the home and power buttons. In comparison to Android , which requires the buttons to be held down, a short press does suffice on iOS. On iPhone with Face ID, screenshots are captured using
7684-454: The SDK for developers was announced, finally released on March 6, 2008. The SDK includes an inclusive set of development tools, including an audio mixer and an iPhone simulator. It is a free download for Mac users. It is not available for Microsoft Windows PCs. To test the application, get technical support, and distribute applications through App Store , developers are required to subscribe to
7797-542: The Settings. It is possible to manage brightness, volume, wireless connections, music player, etc. Scrolling from the top left to the bottom (or top to bottom on iPhones with Touch ID) will open the Notification Center , which in the latest versions of iOS is very similar to the lock screen. It displays notifications in chronological order and groups them by application. From the notifications of some apps it
7910-515: The US sanctions, it is currently a fork of Android similar to FireOS instead of a compatible one. In mainland China, and internationally since 2020 due to U.S. sanctions, EMUI devices use Huawei Mobile Services such as Huawei AppGallery instead of Google Mobile Services. Aside from based on Android, Huawei also bundle the HarmonyOS microkernel in the latest EMUI update inside Android which handle other process including security authentication such as
8023-456: The ability to follow other users. Ping was discontinued in September 2012. The Telegraph reported in November 2011 that Apple had been aware of a security vulnerability since 2008 that would let unauthorized third parties install "updates" to users' iTunes software. Apple fixed the issue before the Telegraph ' s report and told the media that "The security and privacy of our users
8136-405: The ability to scale text or apply other forms of text accessibility changes through Settings. With iOS 9, Apple changed the font to San Francisco , an Apple-designed font aimed at maximum legibility and font consistency across its product lineup. iOS 4 introduced folders, which can be created by dragging an application on top of another, and from then on, more items can be added to the folder using
8249-449: The ability to use custom prompts for encouraging users to leave reviews for their apps. IOS applications can also be installed directly from an IPA file provided by the software distributor, via unofficial ways. They are written using iOS Software Development Kit (SDK) and, often, combined with Xcode , using officially supported programming languages, including Swift and Objective-C . Other companies have also created tools that allow for
8362-582: The app clears the badge. iOS devices come with preinstalled apps developed by Apple including Mail, Maps, TV, Music, FaceTime, Wallet, Health, and many more. Applications (" apps ") are the most general form of application software that can be installed on iOS. They are downloaded from the official catalog of the App Store digital store, where apps are subjected to security checks before being made available to users. In June 2017, Apple updated its guidelines to specify that app developers will no longer have
8475-513: The background can perform to a limited function set and requires application developers to add explicit support for it. Before iOS 4, multitasking was limited to a selection of the applications Apple included on the device. Users could however " jailbreak " their device in order to unofficially multitask. Starting with iOS 4, on third-generation and newer iOS devices, multitasking is supported through seven background APIs : Mobile operating system Mobile operating systems combine features of
8588-510: The company's Android-based devices. Serving as a successor to HTC's TouchFLO 3D software for Windows Mobile , Sense modifies many aspects of the Android user experience , incorporating added features (such as an altered home screen and keyboard), widgets , HTC-developed applications, and redesigned applications. The first device with Sense, the HTC Hero , was released in 2009. Xiaomi HyperOS or HyperOS (formerly called MIUI ), developed by
8701-499: The development of native iOS apps using their respective programming languages. Applications for iOS are mostly built using components of UIKit , a programming framework. It allows applications to have a consistent look and feel with the OS, nevertheless offering customization. Elements automatically update along with iOS updates, automatically including new interface rules. UIKit elements are very adaptable, this allows developers to design
8814-462: The device (one common result is the undo command) or rotating it in three dimensions (one common result is switching between portrait and landscape mode). Various accessibility described in § Accessibility functions enable users with vision and hearing disabilities to properly use iOS. iOS devices boot to the lock screen. The lock screen shows the time and a user's lock screen widgets, which display timely information from apps. Upon unlock,
8927-494: The device management capabilities. This change did not affect iTunes running on Windows or older macOS versions. In February 2024, most features of iTunes for Windows were split into the Apple TV, Music, Podcasts, Books, and Apple Devices apps. When the apps are installed, iTunes is still used for podcasts and audiobooks. SoundJam MP , released by Casady & Greene in 1999, was renamed "iTunes" when Apple purchased it
