The iOS system is an operating system for smart devices developed and designed by Apple in (America) for its mobile devices and iPads at that time iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
What is the system? A question with which we start this research until we touch on what the iOS system is. When we know the meaning of the system in the first place, we will know the iOS system.
The system or the thing that makes us call something a system is a set of methods, procedures, methods, and instructions created to carry out a specific activity or perform a duty and solve a problem, meaning that a system is an organized structure of unified interconnected elements to perform instructions from inputs and outputs.
So, in a more than simple way to approximate the concepts, we know that the system is a set of commands that exist to carry out a specific command. This command comes in the form of input and is processed within the structure of the system to be shown in the form of output, such as entering the settings and then entering the iCloud to show its settings, these are inputs from you and appeared in the form of outputs on the screen.
Types of operating systems
- Operating systems are directed to computers and represented in Windows, Linux, Mac, and others… The Windows system works on all computers and it cannot be run on Mac computers without the presence of an intermediary program. And the Mac runs Mac OS on Mac computers only, while the Linux system can be downloaded on both computers, whether Mac with an intermediary program or a regular computer created by any other company.
- Operating systems directed to smart devices (mobile) represented by iOS - Android - Harmony - BlackBerry - Symbian and others. Samsung, Xiaomi, Google, and others run the Android system and Huawei devices run Harmony and BlackBerry devices with BlackBerry and Nokia in the past with Symbian and now with Android As for the iOS system, it is directed to Apple devices, specifically the iPhone… (previously it was for the iPhone and iPad) (now the iPad has another name iPadOS).
What does the word iOS mean?
The word iOS stands for iPhone Operating System and is an abbreviation for each letter of the word iPhone Operating System. Apple has used this naming system with all of its devices and systems.
What is the iOS system?
iOS is an operating system for smart devices developed and designed by Apple in (the US) for its iPhone, iPad, and iPod mobile devices. At the beginning of the emergence of the system was called iPhone OS when the first iPhone 1 was released, but the name was changed to iOS in June 2009, the iOS system became called the iPhone only and no longer called the rest of the systems directed to mobile devices>
Like any other operating system, the iOS system uses graphical user interfaces (GUI) and since it is a smartphone operating system, it has been completely designed to work with the touch system through the input source represented by the screen instead of the keyboard and mouse on the computers.
For example, in iOS, you can open an application with a single click instead of double-clicking, as in the Windows or Mac operating system. You can also switch between screens and interfaces by sliding your finger across the screen to the right or left instead of pressing the open windows in the toolbar or the Mac menu. overhead.
iOS is designed to be simple and easy to use, as it does not include the huge number of features found in traditional operating systems. For example, in iOS, you can manage files and folders as in Windows and Mac, but you only have limited capabilities to access and control system settings and modify them. The preferences you want through or from the settings available within each application.
All settings need to be modified from the main settings to limit them or leave them with the features that were approved for them during their development. In addition, the iOS system provides the ability to run a group of applications at the same time, but you cannot display them simultaneously like other systems, but you can Only view one open application at a time.
Since the system offers some limitations in the use and control of settings, Apple every time updates its systems by adding many new features, improvements, and important modifications to it. Since its system was named iOS, Apple has changed the name of the system versions with serial numbers such as iOS 2 and iOS 3 to the current version While reading this article.
In iOS 2, Apple provided access to the App Store, which provides thousands of apps to download and install inside the iPhone and iPod at the time, and then in iOS 3, it added the copy and paste feature within the system functions and greatly supported the iPad.
In iOS 4, Apple for the first time provided the multitasking feature, developed and provided the Game Center application, and in iOS 5, Apple provided Siri and works on iPhone 4 only and dispensed with the official Youtube application, which was included in the system mainly and for the first time supported iCloud feature and connection.
Then, in iOS 6, I changed the look of the system a little from black to blue and dispensed with the Google Maps application that was included in the system and used its Apple Maps application, which in turn came with the Turn by Turn feature and the Do Not Disturb feature.
In iOS 7, the appearance of the system was changed radically for the first time since the first version and included iTunes Radio and Control Center and in iOS 8 it added a widget center and allowed for the first time the external keyboard (app).
