Operating ios. iOS operating system. What it is? Screenshots and editor for their changes

At the WWDC 2018 conference, Apple introduced a new version of the iOS operating system. The twelfth update received several important innovations.

Performance

At the event, it was stated that iOS 12 is twice as fast as the previous version. Some of the metrics we've been talking about: Apps launch 40% faster, keyboards are 50% more responsive, and the camera shoots 70% faster.

augmented reality

Apple collaborated with Pixar to develop a unified format for content in . It combines all the necessary components into one compressed file. Developers will have access to additional tools from Adobe specifically for working with augmented reality.

Apple will release a special application using augmented reality - Measure. It works like a virtual ruler to measure real objects with a camera.

Third-party developers will be able to embed augmented reality elements into their apps and even Safari-enabled websites.

The ARKit 2 tool will allow you to create augmented reality games for two or more players.

A photo

The photo viewer has received an improved search with various options. The system looks for exactly what is captured in the photo.

Siri

Siri voice assistant received support for software shortcuts. A shortcut is a frequently called action that can be assigned to a voice command. For example, the words "Siri, I've lost my keys" can be assigned to search for keys with a location accessory.

In a special directory, users will be able to share their shortcuts. Setting up a shortcut is quite simple and always depends on the application. The input data can be new each time, such as the location or the song being played.

Digital health

Apple spied on Google some . One of them is "digital health". iOS 12 users will be able to set up Do Not Disturb mode to block notifications, and they won't come at night by default.

iOS 12 maintains complete statistics on device usage. In a special section, the user will be able to see how much time he devotes to certain programs. You can set a time limit for each application. There is also a function to restrict the use of the device for children.

Grouping notifications

Finally, iOS has learned how to group notifications from one application. You can expand a group of notifications with a familiar Android swipe down.

memoji

iPhone X users can now not only send animated emoji, but also create their own avatar. Language recognition is supported.

The editor allows you to make a recognizable version of yourself.

Group FaceTime calls

Up to 32 people can participate in FaceTime at the same time. The interface is built on the principle of tiles of different sizes, between which you can switch manually or depending on who is talking at the moment.

For all participants in the video conference, you can connect their Memoji avatars. Works on Mac, iPhone, iPad and even Apple Watch.

iOS 12 will be available on all devices that have updated to iOS 11:

• iPhone X;
• iPhone 8 / iPhone 8 Plus;
• iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus;
• iPhone 6s / iPhone 6s Plus;
• iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus;
• iPhone SE;
• iPhone 5s;
• iPod touch 6;
• iPad Pro 12.9 both generations;
• iPad Pro 10.5;
• iPad Pro 9.7;
• iPad Air / iPad Air 2;
• iPad 5 / iPad 6;
• iPad mini 2 / 3 / 4.

The iOS 12 beta is available to developers now. A stable release will take place in autumn 2018.

Owners-beginners of "apple" products are inevitably faced with such a thing as iOs. What it is? How to use? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And can anything be substituted? There are answers to these simple questions about iOs.

What it is

First of all, this is a mobile operating system created by Apple specifically for its i-gadgets: tablets, phones, players. A distinctive feature of this "axis" is its closeness. Between themselves, gadgets running this operating system can "communicate" without problems, but with other systems - no. Even bluetooth cannot transfer files to other devices. The iOs operating system (what it is, we have already figured out) is updated in a timely manner, improved, and is distinguished by very high performance.

Story

In 2007, Apple introduced its first phone, the iPhone. Then there was no talk about iOs (what it is and what it is for, we will tell further) there was not even a talk. The first "apple" phone was running 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, in which iOs just appeared. What it is? 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 bigger breakthrough.

Formation

Since 2008, the company has come to grips with the improvement of the operating system and gadgets. With each new version, iOs is getting more and more optimized. Users who update their gadgets in a timely manner notice significant changes. First, the functionality is significantly increased. Secondly, major bugs of previous versions are fixed. Developers closely monitor their work, user reviews.

