IPHONE

The iPhone OS or OS X iPhone is the operating system developed by

Apple Inc. for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Like Mac OS X, from which it
was derived, it uses the Darwin foundation. iPhone OS has four
abstraction layers: the Core OS layer, the Core Services layer, the Media
layer, and the Cocoa Touch layer. The operating system takes less than
half a gigabyte (GB) of the device's total memory storage.

This operating system did not have an official name until the release of
the first beta version of the iPhone SDK on March 6, 2008. Before then,
Apple marketing literature simply stated that the "iPhone uses OS X," a
reference to Apple's desktop operating system, Mac OS X.

As of February, 2009, there are over 20,000 applications officially

available for the iPhone and over 500 million have been downloaded
from the App Store.

User interface

The iPhone OS's user interface is based on the concept of direct manipulation, using multi-
touch gestures. Interface control elements consist of sliders, switches, and buttons. The
response to user input is supposed to be immediate to provide a fluid interface. Interaction
with the OS includes gestures such as swiping, tapping, pinching, and reverse pinching.
Additionally, using internal accelerometers, rotating the device on its y-axis alters the
screen orientation in some applications.

A home screen with application icons, and a dock at the bottom of the screen, showing
icons for the applications the user accesses the most, is presented when the device is turned
on or whenever the home button is pressed. 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. There is no concept of starting or quitting applications,
only opening an application from the home screen, and leaving the application to return to
the home screen. It is possible to force an application to quit by holding down the home
button, however. While some multitasking is permitted it is not obtrusive or obvious. Third-
party apps are quit when left, but with a future software update, notifications will be able to
be pushed from Apple's servers to the iPhone or iPod touch. Many of the included
applications were designed to work together; allowing for the sharing or cross-propagation
of data from one application to another (e.g., a phone number can be selected from an email
and saved as a contact or dialed for a phone call.)

Application support
The central processing unit used in the iPhone and iPod Touch is an ARM-based processor
instead of the x86 (and previous PowerPC or MC680x0) processors used in Apple's
Macintosh computers, and it uses OpenGL ES 1.1 rendering by the PowerVR 3D graphics
hardware accelerator co-processor. Mac OS X applications cannot be copied to and run on
an iPhone OS device. They need to be written and compiled specifically for the iPhone OS
and the ARM architecture. However, the Safari web browser supports "web applications,"
as noted below. Authorized third-party native applications are available for devices with
iPhone OS 2.0 through Apple's App Store.

[edit] Included applications

In version 2.2, the iPhone home screen contains these default applications: SMS (Text
messaging), Calendar, Photos, Camera, YouTube, Stocks, Maps (Google Maps with
Assisted GPS), Weather, Clock, Calculator, Notes, Settings, iTunes (with access to the
iTunes Music Store and iTunes Podcast Directory), App Store and Contacts. Four other
applications delineate the iPhone's main purposes: Phone, Mail, Safari, and iPod.

The iPod Touch retains many of the same applications that are present by default on the
iPhone, with the exception of the Phone, SMS, and Camera apps. The "iPod" App present
on the iPhone is split into two apps on the iPod Touch: Music, Videos and Podcasts. The
bottom row of applications is also used to delineate the iPod Touch's main purposes: Music,
Videos, Photos, and iTunes.

Web applications

At the 2007 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Apple announced that the iPhone
and iPod Touch will support third-party "applications" via the Safari web browser, referred
to as web applications. The applications can be created using web technologies such as
AJAX.

Unsupported third-party native applications

See also: List of iPhone OS Applications

Currently, the iPhone and iPod Touch can only officially install full programs through the
App Store. However, from version 1.0 unauthorized third-party native applications are
available. Such applications face the possibility of being broken by any iPhone OS update,
though Apple has stated it will not design software updates specifically to break native
applications (other than applications that perform SIM unlocking). The main distribution
methods for these applications are the Installer and Cydia utilities, which can be installed on
the iPhone after major methods of jailbreaking.

iPhone SDK
iPhone SDK included in Xcode 3.1 final.

On October 17, 2007, in an open letter posted to Apple's "Hot News" weblog, Steve Jobs
announced that a software development kit (SDK) would be made available to third-party
developers in February 2008. The SDK was released on March 6th, 2008, and allows
developers to make applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as test them in an
"iPhone simulator". However, loading an application onto the devices is only possible after
paying an iPhone Developer Program fee. Since the release of Xcode 3.1, Xcode is the
development environment for the iPhone SDK.

Developers are free to set any price for their applications to be distributed through the App
Store, of which they will receive a 70% share. Developers can also opt to release the
application for free and will not pay any costs to release or distribute the application except
for the membership fee.

SDK history

The iPhone SDK was officially announced on March 6, 2008, at an Apple Town Hall
meeting. The first Beta release of the SDK, with iPhone OS version 1.2b1 (build 5A147p),
was made available immediately, while the launch of the App Store required a firmware
update which was released on July 11, 2008. This update was free for iPhone users;
however, there was a nominal charge for iPod Touch owners due to the accounting rules
used to track sales of the devices.

