iOS is the operating system developed by Apple Inc. for
their line of mobile phones and device and was derived from the OS X operating
system used in Apple computers. iOS was originally released in 2007 for the
Apple iPhone but is now used to support other Apple devices like the iPod
touch, iPad, and Apple TV. iOS is not licensed for installation on non-Apple
devices.
iOS is currently on version 6.0 and is routinely updated
through iTunes. Since iOS version 5.0 iOS can be updated and synced
automatically “over-the-air” without having to plug in to your computer’s
iTunes through USB. The user interface involves multi-touch gestures, like
swipe, tap, pinch, and reverse-pinch, to allow the user to directly manipulate
and interact with their device. A few of the current features include a lockable
homescreen with application icons, default apps (like iMessage, Safari, Mail, etc.), a dock for apps that are used
most often, and a status bar across the top to display data, a simple folder
system for organization, and a notification center which delivers notifications
over the status bar as well as through red badges over the involved apps. Many
other features, such as Siri (the intelligent personal assistant, available on
iPhones 4S and 5, 5th generation iPod touch, iPad Mini, and 3rd
and 4th generation iPads), are also available.