Peculiarities

As mentioned above, the most important feature is the closeness of iOs. What it is? The photo of the working iPhone is just above, it shows the standard desktop of the gadget. So, the closeness of the system is manifested in the fact that the user cannot configure the device completely for himself. The main settings, functions and basic functionality remain standard. The system uses a closed code that does not allow you to change anything. And this, by the way, is also a virtue. If only because the security of the gadget remains on top. Especially when compared to 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 at its best even on old gadget models. Not to mention the fact that the system rarely has any failures that lead to the failure of the device. This almost never happens in iOS! Developers, releasing a new "apple" gadget, do not just "sharpen" a new version of the operating system for it, but also diligently optimize it to work with older devices. And given that Apple products are very 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 interruption. But it is not without drawbacks, because not everything can be perfect.

imperfections

Perhaps the most important disadvantage of the system is its frequent updating, which leads to some unpleasant moments. So, gadgets of the first generations simply cannot afford to run the updated and latest versions of iOs. Weak hardware simply does not master such fast and perfect functions and settings. And older versions of the operating system are no longer supported by the company. Which always leads users to the problem of choice: to change the old gadget (which is very problematic to sell) for a new one, or to endure all the "glitches" and "lags", watching how the system slowly "dies".

findings

So, what else can be said about iOs? What it is? Linux is the most modern and stable of the currently existing computer operating systems, has a common, similar kernel with iOs. Which already speaks of many advantages over other 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, closeness and high cost do not stop! What to choose for yourself? This is already decided by everyone, but it is worth remembering that, according to statistics, iOs users use their gadgets to 200%, practically without encountering such a problem as resetting the device to factory settings, restart, "glitches" and "lags".

iOS is a mobile operating system, that is, an operating system for mobile phones and tablet computers. It is available only for devices manufactured by Apple, which is different from the Windows Phone and Google Android operating systems that are installed on products from many companies. This is a feature of iOS. iOS is installed on Iphone 3-5 mobile phones, on Ipad tablets, as well as on the Ipod music player.

Another feature of this operating system- deep continuity with all operating systems that were once developed by Apple.

Many opponents of the iOS operating system compare it to a fascist state. Everything is arranged quite well, the user is satisfied and even happy. However, everything is decided for the user somewhere far away in the top leadership. Step to the left, step to the right - they are simply impossible. The operating system code is closed and not available to anyone except specialists.

But - we repeat - the user is satisfied. And those who have already purchased Apple phones or tablets usually do not leave them.

What is the reason for such loyalty? Of course, in convenience and in the undoubted advantages of the operating system.

These include the following

1. The system is fast. The interface does not "slow down"
2. The system boots up quickly and the phone/tablet is quickly ready to go.
3. Colorful and intuitive interface.
4. Convenient file system. Almost all actions can be done in 2 clicks.
5. A huge catalog of programs, located in the AppStore software store. The programs are not free, but they are inexpensive. I must say that non-free programs are the principle of Apple. You have to pay for the software. But the AppStore is the largest repository of programs for tablets and mobile phones.
6. The operating system is well updated and for this reason becomes more convenient and more functional over time.
7. The iOS operating system is very well protected from intrusion by outsiders and from virus dangers.
8. Stylish look of Apple devices and beautiful interface and graphics.

The user interface of the iOS operating system is based on the concept of direct manipulation. The main control element is a touch-sensitive screen. The main control body is the user's fingers.

Hardware parameters as well as operating system parameters are determined by the company itself. The slogan “We know what you need better than you” could be made the company's slogan and displayed on the screen in bright neon letters.

For "walking" on the Internet, iOS has a built-in Safari browser. The browser, it should be said, is excellent with a very clear and beautiful display of Internet pages.

As already mentioned, all iOS programs are not free. Program prices range from $0.99 to several thousand dollars. A Visa credit or debit card is linked to a user's iOS account. It pays for the purchase of software and many other goods. After linking the card to the account, 1 dollar is withdrawn from the account for verification, which is returned either during the next purchase or after some time.

Activation of the device, updating programs and operating system, as well as downloading music, audiobooks and other multimedia occurs through the iTunes program.

The current version of iOS can be viewed through the menu Settings - General - About the device - Version.

As in all modern devices, since version 5.0, integration with the cloud interface has appeared, that is, the possibility of remote file storage. This system is called iCloud. Through iCloud, you can transfer files from one device to another within the same user account.

Apple's iOS system has, of course, significant drawbacks.

