What is iOS on iPhone? iOS operating system: advantages and disadvantages

New owners of Apple products inevitably encounter such a thing as iOs. What is it? How to use? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And is it possible to replace it with anything? There are answers to these simple questions about iOS.

What is it

First of all, it is a mobile operating system created by Apple, especially for your i-gadgets: tablets, phones, players. A distinctive feature of this “axis” is its closedness. Gadgets running this operating system can “communicate” with each other without problems, but not with other systems. Even bluetooth cannot transfer files to other devices. operating system iOS (we have already figured out what it is) is updated in a timely manner, improved, and is characterized by very high performance.

Story

In 2007, Apple introduced its first phone, the iPhone. Back then there was no talk about iOs (what it is and what it is needed for, we’ll tell you later). The first Apple phone ran a simplified version of Mac OS, a computer operating system. Naturally, the gadget had plenty of shortcomings, but it was still a huge breakthrough in the mobile industry. In 2008, the company released an improved iPhone, which introduced iOS. What is it? It was already a mobile operating system, which still bears little resemblance to the modern one. It had the simplest functions, but at that time it was an even greater breakthrough.

Becoming

Since 2008, the company has been hard at work improving the operating system and gadgets. With each new version, iOS becomes more and more optimized. Users who update their gadgets in a timely manner notice significant changes. Firstly, the functionality increases significantly. Secondly, the main errors are corrected previous versions. Developers closely monitor their work and user reviews.

Peculiarities

As mentioned above, the most main feature- closed iOS. What is it? Photo working iPhone just above, the standard desktop of the gadget is shown. So, the closedness of the system manifests itself in the fact that the user cannot customize the device completely for himself. The main settings, functions and basic functionality remain standard. The system uses a closed code that does not allow anything to be changed. And this, by the way, is also an advantage. If only because the security of the gadget remains at its best. Especially in comparison with the completely open and vulnerable Android system.

Advantages

The most important advantage of the system is its stability. Indeed, multitasking (simultaneous use of several applications) remains high even on older gadget models. Not to mention that the system rarely experiences any failures that lead to the failure of the device. This practically never happens in iOS! When developers release a new Apple gadget, they not only “sharpen” a new version of the operating system for it, but also diligently optimize it for working with older devices. And considering that Apple products are quite expensive, this is a very humane approach.

It is noteworthy that, despite the closed program code, the system remains intuitively simple. And most importantly - comfortable! It's really a pleasure to use because it works smoothly, quickly and without glitches. But it is not without its drawbacks, because not everything can be perfect.

Imperfections

Perhaps the most important disadvantage of the system is its frequent updates, which lead to some unpleasant moments. Thus, gadgets of the first generations simply cannot afford to work under the control of the updated and most latest versions iOS. Weak hardware simply does not master such fast and advanced functions and settings. And older versions of the operating system no longer receive support from the company. Which always leads users to the problem of choosing: to change an old gadget (which is very problematic to sell) for a new one, or to endure all the “glitches” and “lags”, watching the system slowly “die”.

Conclusions

So what else can there be to say about iOS? What is it? Linux is the most modern and stable of currently existing computer operating systems; it has a common, similar kernel to iOs. Which already speaks of many advantages over others mobile platforms. However, there are still more Android users. If only because gadgets with this operating system are cheaper. Owners of iOS rarely change it to more budget and simple options. And even limited user functionality, closed nature and high cost do not stop! What to choose for yourself? Everyone decides for themselves, but it is worth remembering that, according to statistics, iOS users use their gadgets at 200%, practically without encountering such problems as resetting the device to factory settings, restarting, “glitches” and “lags”.

Apple updates iOS every year, which has become a good tradition. Many users are waiting for the system to immediately update to it. For the first time, the update to iOS7 became quite crude; it caused a lot of controversy and controversy. Then, every year, certain shortcomings were found in new versions, but they were all cleaned up relatively quickly. This year, iOS11 can easily claim the title of the most raw version of iOS. Two system updates have already been released in a few weeks, and there were about a dozen beta versions before the commercial release. To abstract from software problems and focus on how the system is designed and what it can do, we will look at the innovations, and at the end we will touch a little on the problems that you may encounter (or not encounter at all, this also happens).