Date OS
SDK details
released version
March 27, iPhone Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b2 (build 5A225c), which added Interface
2008 OS Builder, an application for building graphical user interfaces for iPhone
2.0b2 applications.
 Beta 2
iPhone
April 8, OS
Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b3 (build 5A240d).
2008 2.0b3
Beta 3
Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b4 (build 5A258f). This version of the SDK
iPhone
supports OpenGL 3D graphics, primarily used to make games, and indications
April 23, OS
that some applications will be allowed to run in the background (as the iPod,
2008 2.0b4
Phone, and Mail applications do), something that Apple had previously stated
Beta 4
was not possible.
iPhone
OS
May 6, 2008 Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b5 (build 5A274d).
2.0b5
Beta 5
iPhone
Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b6 (build 5A292g). The code in this update
May 29, OS
gave hints about updates to Apple's .Mac service and also gave a first reference
2008 2.0b6
to the upcoming version of Mac OS X, version 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Beta 6
iPhone
Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b7 (build 5A331), which unlocked Apple's
OS
June 9, 2008 .Mac replacement, MobileMe. This release was for WWDC, Apple's developer's
2.0b7
conference, which is noted as part of the name of the iPhone OS beta download.
Beta 7
iPhone
June 26, OS
Release for iPhone OS version 2.0b8 (build 5A345).
2008 2.0b8
Beta 8
iPhone Release for iPhone OS version 2.1 (build 5F90). Apple notes that applications
July 24,
OS 2.1 built using the 2.1 SDK will not run on the iPhone 2.0 software, and will not yet
2008
Beta 1 be accepted into the App Store.
iPhone
July 30,
OS 2.1 Release for iPhone OS version 2.1.
2008
Beta 2
iPhone
August 8,
OS 2.1 Release for iPhone OS version 2.1.
2008
Beta 3
iPhone
September
OS 2.2 Release for iPhone OS version 2.2 (Build 5G29).
25, 2008
Beta 1
November iPhone
Release for iPhone OS version 2.2 (build 9M2621).
20, 2008 OS 2.2
January 27, iPhone Release for iPhone OS version 2.2.1 (build 9M2621a).
2009 OS
 2.2.1
SDK contents

As the iPhone is based on a variant of the same XNU kernel that is found in Mac OS X, the
tool chain used for developing on the iPhone is also based on Xcode.

The SDK is broken down into the following sets:

Cocoa Touch

Multi-touch events and controls

Accelerometer support
View hierarchy
Localization (i18n)
Camera support
Media

OpenAL
Audio mixing and recording
Video playback
Image file formats
Quartz
Core Animation
OpenGL ES
Core Services

Networking
Embedded SQLite database
GeoLocation
Threads
OS X Kernel

TCP/IP
Sockets
Power management
File system
Security

Along with the Xcode toolchain, the SDK contains the iPhone Simulator, a program used to
emulate the look and feel of the iPhone on the developer's desktop. Originally called the
Aspen Simulator, it was renamed with the Beta 2 release of the SDK. Note that the iPhone
Simulator is not an emulator and runs code generated for an x86 target.
The SDK requires an Intel Mac running Mac OS X Leopard. Other operating systems,
including Microsoft Windows and older versions of Mac OS X, are not supported.

Licensing

The SDK itself is a free download, but in order to release software, one must enroll in the
iPhone Developer Program, a step requiring payment and Apple's approval. Signed keys are
given to upload the application to Apple's App Store. Applications can be distributed in
three ways: through the App Store, through enterprise deployment to a company's
employees only, and on an "Ad-hoc" basis to up to 100 iPhones.

This distribution model for iPhone software appears to make it impossible to release
software based upon code licensed with GPLv3. Any code that modifies code licensed
under GPLv3 must also be licensed as GPLv3. Also, a developer is not able to distribute an
application licensed under the GPLv3 without also distributing the signing keys (which
Apple owns) to allow upload of modified versions of that software to be run.

Core Location

Core Location is a software framework in Mac OS X. It is primarily used by applications on

the iPhone OS 2.0 for detection of the device's location.

It was announced as part of the iPhone Software Roadmap event on March 6, 2008, and was
made available as part of the iPhone SDK.

Java

Apple has not announced any plans to enable Java to run on the iPhone. Sun Microsystems
announced plans to release a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for iPhone OS, based on the Java
Platform, Micro Edition version of Java. This would enable Java applications to run on
iPhone and iPod Touch.

Soon after the announcement, developers familiar with the SDK's terms of agreement
believed that by not allowing 3rd-party applications to run in the background (answer a
phone call and still run the application, for example), allowing an application to download
code from another source, or allowing an application to interact with a 3rd-party application
(Safari with JVM, for example), it could hinder development of the JVM without Apple's
cooperation. It is clear that Java running on the iPhone is outside the bounds of the iPhone
SDK Agreement. The guideline in question is rule 3.3.2, which reads:

3.3.2 — An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any
means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other
frameworks, other APIs or otherwise. No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in
an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple’s Published APIs and
built-in interpreter(s).

However, some iPhone users have shown that it was possible to install and use a J2ME
stack on a iPhone, though it involved jailbreaking.

It has also been revealed that there were talks between Sun and Apple concerning the
availability of Java on the iPhone, and that Sun was working in that intent with a company
called Innaworks[38][39]. Curiously, the ARM processor used in the iPhone includes an
environment for accelerated Java execution built into the hardware.

Flash

The iPhone OS does not support Flash. Adobe has announced plans to release a version of
its Flash Lite software as a third-party application for the iPhone, though it has not yet
launched. Furthermore, Flash Lite supports only a subset of the features of standard Flash.
Unofficially, Flash videos can be viewed by using a jailbroken iPhone with certain third-
party applications.