9040-417: The device, creating a 3D effect and an illusion of floating icons. This effect is also visible in the tab view of Mail and Safari. Researchers found that users organize icons on their homescreens based on usage frequency and relatedness of the applications, as well as for reasons of usability and aesthetics. iOS originally used Helvetica as the system font. Apple switched to Helvetica Neue exclusively for
9153-629: The fingerprint authentication. /e/ is an operating system forked from the source code of LineageOS (based on Android). /e/ targets Android smart phone devices and uses MicroG as a replacement for Google Play Services . /e/OS is not completely open source software , because it comes with the proprietary Magic Earth 'Maps' app. Amazon Fire OS is a mobile operating system forked from Android and produced by Amazon for its Fire range of tablets , Echo and Echo Dot, and other content delivery devices like Fire TV (previously for their Fire Phone ). Fire OS primarily centers on content consumption, with
9266-455: The folders with pages similar to the home screen layout, allowing for a significant expansion of folder functionality. Each page of a folder can contain up to nine apps, and there can be 15 pages in total, allowing for a total of 135 apps in a single folder. In iOS 9, Apple updated folder sizes for iPad hardware, allowing for 16 apps per page, still at 15 pages maximum, increasing the total to 240 apps. Before iOS 5, notifications were delivered in
9379-419: The home screen. Along the top of the screen is a status bar, showing information about the device and its connectivity. The Control Center can be "pulled" down from the top right of the notch or Dynamic Island (on iPhones with Face ID ) or can be "pulled" up from the bottom to top of the screen (on iPhones with Touch ID ), giving access to various toggles to manage the device more quickly without having to open
9492-531: The iPhone with minimal retraining. Forstall was also responsible for creating a software development kit for programmers to build iPhone apps, as well as an App Store within iTunes . The operating system was unveiled with the iPhone at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 9, 2007, and released in June of that year. At the time of its unveiling in January, Steve Jobs claimed: "iPhone runs OS X" and runs "desktop class applications", but at
9605-548: The iPhone, and giving tutorials and guidelines for third-party developers to incorporate proper accessibility functions into their apps. In 2012, Liat Kornowski from The Atlantic wrote that "the iPhone has turned out to be one of the most revolutionary developments since the invention of Braille ", and in 2016, Steven Aquino of TechCrunch described Apple as "leading the way in assistive technology", with Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Manager for Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple, stating that "We see accessibility as
9718-505: The iPod". Jobs favored the former approach but pitted the Macintosh and iPod teams, led by Scott Forstall and Tony Fadell , respectively, against each other in an internal competition, with Forstall winning by creating iPhone OS. The decision enabled the success of the iPhone as a platform for third-party developers: using a well-known desktop operating system as its basis allowed the many third-party Mac developers to write software for
9831-401: The latter. Multitasking for iOS was first released in June 2010 along with the release of iOS 4 . Only certain devices— iPhone 4 , iPhone 3GS , and iPod Touch 3rd generation—were able to multitask. The iPad did not get multitasking until iOS 4.2.1 in that November. The implementation of multitasking in iOS has been criticized for its approach, which limits the work that applications in
9944-645: The launch of "iTunes U" via the iTunes Store , which delivers university lectures from top U.S. colleges. With iTunes version 12.7 in August 2017, iTunes U collections became a part of the Podcasts app. On June 10, 2020, Apple formally announced that iTunes U would be discontinued at the end of 2021. iTunes was required to activate early iPhone and iPad devices. Beginning with the iPhone 3G in June 2008, activation did not require iTunes, making use of activation at point of sale. Later iPhone models are able to be activated and set-up on their own, without requiring
10057-419: The library. The feature was updated with iTunes 9 in 2009 to offer "Genius Mixes", which generated playlists based on specific music genres. "Smart playlists" are a set of playlists that can be set to automatically filter the library based on a customized list of selection criteria, much like a database query. Multiple criteria can be entered to manage the smart playlist. Selection criteria examples include
10170-468: The mobile device. The operating system comes with utility applications that allow users to protect their privacy, improve speed, enhance their experience, etc. XOS comes with features like XTheme, Scan to Recharge, Split Screen and XManager. ITunes iTunes is a media player , media library, and mobile device management utility developed by Apple . It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running