Supported Devices

You can install iOS11 on the following devices:

• iPhone 5s/6/6 Plus/6s/6s Plus/SE/7/7 Plus;
• iPhone 8/8 Plus/X – the system is preinstalled initially;
• iPad Mini 2/3/4; iPad Air/Air2; iPad Pro all versions, iPad 2017;
• iPod touch sixth generation.

An item with an OS update appears in the settings of your device, and you can download it, there are no difficulties. It is important to note that not all iOS 11 features will be available on all devices; they often depend on the hardware. For example, the iPhone SE looks like an ugly duckling, which does not have a number of features, for example, it does not support floor counting in the Health application, there is no 3D Touch and other little things. To support the new standard for images and videos (HEIF/HEVC), not only iOS is required, but also devices with an A10 processor and newer, which sharply limits the capabilities of previous devices. There are enough such limitations, for example, it is worth noting the lack of support True technologies Tone at the row iPad models, since there is simply no appropriate hardware support for this. This is easily explained, since updating the operating system will not provide the necessary hardware components, and the processors will not become more powerful.

When switching from iOS10 to iOS11, you should remember that Apple is no longer supporting 32-bit applications; they can no longer be launched in iOS11; they are not available in the store. For most people, this means absolutely nothing, since the transition to 64-bit applications began in 2013, and within 4 years most of the current software became 64-bit. If you have some program that does not have a 64-bit version (for example, work software written a long time ago), then updating will not allow you to work with it, you should remember this. But again, for most people there will be no problems.

Setting up an account on a new device - setup wizard

iOS11 debuts an account setup wizard that can automatically copy your account from another iOS device, be it an iPhone or iPad. For example, when setting up the iPhone 8, I copied all the data from my iPad, just brought them close to each other, read the QR code from the screen, and the setup was complete. Previously, there was no such setup wizard; it is extremely convenient when moving from one device to another.

Files – the ghost of a file manager

The Files application acts as a kind of file manager, but in iOS11 there is no access to file system, there is no hope for this, the system remains closed, as always. In the Files application, the user sees his cloud storage(iCloud by default plus all connected services), as well as files on the device that he sent to “Files”. For example, you receive a letter with a certain pdf file that you want to use later, for this you need to send it to “Files”; even if you open this file, you will not add it to this storage.

Ideally, the application is difficult to understand; it contradicts what we see on Android, where received files are saved in one or another system folders, A file manager automatically finds them there, and you can view them. This is not the case; an additional step is required to save a copy of the file to Files. This is inconvenient, additional actions are required, and they are not always justified.

For the first time, support for ZIP archives has appeared; they can be opened in the application (that is, first save the archive in “Files”, then open it). By selecting the ZIP archive in the application, you can extract specific files by selecting the “Upload” option. Where should I send the file? That's right, in the Files application. So complex system is capable of confusing anyone, it’s just ridiculous that in 2017 you need to use such dances with a tambourine to unpack one single file. It would not be amiss to say that unpack the entire ZIP archive regular means impossible.

It’s a pity, but the “Files” application is a crutch that stands on top of the system’s limitations and does not make the user’s life any easier, it simply collects his cloud accounts in one place and allows him to synchronize files. But it doesn't even remotely resemble what we see on Android and what we can use.

Control panel - unusual Wi-Fi/Bluetooth settings

By pulling the screen up from the bottom, you will see a control panel (translated to the “Control Center” menu, I don’t like it), it contains switches for operating modes (“Airplane mode”, “ Cellular connection", Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), music control, screen rotation, night mode, brightness and volume, as well as additional icons.

If you go to Settings - Control Panel, you can enable the appearance of this panel in any application, and also add additional icons (there are only five rows, scrolling appears, and it looks strange). You cannot select your own applications, only those that Apple added here. You can sort the icons in the rows as you wish.