SVG

Mobile Safari supports SVG starting with the iPhone firmware 2.1. The SVG support
features scripting and most of the static parts of the SVG 1.1. specification. SMIL
animation is not yet supported for SVG graphics. It will be delivered after the Webkit SMIL
implementation is mature enough. In addition to SVG, the HTML Canvas is supported.

Hacking and jailbreaking

Main article: Jailbreak (iPhone)

The iPhone OS has been subject to a variety of different hacks for a variety of reasons,
centered around adding functionality not supported by Apple.

Jailbroken first generation iPod Touch, running iPhone OS version 1.1.1.

With the advent of iPhone OS 2.0, the focus of the jailbreaking community has shifted
somewhat. Prior to iPhone 2.0's release, jailbreaking was the only way to allow third-party
applications on the device. Now with iPhone 2.0, native applications are allowed under
certain rules imposed by Apple. This has lead to the jailbreaking community focusing on
providing functionality disallowed on the device, under Apple's SDK terms. These
functions include background applications, or the ability for third-party applications to run
after appearing to have closed, and the ability to alter the applications written for the device
by Apple. Some began attempts to disable Apple's kill switch, although these efforts were
largely abandoned once the kill switch was proven to only disable Core Location[citation needed].

There has been a notable shift away from jailbreaking with the new App Store's debut, in
most part due to users' acceptance of Apple's compromise on opening up the platform[citation
needed]
, although there has still been substantial interest from the jailbreaking community,
especially with the release of Pwnage Tool from the "iPhone Dev Team" which was
released soon after firmware 2.0 for the iPod Touch and iPhone. Some jailbreakers also
attempt to pirate paid App Store applications; this new focus has caused some strife within
the jailbreaking community.

The other major focus of jailbreaking since 2.0 has been to reverse the SIM Lock that is
forced onto most iPhones. The first generation iPhone can be fully unlocked with the
iPhone Dev Team's BootNeuter application, and the iPhone 3G can be unlocked with a new
beta effort dubbed "yellowsn0w"[42] and quickPWN 2.2.1.

INTRODUCTION ABOUT IPHONE

The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed

and marketed by Apple Inc. with a flush multi-touch screen and a
minimal hardware interface. The device does not have a physical
keyboard, so a virtual keyboard is rendered on the touch screen instead.
The iPhone functions as a camera phone (including text messaging and
visual voicemail), a portable media player (equivalent to an iPod), and
Internet client (with email, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity).
The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the
second generation also adds UMTS with HSDPA.

Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. The announcement was

preceded by rumors and speculation that circulated for several months.
The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007
and has since been introduced worldwide. It was named Time
magazine's "Invention of the Year" in 2007. On July 11, 2008, the iPhone
3G was released. It supports faster 3G data speeds and Assisted GPS.

History and availability

Main article: History of the iPhone

iPhone quarterly sales

Worldwide iPhone availability:Original iPhone was available; now 3G iPhone 3G only

Available later

Development of iPhone began with Apple CEO Steve Jobs' direction that Apple engineers
investigate touchscreens. Apple created the device during a secretive and unprecedented
collaboration with AT&T Mobility—Cingular Wireless at the time—at a development cost
of US$150 million over thirty months. Apple rejected the "design by committee" approach
that had yielded the Motorola ROKR E1, a largely unsuccessful collaboration with
Motorola. Instead, Cingular gave Apple the liberty to develop the iPhone's hardware and
software in-house. Numerous codenames and even fake prototypes were devised to keep the
project secret.

Jobs unveiled iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007 in a keynote address. Apple was
required to file for operating permits with the FCC, but such filings are available to the
public, so the announcement came several months before the iPhone received approval. The
iPhone went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007. Apple closed its stores at 2:00
pm local time to prepare for the 6:00 pm iPhone launch, while hundreds of customers lined
up at stores nationwide. On launch weekend, Apple sold 270,000 iPhones in the first thirty
hours. The original iPhone was made available in the UK, France, and Germany in
November 2007, and Ireland and Austria in spring of 2008.
On July 11, 2008, Apple released the iPhone 3G in twenty-two countries, including the
original six. Forty-eight more are expected to follow in the months afterwards. Apple sold 1
million iPhone 3Gs in its first 3 days on sale, enough to overload Apple's United States
iTunes servers.

On October 21, 2008 Apple announced sales of 6.89 million iPhone 3Gs in the fourth
quarter of 2008, totaling 13 million iPhones to date. iPhone sales from that quarter
surpassed RIM's BlackBerry sales of 5.2 million units. By revenue, Apple is the third
largest mobile phone manufacturer, after Nokia and Samsung. Within Apple's fiscal fourth
quarter, up to September 30, 2008, the iPhone represented 39 percent (US$4.6 billion) of
the company's total quarterly revenues, although some of this income is deferred.[23]

Hardware

Rear view of an original iPhone. The back is made of metal and black plastic.

Size comparison, from top to bottom, between:

-a first generation iPod Nano
-a first generation iPhone
-a fourth generation iPod

Specifications

Apple publishes a full description of the iPhone 3G's technical specifications. Specifications
for the original model were available before the release of the 3G model.

Features common to both versions

Screen size: 3.5 in (89 mm)

Screen resolution: 480×320 pixels at 163 ppi, with 3:2 aspect ratio
Input devices: Multi-touch screen interface plus a "Home" button and "Sleep/Wake" located
on the top of the iPhone.
Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery
2 megapixel camera
Location finding by detection of cell towers and Wi-Fi networks
Samsung S5L8900 (412 MHz ARM 1176 processor, PowerVR MBX 3D graphics co-
processor)
Memory: 128 MB DRAM
Storage: 8 GB or 16 GB flash memory
Operating System: iPhone OS
Quad band GSM / GPRS / EDGE: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
20Hz to 20kHz frequency response (both internal and headset)
A highlighted view of the proximity and ambient light sensors on the first-generation
iPhone.