1. In fact, there is no multitasking. Most applications in the “minimized” state work for a while and then stop.
2. The closedness of the operating system is still a drawback. Although, as a result, iOS is the most secure operating system in the world.
3. Apple phones and tablets are much more expensive than the corresponding devices from other companies. Hence some snobbery of Apple users. They certainly don't consider non-Apple users to be rogue, but still...

Everyone knows that Apple mobile devices run iOS. Many people know that iOS is a lightweight version of the desktop Mac OS X. Some guess that Mac OS X is based on the POSIX-compliant Darwin OS, and those who are seriously interested in IT know that the basis of Darwin is the XNU kernel, which appeared into the world as a result of the merger of the Mach microkernel and components of the FreeBSD kernel. However, all these are bare facts that will not tell us anything about how iOS actually works and how it differs from its desktop counterpart.

MacOS X

The operating system installed today on all poppies and (in a modified form) on iDevice dates back to 1988, which is also known in the IT world for being the year the first beta version of the NeXTSTEP operating system was released. NeXTSTEP itself was the brainchild of the development team of Steve Jobs, who by that time had already left Apple and founded NeXT, which developed computers for educational purposes.

At the time of its inception, NeXTSTEP was a truly advanced operating system that included many technological innovations. The OS was based on a modified Mach microkernel, supplemented with FreeBSD kernel components, including a reference implementation of the network stack. The higher-level components of NeXTSTEP were written using the Objective-C language and provided application developers with a rich object-oriented API. The system was equipped with a developed and very convenient graphical interface (key components of which were preserved in OS X and even iOS) and a powerful development environment, which included, among other things, a visual interface designer known to all modern developers.

After the failure of NeXT and the return of Steve Jobs to Apple in 1997, NeXTSTEP formed the basis of the Rhapsody project, within which the development of the Mac OS 9 successor system began. and already in 2001, OS X 10.0 was born, built on its basis. A few years later, Darwin formed the basis of the operating system for the upcoming smartphone, about which until 2007, apart from rumors, almost nothing was known.

XNU and Darwin

Conventionally, the stuffing of OS X / iOS can be divided into three logical levels: the XNU kernel, the POSIX standard compatibility layer (plus various system daemons / services) and the NeXTSTEP layer that implements the graphics stack, framework and application APIs. Darwin includes the first two layers and is distributed freely, but only in the OS X version. protection against porting iOS to other devices).

At its core, Darwin is a "bare" UNIX-like OS that includes the POSIX API, a shell, a set of commands and services that are minimally necessary for the system to work in console mode and run UNIX software. In this respect, it is similar to a basic FreeBSD system or a minimal installation of some Arch Linux, which allows you to run UNIX console software, but does not have a graphical shell or everything you need to run serious graphical applications from GNOME or KDE environments.

Darwin's key component is the hybrid XNU kernel, based, as mentioned above, on the Mach kernel and FreeBSD kernel components such as the process scheduler, network stack, and virtual file system (VFS layer). Unlike Mach and FreeBSD, the OS X kernel uses its own driver API, called the I/O Kit, which allows drivers to be written in C++ using an object-oriented approach that greatly simplifies development.

iOS uses a slightly modified version of XNU, however, due to the fact that the iOS core is closed, it is difficult to say exactly what Apple has changed. We only know that it was compiled with other compiler options and a modified memory manager that takes into account small amounts of RAM in mobile devices. In all other respects, this is still the same XNU, which can be found as an encrypted cache (kernel + all drivers / modules) in the /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kernelcaches/kernelcache directory on the device itself.

A layer above the kernel in Darwin is the UNIX/BSD layer, which includes a set of standard C libraries (libc, libmatch, libpthread, and so on), as well as command line tools, a set of shells (bash, tcsh, and ksh), and daemons such as launchd and a standard SSH server. The latter, by the way, can be activated by editing the /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist file. Unless, of course, jailbreak the device.

This is where the open part of the OS called Darwin ends, and the layer of frameworks begins, which just form what we used to consider OS X / iOS.