10283-514: The next year. The primary developers of the software moved to Apple as part of the acquisition, and simplified SoundJam's user interface, added the ability to burn CDs, and removed its recording feature and skin support. The first version of iTunes, promotionally dubbed "World's Best and Easiest To Use Jukebox Software", was announced on January 9, 2001. Subsequent releases of iTunes often coincided with new hardware devices, and gradually included support for new features, including "smart playlists",
10396-432: The notification will be opened. Users can also choose to view notifications in modal alert windows by adjusting the application's notification settings. Introduced with iOS 8, widgets are now accessible through the Notification Center, defined by 3rd parties. When an app sends a notification while closed, a red badge appears on its icon. This badge tells the user, at a glance, how many notifications that app has sent. Opening
10509-481: The overall experience of the "skin" was similar to those of standard MIUI expect during the early release of MIUI for POCO where compared to standard MIUI it has an app drawer and allowed for 3rd party Android icon customization. Whereas the current MIUI for POCO shared all the common experience with those of standard MIUI, except the icon and the POCO Launcher instead of stock MIUI Launcher. In 2024 MIUI for POCO
10622-520: The phone. Android (based on the modified Linux kernel ) is a mobile operating system developed by Open Handset Alliance. The base system is open-source (and only the kernel copyleft ), but the apps and drivers which provide functionality are increasingly becoming closed-source . Besides having the largest installed base worldwide on smartphones, it is also the most popular operating system for general purpose computers (a category that includes desktop computers and mobile devices), even though Android
10735-461: The physical "Home" button while in an app, or swipes up from the bottom of the screen using the home bar. The screen has a status bar across the top to display data, such as time, battery level, and signal strength. The rest of the screen is devoted to the current application. When a passcode is set and a user switches on the device, the passcode must be entered at the Lock Screen before access to
10848-468: The popular desktop operating system Microsoft Windows , and smartphone use (even without tablets) outnumbers desktop use. Mobile devices, with mobile communications abilities (for example, smartphones ), contain two mobile operating systems. The main user-facing software platform is supplemented by a second low-level proprietary real-time operating system which operates the radio and other hardware. Research has shown that these low-level systems may contain
10961-632: The press that "We're doing for video what we've done for music — we're making it easy and affordable to purchase and download, play on your computer, and take with you on your iPod." In 2008, Apple and select film studios introduced "iTunes Digital Copy", a feature on select DVDs and Blu-ray discs allowing a digital copy in iTunes and associated media players. In June 2005, Apple updated iTunes with support for podcasts . Users can subscribe to podcasts, change update frequency, define how many episodes to download and how many to delete. Similar to songs , "Smart playlists" can be used to control podcasts in
11074-490: The removal of its MicroSD . With the release of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung Experience 8.1 was preinstalled on it with new functions, known as Samsung DeX. Similar to the concept of Microsoft Continuum, Samsung DeX allowed high-end Galaxy devices such as S8/S8+ or Note 8 to connect into a docking station, which extends the device to allow desktop-like functionality by connecting a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Samsung also announced "Linux on Galaxy", which allows users to use
11187-512: The same procedure. A title for the folder is automatically selected by the category of applications inside, but the name can also be edited by the user. When apps inside folders receive notification badges, the individual numbers of notifications are added up and the total number is displayed as a notification badge on the folder itself. Originally, folders on an iPhone could include up to 12 apps, while folders on iPad could include 20. With increasing display sizes on newer iPhone hardware, iOS 7 updated
11300-626: The search bar at the top of the App Library. Users can choose to hide specific app pages from the home screen, making it easier to focus on the apps they use most frequently. iOS enforces strict sandboxing to maintain security and privacy. Apps are generally limited to accessing their own containers and specific system-provided directories, such as the Photos library. To access files outside of their sandbox, iOS uses mechanisms like document pickers, file providers, and app extensions. iOS 8 introduced
11413-508: The standard Linux distribution on the DeX platform. Origin OS is a custom user interface developed by Vivo that is based on Android. It is a redesigned skin of Funtouch OS. It is currently only available in China but may someday be released globally. OxygenOS is based on the open source Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and is developed by OnePlus to replace Cyanogen OS on OnePlus devices such as