Original model

4 GB model (discontinued after two months), 8 GB model or 16 GB model

Size: 4.5 inches (115 mm) (h) × 2.4 inches (61 mm) (w) × 0.46 inch (11. mm) (d)
Weight: 135 g (4.8 oz)
Battery has up to 8 hours of talk, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and up
to 24 hours of audio playback, lasting over 250 hours on standby.
Headphone jack (recessed)
Digital SAR of 0.974 W/kg

3G model

The proximity and ambient light sensors on the iPhone 3G.

Color: Black (8 GB or 16 GB) or white (16 GB)

Size: 4.5 inches (115.5 mm) (h) × 2.4 inches (62.1 mm) (w) × 0.48 inch (12.3 mm) (d)
Weight: 133 g (4.7 oz)
Headphone jack (non-recessed)
Battery has up to 10 hours of 2G talk, 5 hours of 3G talk, 5 (3G) or 6 (Wi-Fi) hours of
Internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and up to 24 hours of audio playback, lasting over
300 hours on standby.
3G for broadband data speeds (Tri band UMTS / HSDPA: UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100)
Assisted GPS, with preference to location based on Wi-Fi or cell towers
Digital SAR Rating: 1.38 W/kg

Screen and input

The 9 cm (3.5 in) liquid crystal display (320×480 px at 6.3 px/mm, 160 ppi) HVGA
touchscreen with scratch-resistant glass is specifically created for use with a finger, or
multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing. Because the screen is a capacitive touchscreen,
bare skin is required. Most gloves or a stylus prevent the necessary electrical conductivity.
The screen is also capable of rendering up to 262,144 colors.

The display responds to three sensors. A proximity sensor shuts off the display and
touchscreen when the iPhone is brought near the face during a call. This is done to save
battery power and to prevent inadvertent inputs from the user's face and ears. An ambient
light sensor adjusts the display brightness which in turn saves battery power. A 3-axis
accelerometer senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly.
Photo browsing, web browsing, and music playing support both upright and left or right
widescreen orientations. Later, a software update allowed the first generation iPhone to use
cell towers and Wi-Fi networks for location finding despite lacking a hardware GPS. The
iPhone 3G supplements those methods with A-GPS.

The iPhone has three physical switches on the sides: wake/sleep, volume up/down, and
ringer on/off. These are made of plastic on the original iPhone and metal on the iPhone 3G.
A single "home" hardware button below the display brings up the main menu. The touch
screen furnishes the remainder of the user interface.

The back of the original iPhone was made of brushed metal with a black plastic accent. The
iPhone 3G features a full plastic back to increase GSM signal strength. The plastic is black
for the 8 GB model, but the 16 GB version is also available in white.

Audio

Loudspeakers are located above the screen and the left side of the bottom of the unit; the
microphone is located on the right. Volume controls are located on the left side of the unit
and as a slider in the iPod application. Both speakers are used for handsfree operations and
media playback.

The 3.5 mm TRS connector for the headphones is located on the top left corner of the
device. The headphone socket on the original iPhone is recessed into the casing, making it
incompatible with most headsets without the use of an adapter. The iPhone 3G has a flush
mounted headphone socket.

The iPhone's headphones are similar to those of most current smartphones, incorporating a
microphone. A multipurpose button in the microphone can be used to play or pause music,
skip tracks, and answer or end phone calls without touching the iPhone; newer versions also
incorporate volume controls. A small number of third-party headsets specifically designed
for the iPhone also include a microphone and control button. Wireless earpieces that use
Bluetooth technology to communicate with the iPhone are sold separately. They do not
support stereo audio.

Composite or component video at up to 576i and stereo audio can be output from the dock
connector using an adapter sold by Apple. Unlike many similar phones, the iPhone requires
third party software to support voice recording.

Battery

The iPhone features an internal rechargeable battery. It is not user-replaceable, similar to

the batteries of existing iPods, and unlike those of most existing cellular phones. If the
battery malfunctions or dies prematurely, the phone can be returned to Apple and replaced
for free while still under warranty. The warranty lasts one year from purchase and is
extended to two years with AppleCare. The cost of having Apple provide a new battery and
replace it when the iPhone is out of warranty is slightly less than half the cost of a new 8
GB iPhone.

Since July 2007 third party battery replacement kits have been available at a much lower
price than Apple's own battery replacement program. These kits often include a small
screwdriver and an instruction leaflet, but as with many newer iPod models the battery in
the original iPhone has been soldered in. Therefore a soldering iron is required to install the
new battery. The iPhone 3G uses a different battery fitted with a connector, although
replacing the battery oneself still voids the warranty.[44]

The original iPhone's battery was stated to be capable of providing up to seven hours of
video, six hours of web browsing, eight hours of talk time, 24 hours of music or up to 250
hours on standby. Apple's site says that the battery life "is designed to retain up to 80% of
its original capacity after 400 full charge and discharge cycles", which is comparable to the
iPod batteries.

The iPhone 3G's battery is stated to be capable of providing up to seven hours of video, six
hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi or five on 3G, ten hours of 2G talk time, or five on 3G, 24
hours of music, or 300 hours of standby.