Frameworks

Darwin implements only the basic part of Mac OS / iOS, which is responsible only for low-level functions (drivers, system startup / shutdown, network management, application isolation, and so on). That part of the system that is visible to the user and applications is not included in it and is implemented in the so-called frameworks - a set of libraries and services that are responsible, among other things, for the formation of a graphical environment and a high-level API for third-party and stock applications

INFO

As with many other operating systems, the Mac OS and iOS APIs are divided into public and private. Third-party applications can only access the public and heavily curtailed API, but jailbreak applications can also use the private one.

In the standard delivery of Mac OS and iOS, you can find dozens of different frameworks that are responsible for accessing a wide variety of OS functions - from the implementation of the address book (AddressBook framework) to the OpenGL library (GLKit). A set of basic frameworks for developing graphical applications is combined into the so-called Cocoa API, a kind of metaframework that allows you to access the main features of the OS. In iOS, it is called Cocoa Touch and differs from the desktop version in its focus on touch displays.

Not all frameworks are available in both operating systems. Many of them are specific to iOS only. Examples include AssetsLibrary, which is responsible for working with photos and videos, CoreBlueTooth, which allows you to access the blue tooth, or iAd, which is designed to display advertisements in applications. Other frameworks exist only on the desktop version of the system, but from time to time Apple portes certain parts of iOS to Mac OS or vice versa, as, for example, happened with the CoreMedia framework, which was originally only available on iOS.

All standard system frameworks can be found in the /System/Library/Frameworks/ system directory. Each of them is located in its own directory, called a bundle (boundle), which includes resources (images and descriptions of interface elements), C language headers describing the API, as well as a dynamically loaded library (in dylib format) with the implementation of the framework.

One of the interesting features of frameworks is their versioning. One framework can have several different versions at once, so an application developed for older versions of the system will continue to work, even despite changes made in new versions of the OS. This is how the mechanism for launching old iOS applications is implemented in iOS 7 and higher. An app designed for iOS 6 will look and function exactly as if it were running in iOS 6.

spring board

A level above are applications, system and installed from the application store. Central among them is, of course, SpringBoard (only in iOS), which implements the home screen (desktop). It is it that is launched first after the start of system daemons, loading frameworks into memory and starting the display server (aka compositing manager, aka Quartz Compositor), which is responsible for displaying the image on the screen.

SpringBoard is a link between the operating system and its user, a graphical interface that allows you to launch applications, switch between them, view notifications and manage some system settings (starting with iOS 7). But it is also a handler for events such as touching the screen or flipping the device. Unlike Mac OS X, which uses various applications and agent daemons to implement interface components (Finder, Dashboard, LaunchPad, and others), in iOS, almost all the basic features of the user interface, including the lock screen and the "width", are enclosed in one SpringBoard.

Unlike other stock iOS applications, which are located in the /Applications directory, SpringBoard, along with the display server, is considered part of the frameworks and is located in the /System/Library/CoreServices/ directory. To perform many tasks, it uses plugins that are located in /System/Library/SpringBoardPlugins/. Among other things, there you can find, for example, NowPlayingArtLockScreen.lockboundle, which is responsible for displaying information about the song being played on the lock screen, or IncomingCall.serviceboundle, which is responsible for processing an incoming call.

Starting with iOS 6, SpringBoard is divided into two parts: the desktop itself and the BackBoard service responsible for communicating with the low-level part of the OS that works with the hardware (HAL level). The BackBoard is responsible for handling events such as screen touches, key presses, accelerometer, position, and ambient light readings, and manages the launch, pause, and end of applications.

SpringBoard and BackBoard are so important to iOS that if you stop them in any way, the whole system will freeze in place and even the currently running application will not respond to screen touches. This distinguishes them from the Android home screen, which is just a standard application that can be stopped, replaced, or even removed from the system (in this case, the navigation buttons and the status bar with a “curtain” will remain on the screen).

Applications

At the very top of this pyramid are applications. iOS distinguishes between built-in (stock) highly privileged apps and third-party apps installed from iTunes. Both are stored in the system in the form of bundles, in many ways similar to those used for frameworks. The only difference is that the application bundle includes slightly different meta-information, and the dynamic library is replaced by an executable file in the Mach-O format.