This section has a peculiarity: it is impossible to disable Wi-Fi/Bluetooth from here, since Apple decided that when you click the icon, the current connection established by the device will be disconnected, but the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth operation itself will continue, this, for example, is necessary for connecting a phone or tablet with a MacBook. Most people expect that when they press the shutdown button, that's exactly what will happen, but that's not the case here. You can disable Wi-Fi/Bluetooth only from the settings menu.

Notifications

For each application, you can configure notifications for the lock screen, as well as the drop-down curtain. Unfortunately, if you have a lot of notifications from the application, they will quickly fill up the feed, since they are not grouped, you can see this in the screenshot below.

Remove programs but keep your data

If you go to Settings-General-Storage iPhone (iPad), you will see the menu item “Download unused”. This is a great idea and implementation to save space on your device, you can delete the app but all its data will remain on the device. For example, deleting a game will clear up a couple of GB of space, but when you need it again, you won't lose your progress and settings; you'll just need to download it from the Internet again.

SOS mode – emergency call

You can enter emergency contacts as well as your medical information. When you activate the SOS mode (5 clicks on the power button), the phone will start screaming, TouchID will turn off, to enter the device, you will need to enter a code. This is useful when you want to disable finger authentication. Your medical information will be displayed on the screen; you do not need to unlock it to access it. A fairly simple mode, copied from Android smartphones, where similar capabilities have existed for a long time.

Screenshots and an editor to change them

As soon as you take a screenshot, a thumbnail immediately appears in the lower left corner. By clicking on the thumbnail, you are taken to the editor, where you can resize the screenshot, cut out a piece of it and draw/write whatever you want on it. A great feature that was missing before.

App Store – new interface and articles

In iOS11, the app store became completely unusual, product cards and articles appeared describing how to do something. Typically, one card takes up the entire screen, which looks wasteful and inconvenient. Get used to new App The Store is necessary, but even on the iPad it can't be called user-friendly. They tried to make it beautiful, but they didn’t make it functional at all.

Icons and designs for Messages and other applications

When typing, a line appears that shows various stickers associated with certain applications or sets of stickers that you have downloaded to App Store.

Keyboard - updated set for iPad

It's important to note that the iPad keyboard is very different from the iPhone keyboard. And if on the iPhone this is a familiar and very simple keyboard, which is much inferior to its Android counterparts, then on the iPad they tried to make the keyboard more functional. To do this, a second row of symbols was added to the keys (highlighted in gray); when typing, you just need to swipe the key from top to bottom to insert such a symbol. It's convenient, although unusual.

You can tear the keyboard into two parts as before, but it doesn't look very convenient on the iPad. Surprisingly, for some reason the frequently used question mark was damaged and was moved to the second screen of the keyboard. This approach remains a mystery to me.

Shortcuts panel (iPad only)

Scrolling up the screen on the iPad brings up a panel with icons, here you see both the icons that you installed yourself and the ones you use most. It reminds me of a MacOS device, where there is a similar panel, and it is extremely convenient, it’s exactly the same here. It’s a pity that they didn’t put anything like this on the iPhone due to limitations in screen size.

Split screen mode (select iPad models only)

The ability to simultaneously open two applications, drag data from one to another, for example, insert pictures into mail client. This function works well, although it is almost not popular on iOS due to limitations specific applications, for example, the same email client.

Multitasking on iPad, new app display

The appearance of applications running on the iPad has changed; now they are cards; this approach looks fresh and interesting. You can immediately “close” any application by swiping it to the side.

Notes

It is now possible to scan documents using a photograph of the device. Text recognition is not provided in this case.

You can also create simple signs in Notes.

Playing videos in the browser

It doesn’t matter which browser you use, now video playback happens a little differently and with different controls, as can be seen in the pictures below. But the most important thing is that now you can go to another tab, and the video will continue playing (tested on iPad Pro/iPhone 8 Plus). Surprisingly, this feature is not provided for YouTube; playing in an out-of-focus tab does not work. Why? Don't know.