The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a consumer advocate group, has sent a
complaint to Apple and AT&T over the fee that consumers have to pay to have the battery
replaced. Though the battery replacement service and its pricing was not made known to
buyers until the day the product was launched, a similar service had been well established
for the iPods by Apple and various third party service providers.

SIM card
See also: iPhone SIM Lock removal

The original iPhone's SIM card slot shown as open, with ejected SIM card.

The SIM card is located in a slot at the top of the device. It can be ejected with a paperclip
or a tool included with the iPhone 3G. In most countries, the iPhone is usually sold with a
SIM lock, which prevents SIM cards from being used on different mobile networks.

Storage

The iPhone was initially released with two options for internal storage size: 4 GB or 8 GB.
On September 5, 2007, Apple discontinued the 4 GB models. On February 5, 2008, Apple
added a 16 GB model.All data is stored on an internal flash drive; the iPhone does not
contain any memory card slots for expanded storage.

Included items

Both the iPhone and the iPhone 3G include (or included) written documentation, stereo
earbuds with microphone, a dock connector to USB cable, and a cloth for cleaning the
screen. The original iPhone also included a dock to hold the iPhone upright; it is not
compatible with the iPhone 3G, for which a slightly different dock is sold separately. The
iPhone 3G includes a tool to eject the SIM card; the original model required a paperclip for
this purpose. Both versions include a USB power adapter, although iPhone 3Gs sold in
North America, Japan, Colombia, Ecuador, or Peru include a more compact version than
those bundled with iPhone 3Gs sold elsewhere, or the original model.

Software

Main article: iPhone OS

See also: iPhone OS version history

The default Home screen of the iPhone shows applications provided by Apple. Users can
download additional applications from the App store, create Web Clips, and rearrange the
icons as they please.

iPhone OS is the operating system running on the iPhone (both original and 3G models) and
the iPod Touch. It is based on a variant of the same basic Mach kernel that is found in Mac
OS X. iPhone OS includes the software component "Core Animation" from Mac OS X
v10.5 which, together with the PowerVR MBX 3D hardware, is responsible for the
interface's smooth animations. The operating system takes up less than half a GB of the
device's total 8 GB or 16 GB storage. It is capable of supporting bundled and future
applications from Apple, as well as from third-party developers. Software applications
cannot be copied from Mac OS X but must be written and compiled specifically for the
iPhone.

Like the iPod, the iPhone is managed with iTunes version 7.3 or later, which is compatible
with Mac OS X version 10.4.10 or later, and 32-bit or 64-bit Windows XP or Vista. The
release of iTunes 7.6 expanded this support to include 64-bit versions of XP and Vista, and
a workaround has been discovered for previous 64-bit Windows operating systems. Apple
provides free updates to the iPhone's operating system through iTunes, in a similar fashion
to the way that iPods are updated. Security patches, as well as new and improved features,
are released in this fashion. For example, iPhone 3G users initially experienced dropped
calls until an update was issued.
Interface

The interface is based around the home screen, a graphical list of available applications.
iPhone apps normally run one at a time, although most functionality is still available when
making a call or listening to music. The home screen can be accessed at any time by a
hardware button below the screen, closing the open application in the process. By default,
the Home screen contains the following icons: Text (SMS messaging), Calendar, Photos,
Camera, YouTube, Stocks, Maps (Google Maps), Weather, Clock, Calculator, Notes,
Settings, iTunes (store), and App Store. Docked at the base of the screen, four icons for
Phone, Mail, Safari (Internet), and iPod (music) delineate the iPhone's main purposes. On
January 15, 2008, Apple released software update 1.1.3, allowing users to create "Web
Clips", home screen icons that resemble apps that open a user-defined page in Safari. After
the update, iPhone users can rearrange and place icons on up to nine other adjacent home
screens, accessed by a horizontal swipe. Users can also add and delete icons from the dock,
which is the same on every home screen. Each home screen holds up to sixteen icons, and
the dock holds up to four icons. Users can delete Web Clips and third-party application, but
not Apple's default programs, at any time.

Almost all input is given through the touch screen, which understands complex gestures
using multi-touch. The iPhone's interaction techniques enable the user to move the content
up or down by a touch-drag motion of the finger. For example, zooming in and out of web
pages and photos is done by placing two fingers on the screen and spreading them farther
apart or bringing them closer together, an gesture known as "pinching". Scrolling through a
long list or menu is achieved by sliding a finger over the display from bottom to top, or vice
versa to go back. In either case, the list moves as if it is pasted on the outer surface of a
wheel, slowly decelerating as if affected by friction. In this way, the interface simulates the
physics of a real 3D object. Other visual effect include horizontally sliding sub-selection,
the vertically sliding keyboard and bookmarks menu, and widgets that turn around to allow
settings to be configured on the other side. Menu bars are found at the top and bottom of the
screen when necessary. Their options vary by program, but always follow a consistent style
motif. In menu hierarchies, a "back" button in the top-left corner of the screen displays the
name of the parent folder.

Phone
The iPhone making a call presents a number of options. When held close to the face, the
screen is disabled.

The iPhone allows audio conferencing, call holding, call merging, caller ID, and integration
with other cellular network features and iPhone functions. For example, if a song is playing
while a call is received, it gradually fades out, and fades back when the call has ended. The
proximity sensor shuts off the screen and touch-sensitive circuitry when the iPhone is
brought close to the face, both to save battery and prevent unintentional touches. The
iPhone only supports Voice dialing through third party applications[citation needed] and video
calling is not supported at all.