The default storage directory for stock applications is /Applications/. In iOS, it is completely static and only changes during system updates; the user cannot access it. Third-party apps installed from iTunes, on the other hand, are stored in the user's home directory /var/mobile/Applications/ inside subdirectories that look like 4-2-2-2-4, where two and four are hexadecimal numbers. This is the so-called GUID - a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the application in the system and is needed, among other things, to create an isolated sandbox (sandbox).

Sandbox

In iOS, sandboxes are used to isolate services and applications from the system and from each other. Every third party app and most system apps run in a sandbox. From a technical point of view, the sandbox is a classic for the UNIX world chroot, enhanced by the TrustedBSD MAC forced access control system (kernel module sandbox.kext), which cuts off applications not only access to files outside the home directory, but also direct access to hardware and many system OS functions.

In general, a sandboxed application is limited in the following ways:

• Access to the file system except for one's own directory and the user's home directory.

• Access to the Media and Library directories inside the home directory, excluding Media/DCIM/, Media/Photos/, Library/AddressBook/, Library/Keyboard/ and Library/Preferences/.

• Access to information about other processes (the application "thinks" it is the only one in the system).

• Direct access to hardware (only Cocoa API and other frameworks are allowed).

• Restriction on the use of RAM (controlled by the Jatsam mechanism).

All these restrictions correspond to the sandbox profile (a set of restrictive rules) container and apply to any third-party application. For stock applications, in turn, other restrictions, more lenient or strict, may apply. An example is an email client (MobileMail profile), which is generally as severely limited as third-party applications, but can access the entire contents of the Library/ directory. The reverse situation is SpringBoard, which has no restrictions at all.

Many system daemons work inside sandboxes, including, for example, AFC, designed to work with the file system of a device from a PC, but restricting the "scope" only to the user's home directory. All available system sandbox profiles are located in the /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles/* directory and are a set of rules written in the Scheme language. In addition, applications can also include additional sets of rules called entitlement. In fact, these are all the same profiles, but sewn directly into the binary file of the application (a kind of self-limitation). You can view these rules, for example, like this:
# cat -tv /Applications/MobileSafari.app/MobileSafari | tail -31 | more
The meaning of the existence of all these restrictions is twofold. The first (and main) task that sandbox solves is protection against malicious applications. Combined with rigorous scrutiny of iTunes-published apps and a ban on non-digital-signed apps (read: anything not from iTunes), this approach works great and keeps iOS at the top of the list of most virus-resistant operating systems.

The second problem is the protection of the system from itself and the user. Bugs can exist both in stock software from Apple and in the minds of users. Sandbox protects against both. Even if an attacker finds a hole in Safari and tries to exploit it, he will still remain in the sandbox and will not be able to harm the system. And the user will not be able to “break his favorite phone” and will not write angry reviews to Apple. Fortunately, knowledgeable people can always jailbreak and bypass sandbox protection (in fact, this is the point of a jailbreak).

multitasking

One of the most controversial features of iOS is its implementation of multitasking. It seems to be there, but on the other hand, it is not. Compared to traditional desktop OSes and the notorious Android, iOS is not a multi-tasking operating system in the usual sense of the word and does not allow applications to run freely in the background. Instead, the OS implements an API that an application can use to perform individual tasks while it's in the background.

For the first time, such an API appeared in iOS 4 (before that, only stock applications could perform background tasks) and grew as the operating system evolved. Today (we are talking about iOS 7), the so-called Background API allows you to do the following:

• play audio;

• make VoIP calls;

• receive information about the change of location;

• receive push notifications;

• schedule delayed notifications;

• request additional time to complete work after switching to the background;

• exchange data with accessories connected to the device (including Bluetooth);

• receive and send data over the network (since iOS 7).

Such restrictions on background work are necessary primarily to conserve battery power and avoid interface lag, so familiar to Android users, where applications can do whatever they want in the background. In fact, Apple cares so much about conserving battery life that it has even implemented a special mechanism for grouping background app activities and launching them at the right moments, for example, when the smartphone is actively used, connected to a Wi-Fi network or to a charger.

findings

It is worth saying that during its development and subsequent move to mobile devices, NeXTSTEP not only did not lose all its advantages, but also increased them. You can listen to the stories of Google employees for a long time, claiming that Android was developed without looking back at iOS, but the fact remains: Android borrowed many architectural decisions from iOS. And not because it was easier, but because of their beauty and efficiency.