In iOS 9, the 3D Touch feature and great development of maps, and in iOS 10 it has greatly improved the system, adding the Control Center and the notification center and displaying it in another way. Thus, Apple each system develops improves and changes the system according to the user’s needs.
ios system technically
What is meant by the IOS system technically is that we are going to talk technically and not expressively about the system. I think the following explanation needs a technical person or a little tech-savvy to understand.
The iOS system is based on a Unix-like OS, i.e. the inner kernel on which the system is built in the kernel of a Unix-like OS, and when building this system, four main layers were created in it, or the so-called Layers:
- Cocoa Touch Layer - The Cocoa layer is the layer in which the frameworks, structures, or systems are located, so-called frameworks that are often used when developing applications.
- Media Layer Provides the technologies needed for graphics, audio, and video.
- Core Services layer - The core services layer, is the layer responsible for providing a summary of the services provided in the core operating system layer and basic access to the services of the iOS operating system. It consists of many frameworks such as the iCloud framework, the geolocation services framework, the health services framework, and the basic data framework.
- Core OS Layer - The basic operating system layer that is primarily relied upon to run the system and to provide required services from the higher layer of it. All iOS technologies are built on low-level features provided by the Core OS layer. These technologies include Core Bluetooth Framework, External Extension Framework, Express Framework, Security Services Framework, Local Authorization Framework, etc.
Developers can use the Application Development Kit (SDK) to create applications for the Apple iPhone and iPad. Of course, this package includes tools and interfaces for developing, installing, running, and testing applications.
Of course, Native applications can be developed from the ground up using the iOS system and the Objective-C programming language, including Xcode, which contains an integrated development environment (IDE) for managing and developing application projects.
What are the main contents of the iOS system?
The iOS system contains a set of basic applications that come with the system when you install it for the first time or when you buy the iPhone for the first time. Maps, e-mail, calendar, Itunes, stock exchange... The main applications that come with the system are:
- Phones
- FaceTime
- Messages or iMessage
- ShortCuts
- Safari browser
- Names or contacts
- Email Mail
- Calendar Calendar
- Photos
- The camera is the camera
- maps
- Compass
- Calculator
- Voice Memos Recorder
- The clock
- Apple Watch
- Weather
- News
- home
- Notes
- Tips Tips
- Facetime
- Reminder
- TV TV
- App Store
- The iTunes Store
- Books Store and Reader
- Health
- Wallet
- Settings
- Music
- Find Me
- Translator
IOS Features
The iOS system has several advantages. The main reason that makes this system distinct compared to the rest of the systems is that Apple is the one who manufactures the hardware (under its supervision) and it is the one who develops the software (the system). The process of compatibility between them makes it a strong system, and its most important features are:
Compatibility, as the system is perfectly compatible with the hardware, makes the work of the system more comfortable and has fewer errors.
Security, Apple takes security and privacy protection very seriously in this system. iOS is very secure with many features to ensure that users' identity is not compromised. This does not mean that security breaches or errors may occur (no system is fully protected).
The user interface of the iOS system is one of the best interfaces used in the systems, as it is well designed, comfortable to the eye, and helps the user to accept and use it easily and quickly.
The application development environment makes the iOS system easy for developers due to the lack of devices and not like the rest of the systems. Every year, more than one device is released with different specifications and sizes, which makes developing an application compatible with all of them almost impossible or extremely difficult.
The App Store One of the most distinguishing features of the iOS system is the Store because it contains millions of useful and important applications for the work of your devices.
Simplicity as each task in this system takes 3 or 4 steps at most, such as setting an alarm, making calls, sending messages, opening applications using spotlights, all these tasks, and more functions can be done by anyone easily.
What is the cost of the iOS system if I want to download or update it?
The iOS system from Apple does not cost to download or update its system for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, it is completely free. Apple gives you bundles of free applications such as the so-called iWork to edit documents in addition to three free months to try its music application.
Apple downloads a set of changes and updates at specific or sudden intervals according to the need for the update, for example, in the releases of new systems at Apple, the so-called WWDC Developers Conference, in which it announces its new systems, such as iPhoneOS and macOS, and the features that will be present in it. Secondary updates for these systems may Be surprising due to a security vulnerability or scheduled to add a new feature.