The iPhone includes a visual voicemail (in some countries) feature allowing users to view a
list of current voicemail messages on-screen without having to call into their voicemail.
Unlike most other systems, messages can be listened to and deleted in a non-chronological
order by choosing any message from an on-screen list. AT&T, O2, T-Mobile Germany, and
Orange modified their voicemail infrastructure to accommodate this new feature designed
by Apple.[citation needed]

A music ringtone feature was introduced in the United States on September 5, 2007. Users
can create custom ringtones from songs purchased from the iTunes Store for a small
additional fee. The ringtones can be 3 to 30 seconds long from any part of a song, can fade
in and out, pause from half a second to five seconds when looped, or loop continuously. All
customizing can be done in iTunes, and the synced ringtones can also be used for alarms.
Custom ringtones can also be created using Apple's GarageBand software 4.1.1 or later
(available only on Mac OS X) and third-party tools. Custom ringtones are not supported in
some countries.

Multimedia

The layout of the music library is similar to that of an iPod or current Symbian S60 phones.
The iPhone can sort its media library by songs, artists, albums, videos, playlists, genres,
composers, podcasts, audiobooks, and compilations. Options are always presented
alphabetically, except in playlists, which retain their order from iTunes. The iPhone uses a
large font that allows users to touch their selection. Users can rotate their device
horizontally to access Cover Flow. Like on iTunes, it shows the different album covers in a
scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by swiping a finger across the screen.

The iPhone supports gapless playback. Like the fifth generation iPods introduced in 2005,
the iPhone can play video, allowing users to watch TV shows and films. Unlike other
image-related content, video on the iPhone plays only in the landscape orientation, when
the phone is turned sideways. Double tapping switches between wide-screen and full-screen
video playback.

The iPhone allows users to purchase and download songs from the iTunes Store directly to
their iPhone over Wi-Fi with the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, and as of Macworld San
Francisco 2009, over the cellular data network.

Internet connectivity

Wikipedia Main Page on iPhone's Safari in landscape mode

Internet access is available when the iPhone is connected to a local area Wi-Fi or a wide
area GSM or EDGE network, both second-generation (2G) wireless data standards. The
iPhone 3G also supports third-generation UMTS and HSDPA 3.6, but not HSDPA 7.2 or
HSUPA networks. AT&T introduced 3G in July 2004, but as late as 2007 Steve Jobs felt
that it was still not widespread enough, and the chipsets not energy efficient enough, to be
included in the iPhone. The iPhone 3G has a maximum download rate of 1.4 Mbp/s.
Support for 802.1X, an authentication system commonly used by university and corporate
Wi-Fi networks, was added in the 2.0 version update.

By default, the iPhone will ask to join newly discovered Wi-Fi networks and prompt for the
password when required. Alternatively, it can join closed Wi-Fi networks manually. The
iPhone will automatically choose the strongest network, connecting to Wi-Fi instead of
EDGE when it is available. Similarly, the iPhone 3G prefers 3G to 2G, and Wi-Fi to either.
Users can disable all wireless connections by activating Airplane Mode.

Safari is the iPhone's native web browser, and it displays pages similar to its Mac OS X
counterpart. Web pages may be viewed in portrait or landscape mode and supports
automatic zooming by pinching together or spreading apart fingertips on the screen, or by
double-tapping text or images.The iPhone supports neither Flashnor Java. Consequently,
the UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned an advertisement claiming the iPhone
could access "all parts of the Internet" on grounds of false advertising. The iPhone supports
SVG, CSS, HTML Canvas, and Bonjour.

The maps application can access Google Maps in map, satellite, or hybrid form. It can also
generate directions between two locations, while providing optional real-time traffic
information. Support for walking directions, public transit, and street view was added in the
version 2.2 software update.[58] During the iPhone's announcement, Jobs demonstrated this
feature by searching for nearby Starbucks locations and then placing a prank call to one
with a single tap. Apple also developed a separate application to view YouTube videos on
the iPhone, which streams videos over Wi-Fi, 2G, or 3G after encoding them using the open
H.264 codec. Simple weather and stock quotes also tap in to the Internet.

iPhone users can and do access the internet frequently, and in a variety of places. According
to Google, the iPhone generates 50 times more search requests than any other mobile
handset. According to Deutsche Telekom CEO René Obermann, "The average Internet
usage for an iPhone customer is more than 100 megabytes. This is 30 times the use for our
average contract-based consumer customers."

Text input
Virtual keyboard on the original iPhone's touchscreen.

For text input, the iPhone implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has
automatic spell checking and correction, predictive word capabilities, and a dynamic
dictionary that learns new words. The keyboard can predict what word the user is typing
and complete it, and correct for the accidental pressing of keys adjacent to the presumed
desired key. The keys are somewhat larger and spaced farther apart when in landscape
mode, which is supported by only a limited number of applications. Holding a finger over a
section of text brings up a magnifying glass, allowing users to place the cursor in the middle
of existing text. The iPhone does not support cut, copy, or pasting text. The virtual
keyboard can accommodate 21 languages, including character recognition for Chinese. A
lack of focus on text-messaging is widely considered a chief weakness of the iPhone,
although a large number of users evidently have no issue using the device for this purpose.