New standards for photos and videos – HEIF/HEVC

One of the key changes in both desktop and mobile OS from Apple in 2017 is support for H.265 video (HEVC - High Efficiency Video Codec), which, while maintaining the quality of H.264 used before, reduces the file size by half . Support for this format directly depends on the processor; by default, in iOS, all photos and videos are saved in old formats (H.264 and JPEG, not HEVC/HEIF).

To enable new formats that are not fully compatible with other devices, such as Android, you need to do this in the settings. After this, the space occupied by such files will decrease while maintaining their quality. If you do not plan to actively share your videos and photos, then you can safely switch to the new format. Otherwise, wait until it becomes widespread on other systems, otherwise you risk being misunderstood by others.

Brief impressions

In many ways, iOS11 greatly changes the iPad, which is what Apple says, this OS update is intended primarily for tablets, and appearance The OS was greatly refreshed, although not much was changed key elements. I like the dock with icons, the thumbnails when switching between applications, it has become noticeably more beautiful, although this is a matter of taste. Some people may not like this appearance.

It is difficult to underestimate the transition to HEIF/HEVC as the standards of the future, other manufacturers will also go in this direction, there is no other way. Gradually, all platforms will begin to support these standards, and this is normal.

Now about the fly in the ointment in this barrel of honey. Unfortunately, the stability of iOS11 leaves much to be desired, there are many small and unpleasant errors, sometimes applications slow down, and with third party programs this happens more often (Twitter/Instagram) and does not depend on the quality of the network connection, this applies to already downloaded data.

The multitasking mode is implemented too aggressively in order to extend the battery life on a single charge. So, by opening Twitter, clicking on a specific notification and then working in other programs, you will not return to the same Twitter state; the application will load again. The same goes for Telegram and a number of other programs. These can be considered iOS11 sores, which will be fixed someday or not. Don't know. But there are quite a lot of such “little things”, and judging by the way users complain about iOS11, we can safely assume that it has overtaken iOS7/8 in terms of the number of glitches. The quality of Apple's software has steadily declined in recent years; it was licked a few months after the launch of new devices. But what's happening with iOS11 surpasses previous problems. Although it all depends on your point of view, many people do not notice any problems, update their devices and are happy with the new features. What kind of people are you? Are you doing well or do you still have shortcomings that you would like to correct?

Today I will tell you how to use iOS apps on your PC using iPhone emulators. In this article, I will list all the iOS emulators that are currently available for the Windows platform:

What is an iOS emulator?

An emulator is software, with which you can launch applications designed for other operating systems: Android, iOS, etc.

An iPhone emulator allows you to run iOS apps on your PC without having to using iPhone. Such software is useful for developers, especially when creating applications for other platforms. If, during testing, the application had to be transferred to the iPhone every time, this would take a very long time. In such cases, emulators become almost irreplaceable.

There are many iOS emulators for Windows, but in this article I will list the best ones. As you know, iOS is the favorite operating system of developers and most applications are launched only for iOS first. On the other hand, the iPhone is very expensive and many people think that it is not worth the money. So most people buy budget smartphones.

There are dozens of iOS emulators on PC for Windows, and for most of us, it is difficult to determine the best one. But don't worry, since our team has thoroughly researched iOS emulators before writing this article, you can easily choose the best ones from the list below.

The best iOS emulators for Windows 7/8/8.1/10

1) iPadian iPhone Emulator

One of the best iPhone emulators for Windows. iPad Emulator is available in two versions. One is free, the other costs $10. It can be used to run any iOS applications, such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc., which cannot be run in a free iPad emulator. I highly recommend buying paid version. I personally tried iPadian for Windows 8:

Some features of iPadian Emulator for PC:

1. The free version of iPadian Emulator gives you a feel for how it works on iOS;
2. The free version includes access to customizable App store Store ;
3. In the premium version you can use any application from Apple App Store ;
4. The premium version has no ads.

How to install an iPad emulator on a Windows computer:

To run iPadian iPhone Emulator on your computer, follow these steps.

1. Download iPadian Emulator;
2. Double click on the installer file that you downloaded in the previous step;
3. Follow the instructions to install the iOS emulator for Windows;
4. After successfully installing iPadian Emulator on your computer, you can follow further steps to run iOS apps.