Six Stages of iOS Boot

1. Boot ROM. After turning on the device, the minimalistic bootloader flashed into the permanent memory of the device is the first to start. Its task is to perform the initial initialization of the hardware and transfer control to the LLB primary loader. Boot ROM is always factory firmware and cannot be updated.

1. Low Level Bootloader (LLB). Further control is received by LLB. This is the primary bootloader, the task of which is to find the iBoot device in the memory, check its integrity and transfer control to it, or switch the device to recovery mode if this failed. The LLB code is stored in the NAND memory of the device and is updated along with the installation of a new firmware version. Among other things, it displays the boot logo.

1. iBoot. This is a secondary and primary IDevice loader. It includes a file system driver, with which it accesses the contents of NAND memory, finds the kernel and transfers control to it. iBoot also has a built-in UART driver, with which you can debug the kernel and OS by connecting the device to the COM port or USB port of the computer (using a USB to UART cable).

4 Core. Here everything is as usual. The kernel initializes the hardware and then passes control to the launchd daemon.

5 launchd. This is the primary process of iOS and Mac OS X, it mounts filesystems, starts daemons/services (e.g. backupd, configd, locationd), display server, frameworks, and at the last stage of boot, gives control to SpringBoard. On iOS and Mac OS X, launchd is used as a replacement for the standard /bin/init on UNIX, but its functionality is much broader.

6 spring board. Here comes the lock screen!

The first four stages in this chain form a chain of trust implemented by verifying the digital signature of the downloaded component. LLB, iBoot and the kernel are digitally signed, which makes it possible to exclude the introduction of a hacked bootloader or kernel into the chain, which can be used to boot a third-party operating system or jailbreak. The only way to bypass this mechanism is to find a hole in one of the loaders and use it to bypass the check. At one time, several such holes were found in Boot ROM (the most famous exploit is limera1n from geohot, relevant for iPhone 1–4), and in early 2014 in iBoot (hacker iH8sn0w, the exploit was never published).

By holding down the Home button while turning on your iPhone, you can force iBoot to boot into what's called Recovery Mode, which allows you to restore or update your iOS firmware using iTunes. However, the automatic OTA update mechanism uses a different mode called DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade), which is activated at an early stage of boot immediately after Boot ROM and is implemented in two components: iBSS and iBEC. In fact, these are analogues of LLB and iBoot, the ultimate goal of which is not to load the OS, but to put the smartphone into update mode.

Every year Apple updates iOS, which has become a good tradition. Many users are waiting for the system to immediately upgrade to it. For the first time, the update to iOS7 was rather raw, it caused a lot of controversy and controversy. Then every year there were certain shortcomings in the new versions, but they were all relatively quickly cleaned up. This year, iOS11 can safely claim the title of the most raw version of iOS. In a few weeks, two system updates have already been released, and there were about a dozen beta versions before the commercial release. To abstract away from the software issues and focus on how the system is designed and what it can do, we'll look at what's new, and finally touch on a few issues that you may encounter (or not encounter at all, it 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;
• 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 iOS11 features will be available on all devices, and they often depend on the filling. For example, the iPhone SE looks like an ugly duckling, which does not have a number of features, for example, floor counting in the Health application is not supported, there is no 3D Touch and other trifles. Support for the new image and video standard (HEIF/HEVC) requires not only iOS, but also A10 and newer devices, which drastically limits the capabilities of previous devices. There are enough such restrictions, for example, it is worth noting the lack of support for True Tone technology in a number of iPad models, since there is simply no corresponding hardware support for this. This is easily explained, since the necessary hardware components will not appear from the update of the operating system, and the processors will not become more powerful.

When migrating from iOS10 to iOS11, keep in mind that Apple is ending support for 32-bit apps, they can no longer run 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 in 4 years most of the current software has become 64-bit. If you have some program that does not have a 64-bit version (for example, software for work written a long time ago), then the update 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 introduces an account setup wizard for the first time, which 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, it was enough to bring them to each other, read the QR code from the screen, and the setup was completed. Previously, there was no such setup wizard, it is extremely convenient when switching from one device to another.