E-mail

The iPhone also features an e-mail program that supports HTML e-mail, which enables the
user to embed photos in an e-mail message. PDF, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint attachments
to mail messages can be viewed on the phone. Apple's MobileMe platform offers push
email, which emulates the functionality of the popular BlackBerry email solution, for an
annual subscription. Yahoo! offers a free push-email service for the iPhone. IMAP
(although not Push-IMAP) and POP3 mail standards are also supported, including
Microsoft Exchange and Kerio MailServer. In the first versions of the iPhone firmware, this
was accomplished by opening up IMAP on the Exchange server. Apple has also licensed
Microsoft ActiveSync and now supports the platform (including push email) with the
release of iPhone 2.0 firmware.The iPhone will sync e-mail account settings over from
Apple's own Mail application, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Entourage, or it can be
manually configured on the device itself. With the correct settings, the e-mail program can
access almost any IMAP or POP3 account.

Camera and photos

The photo display application

The iPhone features a built in 2.0 megapixel camera located on the back for still digital
photos. It has no optical zoom, flash or autofocus, and does not support video recording.
Version 2.0 of iPhone OS introduced the capability to embed location data in the pictures,
producing geocoded photographs.

The iPhone includes software that allows the user to upload, view, and e-mail photos. The
user zooms in and out of photos by sliding two fingers further apart or closer together,
much like Safari. The Camera application also lets users view the camera roll, the pictures
that have been taken with the iPhone's camera. Those pictures are also available in the
Photos application, along with any transferred from iPhoto or Aperture on a Mac, or
Photoshop in Windows.

Third party applications

See also: iPhone SDK and App Store

At WWDC 2007 on June 11, 2007 Apple announced that the iPhone would support third-
party "web applications" written in AJAX that share the look and feel of the iPhone
interface. On October 17, 2007, Steve Jobs, in an open letter posted to Apple's "Hot News"
weblog, announced that a software development kit (SDK) would be made available to
third-party developers in February 2008. The iPhone SDK was officially announced on
March 6, 2008, at the Apple Town Hall facility. It allows developers to develop native
applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as test them in an "iPhone simulator".
However, loading an application onto the devices is only possible after paying a Apple
Developer Connection membership fee. Developers are free to set any price for their
applications to be distributed through the App Store, of which they will receive a 70 percent
share. Developers can also opt to release the application for free and will not pay any costs
to release or distribute the application beyond the membership fee. The SDK was made
available immediately, while the launch of applications had to wait until the firmware
update which was released on July 11, 2008. The update was free for iPhone users, but not
for iPod Touch owners, whose devices can run iPhone applications only after paying a
small fee. Once a developer has submitted an application to the App Store, Apple holds
firm control over its distribution. For example, Apple can halt the distribution of
applications it deems inappropriate as has happened with a US$1000 program that has as
sole purpose to demonstrate the wealth of its user.

Apple has been criticized for banning third party applications that enable a functionality
that Apple doesn't want the iPhone to have. In 2008, Apple rejected Podcaster, which
allowed iPhone users to download podcasts directly to the iPhone claiming it duplicated the
functionality of iTunes. Apple has since released a software update that grants this
capability. NetShare, another rejected app, would have enabled users to tether iPhones to
laptop (or desktop) computers and thereby use the iPhone as an Internet modem.

Many third-party Safari "applications" and unsigned native applications are also available.
The ability to install native applications onto the iPhone outside of the App Store will not
be supported by Apple. Such native applications could be broken by any software update,
but Apple has stated it will not design software updates specifically to break native
applications other than applications that perform SIM unlocking. As of September 15, 2008,
iPhone software version 2.1 is still "exploitable" by the same method that enabled unsigned
applications in software versions as early as version 1.1.3, indicating that Apple is making
good on their promise not to intentionally cripple unofficial development.

Others

The built-in Bluetooth 2.x+EDR supports wireless earpieces, which requires the HSP
profile, but notably does not support stereo audio (requires A2DP), laptop tethering
(requires DUN and SPP), or the OBEX file transfer protocol (requires FTP, GOEP, and
OPP). The lack of these profiles prevent iPhone users from exchanging multimedia files
with other bluetooth-enabled cell phones, including pictures, music and videos.

Text messages are presented chronologically in a mailbox format similar to Mail, which
places all text from recipients together with replies. Text messages are displayed in speech
bubbles (similar to iChat) under each recipient's name. The iPhone currently has built-in
support for e-mail message forwarding, drafts, and direct internal camera-to-e-mail picture
sending. However, it does not yet have capabilities for delivery reports, MMS, or
copy/cut/paste. Support for multi-recipient SMS was added in the 1.1.3 software update.

Accessibility

The iPhone can enlarge text to make it more accessible for vision-impaired users, and can
accommodate hearing-impaired users with closed captioning and external TTY devices.
Nevertheless, Apple states that "effective use of the iPhone requires a minimal level of
visual acuity, motor skills, and an ability to operate a few mechanical buttons. Use of
iPhone by someone who relies solely on audible and tactile input is not recommended." The
iPhone 3G has not been rated under the United States Federal Communication Commission
guidelines for hearing aid compatibility at either level M3 or T3.
Intellectual property

Apple has filed more than 200 patents related to the technology behind the iPhone.

LG Electronics claimed the iPhone's design was copied from the LG Prada. Woo-Young
Kwak, head of LG Mobile Handset R&D Center, said at a press conference, “We consider
that Apple copied Prada phone after the design was unveiled when it was presented in the iF
Design Award and won the prize in September 2006.”