How to run iOS applications on Windows 7/8/8.1 using iPadian Emulator:

• Double-click on the iPadian icon;
• Now in the emulator interface, click on the application store icon;
• Download your favorite apps and enjoy iOS emulator on PC.

2) MobiOne Studio ( the project is officially terminated)

It is one of the best iOS emulators for Windows. Allows you to run any iOS applications on your PC in a few mouse clicks. And also use applications for Android. All applications created by MobiOne studio are developed in HTML5 and will work on all devices. MobiOne Studio is not free, but you can use it trial version for 15 days.

Update - This iPhone emulator project has officially been discontinued, but you can still install it on your computer by downloading the EXE file from third-party sites.

3) Air iPhone Emulator

Another great emulator iOS, which is available for Windows 7/8/8.1 etc. Using it, you can run iOS applications on your computer. If you are an iOS developer, you can use this emulator to test apps for free. If you didn't like iPadian Emulator, especially its free version, then you can try this alternative:

How to install Air Phone emulator on PC:

1. Download Airphone Emulator for PC;
2. Double-click on the file and follow the installation wizard instructions;
3. Click “Done” at the end.

4) Xamarin Testflight

When it comes to developer support, I have to say that Xamarin Testflight is the best in this regard iOS emulator for Windows 7. Although this is a paid software, it is worth the money:

5. Appetize.Io

This is a cloud emulator and you will not be able to download it on your computer. There used to be an iPhone emulator known as App.io, but it is no longer available. So if you are looking for an alternative to App.io, then you should try Appetize.io:

This emulator is free for the first 100 minutes per month. After this you will need to pay $0.05 per minute. Please note that you will not be able to install any application in the emulator, but you will be able to test .ipa files in it.

iOS is the operating system (OS) for mobile devices, released by Apple in 2007. Unlike competing systems, it is only suitable for various Apple mobile devices.

The main competitor is the OS from Google. But in lately these systems are becoming more and more similar to each other, adopting positive aspects from each other. Android, looking at iOS, is becoming closer to users: this includes both simplicity and ease of use out of the box, as well as interface aesthetics. iOS, in turn, increases functionality and expands the possibilities for individual customization.

Benefits of iOS

Application quality (AppStore)

AppStore is an online application store for iOS, created by Apple in 2008.

Due to the fact that the App Store has a strict filter for allowing applications to be published, only truly high-quality applications can be installed on devices. Most of the applications are paid because the developers put a lot of effort into development and testing and do not want to lose their customers and fall in the rankings by releasing a crude product.

Easy update

The transition from release to OS release is carried out with one click and is available immediately after the release and publication of a new update. In this case, the device itself will notify the user about the need to update. Unlike competing platforms, iOS supports devices released more than a year ago, thereby

does not force its customers to purchase a new, more powerful gadget after the release of new software.

Application updates are also carried out with one click, and in the settings you can set automatic download and installing updates, after which you can be sure that your programs will always be up to date.

The best applications are published in the AppStore first

Many developers prefer to first release an application on the iPhone, and only after a while write an analogue for Android and Windows Phone. This is due to a high-quality development environment and convenient tools to create new applications.

Single ecosystem

Mobile ecosystem Apple devices(i.e. integration or interaction various gadgets) the most developed on the market. Their optimization is amazing, because the company produces both hardware and software part herself. This means that the operating system is maximally optimized for specific device. A set of devices interconnected Apple account ID allows you to synchronize data with each other, making work easier and more productive.

Now you don’t need to think about how to send information from one gadget to another, you just continue to work. Because all your devices have access to your documents.

Convenient and easy to learn interface

Once you pick up any Apple device, you will already know how to use it. This was made possible thanks to an intuitive interface that was created in such a way that everyone could easily master it. On home screen All built-in applications are located, a split second is enough to glance at the screen and find out the weather, news, time and much more.

Reliability

According to a study by Strategy Analytics, Apple technology shows more than 2 times greater reliability compared to the devices of its competitors.