Files (Files) - the ghost of the file manager

The Files app acts like a file manager, but in iOS11 there was no access to the file system, you can not hope for this, the system remains closed, as always. In the Files app, the user sees their cloud storage (iCloud by default plus all connected services), as well as the files on the device that they 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 by opening this file, you will not add it to this storage.

Conceptually, the application is difficult to comprehend, it contradicts what we see on Android, where the received files are saved to certain system folders, and the 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 the "Files", then open it). By selecting a ZIP archive in the application, you can extract specific files by selecting the "Submit" option. Where to send the file? That's right, the Files app. Such a complex system can confuse 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 superfluous to say that it is impossible to unpack the entire ZIP archive using regular means.

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

Control Panel - Unusual Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Settings

Pulling the screen up from the bottom, you will see the control panel (transfer to the "Control Center" menu, I do not like it), it contains operation mode switches ("Airplane Mode", "Cellular", 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, as well as add additional icons (only five rows, scrolling appears, and it looks strange). You cannot select your own applications, only those that Apple has added here. In the rows, you can sort the icons as you like.

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

Notifications

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

Removing programs but keeping 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 the game will clear up a couple of GB of space, but when you need it again, you will not lose your progress and settings, it will be enough to download it again from the network.

SOS mode - emergency call

You can add emergency contacts as well as your medical information. When the SOS mode is activated (5 presses on the power button), the phone will start screaming, TouchID will turn off, in order to enter the device, you will need to enter the code. This is useful when you want to disable fingerprint authentication. Your medical information will be shown on the screen, unlocking is not required to access it. A fairly simple mode, copied from Android smartphones, where such features have existed for a long time.

Screenshots and editor for their changes

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

App Store - new interface and articles

In iOS11, the app store has become completely unusual, there are product cards, articles describing how to do something. As a rule, one card takes up the entire screen, which looks wasteful and inconvenient. Getting used to the new App Store is necessary, but even on the iPad it can not be called convenient. They tried to make it beautiful, but they didn't do it at all.

Icons and drawings for Messages and other apps

When typing, a line appears that shows various stickers tied to certain applications or sticker packs that you have downloaded from the 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 counterparts on Android, then on the iPad they tried to make the keyboard more functional. To do this, a second row of characters was added to the keys (highlighted in gray), when typing, you just need to swipe the key from top to bottom to substitute such a character. This is convenient, although unusual.

You can break the keyboard into two parts, as before, but on the iPad it does not look very convenient. Surprisingly, for some reason, the frequently used question mark suffered, it was moved to the second screen of the keyboard. For me, this approach remains a mystery.

Shortcut bar (iPad only)

Swiping up from the bottom of the screen on the iPad brings up a panel with icons, here you can see both the icons that you installed yourself and the most used ones. It reminds me of a MacOS device, where there is a similar panel, and it is extremely convenient, exactly the same here. It is a pity that nothing like this was put on the iPhone due to restrictions in the size of the screens.

Split Screen Mode (Specific iPad models only)

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

Multitasking on iPad, new app mapping

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

Now it is possible to scan documents, for this a photo of the device is used. Text recognition is not provided.

Also in the "Notes" you can create simple signs.

Play video in browser

It doesn't matter what browser you use, now video playback is a little different and with different controls, as you can see from 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 a tab out of focus does not work. Why? Don't know.

New standards for photo and video - 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 the 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 so in the settings. After that, 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 a new format. Otherwise, wait until it also becomes widespread on other systems, otherwise you risk being misunderstood by others.

Brief impressions

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

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 bugs, sometimes applications slow down, and this happens more often with third-party programs (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. So, opening Twitter, clicking on a specific notification, and then working in other programs will not return you to the same state of Twitter, the application will load again. The same applies to Telegram and a number of other programs. This can be considered iOS11 sores that will be fixed someday or not. Don't know. But there are quite a lot of such “little things”, and 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 sagged in recent years, it was licked a few months after the launch of new devices. But what's happening with iOS11 transcends previous issues. Although it all depends on the point of view, many people do not notice any problems, update their devices and enjoy new features. What kind of people do you relate to yourself? Are you doing well or do you still have shortcomings that you would like to correct?