11526-518: The store (not installing background helper services such as Bonjour ), and is updated automatically through the store rather than using Apple Software Update . The role of iTunes has been replaced with independent apps, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and Apple TV; with iPhone, iPod, and iPad management integrated into the Finder starting with macOS 10.15 Catalina , and appearing as Apple Devices starting with Windows 10 . iTunes features
11639-601: The time of the iPhone's release, the operating system was renamed "iPhone OS". Initially, third-party native applications were not supported. Jobs' reasoning was that developers could build web applications through the Safari web browser that "would behave like native apps on the iPhone". In October 2007, Apple announced that a native software development kit (SDK) was under development and that they planned to put it "in developers' hands in February". On March 6, 2008, Apple held
11752-511: The use of iTunes. iTunes also allows users to backup and restore the content of their Apple mobile devices, such as music, photos, videos, ringtones and device settings, and restore the firmware of their devices. However, as of iTunes 12.7, apps can no longer be purchased and installed using iTunes. With the release of iTunes 10 in September 2010, Apple announced iTunes Ping, which CEO Steve Jobs described as "social music discovery". It had features reminiscent of Facebook , including profiles and
11865-451: The user installs them. It allows Android users who can no longer obtain update support from their manufacturer to continue updating their OS version to the latest one based on official release from Google AOSP and heavy theme customization. "MagicOS" (formerly known as Magic UI and Magic Live) is a front-end touch interface developed by Honor as a subsidiary of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd before Honor became an independent company. Magic UI
11978-426: The user is signed in with the same Apple ID. iOS offers various accessibility features to help users with vision and hearing disabilities. One major feature, VoiceOver , provides a voice reading information on the screen, including contextual buttons, icons, links and other user interface elements, and allows the user to navigate the operating system through gestures. Any apps with default controls and developed with
12091-556: The volume-up and power buttons instead. The camera application used a skeuomorphic closing camera shutter animation prior to iOS 7. Since then, it uses a simple short blackout effect. Notable additions over time include HDR photography and the option to save both normal and high dynamic range photographs simultaneously where the former prevents ghosting effects from moving objects (since iPhone 5 on iOS 6 ), automatic HDR adjustment (since iOS 7.1 ), "live photo" with short video bundled to each photo if enabled ( iPhone 6s , iOS 9 ), and
12204-401: Was a tablet-oriented release and does not officially run on mobile phones. Both phone and tablet compatibility were merged with Android 4.0 . The current Android version is Android 14 , released on October 4, 2023. Android One, a successor to Google Nexus , is a software experience that runs on the unmodified Android operating system. Unlike most of the "stock" Androids running on the market,
12317-543: Was first released, it came with support for the Kerbango Internet radio tuner service. In June 2013, the company announced iTunes Radio, a free music streaming service. In June 2015, Apple announced Apple Music, a subscription-based music streaming service, and subsequently integrated iTunes Radio functionality. Music tracks provided by Apple Music via iTunes are available at up to 256 kbit/s AAC fidelity. The Apple Music app also integrates Apple Music 1 ,
12430-415: Was in iOS versions 3 through 6. This endows Spotlight with Siri suggestions, which include app suggestions, contact suggestions and news. In iOS 10, Spotlight is at the top of the now-dedicated "Today" panel. With the release of iPhone OS 3.2 , users gained the ability to set a wallpaper for the Home Screen. The feature was initially only available on the iPad (1st generation) until the release of iOS 4
12543-568: Was protected by FairPlay , an encryption layer referred to as digital rights management (DRM). The use of DRM, which limited devices capable of playing purchased files, sparked efforts to remove the protection mechanism. Eventually, after an open letter to the music industry by CEO Steve Jobs in February 2007, Apple introduced a selection of DRM-free music in the iTunes Store in April 2007, followed by its entire music catalog without DRM in January 2009. In June 2011, Apple announced "iTunes in
12656-472: Was replaced by Xiaomi HyperOS. Indus OS is a custom mobile operating system based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). It is developed by the Indus OS team based in India. No longer valid as of 2018, Indus OS is available on Micromax , Intex , Karbonn , and other Indian smartphone brands. LG UX (formerly Optimus UI ) is a front-end touch interface developed by LG Electronics and partners, featuring
12769-563: Was running on BlackBerry brand devices, such as BlackBerry Priv , DTEK 50 / 60 and BlackBerry KeyOne . Currently, BlackBerry plans to license out the BlackBerry Secure to other OEMs. CalyxOS is an operating system for smartphones based on Android with mostly free and open-source software. It is produced by the Calyx Institute as part of its mission to "defend online privacy, security and accessibility." ColorOS
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