Safety

Achieved due to the closedness of the platform, due to which

you can forget about such technological concepts as “computer viruses”.

But protection is provided not only from virtual attacks; the Find My iPhone function and a fingerprint scanner (Touch ID) will help protect your device from thieves.

And this is not the entire list of advantages of the system. The list of shortcomings is much more modest.

Disadvantages of iOS

Not a universal system

Yes, you have to pay for security: you won’t be able to install the system on a device from another manufacturer, you won’t be able to add new feature or expand capabilities without violating the user agreement.

Limiting file transfer via Bluetooth

Having Bluetooth on board, the iPhone cannot transfer a file to a device from another manufacturer, but this disadvantage easily solved by sending the file to the cloud.

Closed file system

The manufacturer took care of organizing the files on the device, but not all users like it.

Paid apps, music and movies

Many people consider this a disadvantage, but shouldn’t developers and authors have to pay for their work?

Thus, the system boasts convenience, stability, security and ease of use, which is quite enough for many users.

iOS 7 vs Windows Phone 8

Today we’ll talk about the heart of the iPhone and I’ll tell you what iOS is. Oddly enough, some people do not know the name of the operating system on the iPhone.

There is nothing wrong with this, because now you are here and can read this material. I will try to briefly present the information that I have.

iOS system - what is it?

Well, I’ll probably start with the fact that as soon as the first iPhone was released in 2007, there was no name for the operating system yet. Considering that it was based on an OS identical to the MacBook, it was called OS X.

I won’t talk about the name for a long time, because it’s already clear that Apple’s trick is to simply add the letter “i” to everything at the beginning. So it turned out to be iOS, and I think it’s no secret to anyone that OS is an Operating System.

Although it is quite possible that it stands for “iPhone Operating System”. Apple gives its users the opportunity to think for themselves.

It doesn't just work on iPhones. It was developed for major mobile devices, and you can also add iPad and iPod here.


The entire operation of the system is based precisely on touch screen. There are no styluses, only fingers. The iPad Pro became an exception not long ago, but it is something like a pen and is needed exclusively for drawing.

The main feature is that the system is completely closed. You will not be able to transfer any file to your device. To do this, you will have to do various manipulations and download a special application.

If we talk about applications and games, they can be downloaded from the App Store. There are a lot of them there now and you can find absolutely everything you need.

How to find out which iOS is on an iPhone?

If you are interested in viewing your version of iOS on your iPhone, you can do this in just a couple of seconds. Just follow these steps:

1. choose Settings;
2. then click on Basic;
3. Now About this device;
4. opposite the word "Version" we have the current iOS number.

Such in simple steps, you can find out the version at any time you need. The first time according to the instructions, and then I think you’ll remember.

How is iOS different from Android?

I won’t say too much here, I’ll just tell you the most important differences between iOS and Android and how things generally stand at the moment.


The first thing I would like to note is probably safety. After all, Android devices are most often hacked; placing a virus there is not such a problem.

There are probably several reasons for this. The first is that Play Market checks applications a little worse and you can take into account that people like to install cracked software.

Well, the second thing is that Android is completely open. Everyone studied her up and down. So everyone knows her strengths and weaknesses.


The second difference can be called ecosystem. Because now, before choosing a device, you must understand what services you want to use.

Android has all analogues for Apple services. Speaking about iCloud, we immediately remember Google Drive. If it's Siri, then OK Google and so on.

Both sides have their pros and cons. But this is an individual matter and it is best for you to consult with users or simply read information on the Internet.


Further we can call work stability And device support. In principle, today the difference is not as big as it was before.

If you picked up an Android smartphone three years ago and used it, you would probably find a bunch of lags and slowdowns that were incredibly annoying.

Today, of course, sometimes this is also observed, but much less often. What worries you more is that when you buy a device on this OS, how long will it take to update it to the latest versions.

For Apple, this period is usually around four years. While Android is a couple of years old and you can forget about the latest versions.

It is worth considering that each developer has his own shell. Because of this, it is not a fact that you will be able to receive updates immediately after release. new version Android.