On September 3, 1993, Infogear filed for the U.S. trademark "I PHONE" and on March 20,
1996 applied for the trademark "IPhone". "I Phone" was registered in March 1998, and
"IPhone" was registered in 1999. Since then, the I PHONE mark had been abandoned.
Infogear's trademarks cover "communications terminals comprising computer hardware and
software providing integrated telephone, data communications and personal computer
functions" (1993 filing), and "computer hardware and software for providing integrated
telephone communication with computerized global information networks" (1996 filing).
Infogear released a telephone with an integrated web browser under the name iPhone in
1998. In 2000, Infogear won an infringement claim against the owners of the iphones.com
domain name. In June 2000, Cisco Systems acquired Infogear, including the iPhone
trademark. On December 18, 2006 they released a range of re-branded Voice over IP
(VoIP) sets under the name iPhone.

In October 2002, Apple applied for the "iPhone" trademark in the United Kingdom,
Australia, Singapore, and the European Union. A Canadian application followed in October
2004 and a New Zealand application in September 2006. As of October 2006 only the
Singapore and Australian applications had been granted. In September 2006, a company
called Ocean Telecom Services applied for an "iPhone" trademark in the United States,
United Kingdom and Hong Kong, following a filing in Trinidad and Tobago. As the Ocean
Telecom trademark applications use exactly the same wording as Apple's New Zealand
application, it is assumed that Ocean Telecom is applying on behalf of Apple. The Canadian
application was opposed in August 2005 by a Canadian company called Comwave who
themselves applied for the trademark three months later. Comwave have been selling VoIP
devices called iPhone since 2004.

Shortly after Steve Jobs' January 9, 2007 announcement that Apple would be selling a
product called iPhone in June 2007, Cisco issued a statement that it had been negotiating
trademark licensing with Apple and expected Apple to agree to the final documents that had
been submitted the night before. On January 10, 2007 Cisco announced it had filed a
lawsuit against Apple over the infringement of the trademark iPhone, seeking an injunction
in federal court to prohibit Apple from using the name. More recently, Cisco claimed that
the trademark lawsuit was a "minor skirmish" that was not about money, but about
interoperability.
On February 2, 2007, Apple and Cisco announced that they had agreed to temporarily
suspend litigation while they hold settlement talks, and subsequently announced on
February 20, 2007 that they had reached an agreement. Both companies will be allowed to
use the "iPhone" name in exchange for "exploring interoperability" between their security,
consumer, and business communications products.

Restrictions

SIM Lock removal

Unlocked iPhone firmware version 2.0 using GrameenPhone Network in Bangladesh.

While initially iPhones were only sold on the AT&T network with a SIM lock in place,
various hackers have found methods to "unlock" the phone; more recently some carriers
have started to sell unlocked iPhones. More than a quarter of iPhones sold in the United
States were not registered with AT&T. Apple speculates that they were likely shipped
overseas and unlocked. AT&T has stated that the "iPhone cannot be unlocked, even if you
are out of contract".

On November 21, 2007, T-Mobile in Germany announced it would sell the phone unlocked
and without a T-Mobile contract, caused by a preliminary injunction against T-Mobile put
in place by their competitor, Vodafone. On December 4, 2007, a German court decided to
grant T-Mobile exclusive rights to sell the iPhone with SIM lock, overturning the temporary
injunction. In addition, T-Mobile will voluntarily offer to unlock customers' iPhone after
the termination of the contract.

On carriers where removal of the iPhone's SIM lock is allowed, the carrier can submit a
request to Apple which will then remove the carrier locking on the next restore of the
iPhone through iTunes. Note that in certain countries, where unlocked phones are required
to be available by law, the iPhone is sold without a contract and without a SIM lock; on
average, such units carry prices of US$700+ for the 8 GB model. Examples include Hong
Kong, Italy, New Zealand, and Russia. In Australia, all three carriers (Optus, Telstra, and
Vodafone) will also provide an unlock after requesting it from the carrier.

Activation

The iPhone normally prevents access to its media player and web features unless it has also
been activated as a phone with an authorized carrier. On July 3, 2007, Jon Lech Johansen
reported on his blog that he had successfully bypassed this requirement and unlocked the
iPhone's other features with a combination of custom software and modification of the
iTunes binary. He published the software and offsets for others to use.

Unlike the original, the 3G iPhone must be activated in the store in most countries. This
need for in-store activation, as well as the huge number of first-generation iPhone and iPod
Touch users upgrading to iPhone OS 2.0, caused a worldwide overload of Apple's servers
on July 11, 2008, the day on which both the iPhone 3G and iPhone OS 2.0 updates were
released. After the update, devices were required to connect to Apple's servers to
authenticate the update, causing many devices to be temporarily unusable.

Users on the O2 network in the United Kingdom, however, can buy the phone online and
activate it via iTunes as with the previous model. iPhones purchased in Australia as a pre-
paid kit likewise do not require in-store activation, but require activation online at the Optus
website and iTunes. Buyers can also activate iPhones via iTunes on Spain's Movistar
network. Shops usually offer activation for the buyer's convenience.

Third party applications

The iPhone's operating system is designed to only run software that has an Apple-approved
cryptographic signature. This restriction can be overcome by "jailbreaking" the phone,
which involves replacing the iPhone's firmware with a slightly modified version that does
not enforce the signature check. Doing so may be a circumvention of Apple's technical
protection measures. Apple, in a statement to the United States Copyright Office in
response to EFF lobbying for a DMCA exception for this kind of hacking, claimed that
jailbreaking the iPhone would be copyright infringement due to the modification of system
software needed to jailbreak the iPhone.