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iOS 11 facts for kids
| Version of the iOS operating system | |
 |
|
iOS 11 running on an iPhone 7 Plus
|
|
| Developer | Apple |
|---|---|
| Source model | Closed, with open-source components |
| Initial release | September 19, 2017 |
| Latest release | 11.4.1 (15G77) (July 9, 2018) |
| Repository |
|
| Update method | Software Update |
| Package manager | App Store |
| Platforms |
iPhone
iPod Touch
iPad
|
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| License | Proprietary software with open-source components |
| Preceded by | iOS 10 |
| Succeeded by | iOS 12 |
| Tagline | A giant step for iPhone. A monumental leap for iPad. |
| Support status | |
| Obsolete, unsupported. No longer receiving security updates, because all iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches that supported iOS 11 support iOS 12 as well. Drops support for all 32-bit (A6) chips, including the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPad (4th generation). | |
iOS 11 is a big update for the iOS mobile operating system made by Apple. It came after iOS 10 and was announced on June 5, 2017, at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. It was officially released to everyone on September 19, 2017. Later, iOS 12 took its place on September 17, 2018.
Contents
What's New in iOS 11
iOS 11 brought many exciting changes to iPhones and iPads. Here are some of the most important ones:
- The lock screen and Notification Center were combined. This means all your notifications now show up right on your lock screen.
- The Control Center got a brand new look. All its controls are now on one page. You can also move the controls around to fit your needs. Some controls even let you access more options if you press them firmly (with 3D Touch).
- The App Store had its first big redesign since iOS 7. It now focuses more on showing off new apps and daily highlights.
- A new app called "Files" was added. This app lets you see files stored on your device, in iCloud, and in other cloud services like Dropbox. For the first time, you could save files downloaded from Safari directly to your iPhone.
- Siri got smarter! It could translate between languages and learn about your interests. This helped it give you better suggestions while keeping your information private.
- The camera app got new settings for better portrait photos. It also used new technology to make photo and video files smaller on newer devices.
- Later, the Messages app was updated to work better with iCloud. This helped keep your messages the same across all your Apple devices. You could also send money to friends using Apple Pay through Messages.
- You could now record your screen directly from your device. You just needed to add the screen recording option to your Control Center.
- Basic drag-and-drop features were added, making it easier to move things around.
- It introduced support for augmented reality (AR). This cool feature lets you "place" virtual objects in the real world and interact with them using your iPhone camera.
Special Features for iPad
The iPad got some extra special features in iOS 11:
- An app dock that's always available. You could pull it up from the bottom of the screen at any time.
- Cross-app drag-and-drop. This made sharing photos, files, and links between different apps super easy.
- A new way to use two apps at once (split-screen). You could drag an app from the dock onto another open app. You could also resize the split to make one app bigger or smaller.
No More 32-bit Apps
iOS 11 was the first version that did not support older 32-bit apps or devices with 32-bit processors. This means only devices with a 64-bit processor could run iOS 11. If you tried to open an old 32-bit app, it simply wouldn't work. Before iOS 11 came out, iOS 10.3 warned users about this change. It even had a setting to show you which apps on your device wouldn't work with iOS 11.
System Updates
Lock Screen and Notifications
The lock screen and Notification Center are now combined. This means you can see all your notifications right on the lock screen. You can scroll up and down to see more or fewer notifications.
Control Center Redesign
The Control Center got a big makeover. All its controls are now on one page. You can also press and hold (or use 3D Touch) on buttons for more options. Sliders let you adjust volume and brightness. You can even customize the Control Center to show more settings, like cellular service, Low Power Mode, and a shortcut to the Notes app.
Smarter Siri
Siri, your intelligent personal assistant, now sounds more human. It can translate languages like English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. You can also ask follow-up questions. Plus, you can now type to Siri instead of just speaking.
Siri also uses "on-device learning." This means it learns about your habits and interests from your apps. This helps it give you better suggestions while keeping your information private on your device.
New Settings and Features
- Do Not Disturb While Driving: This mode blocks unnecessary notifications when your iPhone is connected to a car via Bluetooth. It can even send an automatic reply to people who text you.
- Smart Invert: This feature, sometimes called a "dark mode," flips the colors on your screen. It makes light colors dark and dark colors light, but it keeps images and some apps looking normal. On iPhones with OLED screens (like the iPhone X), this can save battery life by turning off black pixels.
- App Location Control: You now have more control over when apps use your location. Every app has a "While Using the App" option in Settings. This is different from older iOS versions that only had "Never" or "Always."
- Offload Apps: You can now remove apps you don't use often without losing their data. The "Offload App" button lets you save space. If you reinstall the app later, your data will still be there. You can also set your device to "Offload Unused Apps" automatically.
- Storage Suggestions: iOS 11 gives you personalized tips to free up storage space. These include emptying your Photos trash, backing up messages, and using iCloud Photo Library to store photos and videos.
iPad-Specific System Features
Some new iOS 11 features are only for the iPad. The app dock looks more like the one on macOS and can be accessed from any screen. This makes it easier to open apps in split-screen view. You can also drag and drop files between different apps. A new multitasking screen lets you see multiple apps at once in floating "windows." You can even have up to four apps active on screen at the same time using "slide over," "split view," and "picture-in-picture" modes.
The iPad keyboard now has numbers and symbols on each letter key. You can access them by pulling down on the key. The Control Center is also visible in the multitasking window on iPads.
Camera Improvements
iOS 11 adds optical image stabilization, flash photography, and high dynamic range for portrait photos.
Live Photos get new "Loop," "Bounce," and "Long Exposure" effects. They also use High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) to make photo file sizes smaller.
On newer devices (with an Apple A10 chip or newer), photos can be saved in HEIF format, and videos can be saved in High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). These new formats improve quality while making files about half the size.
Wallpapers
Apple changed the wallpapers in iOS 11. They added one new wallpaper and removed the animated fish wallpapers that came with the iPhone 6S. Later, the iOS 11.2 update brought iPhone X/8/8 Plus-exclusive wallpapers to older iPhones.
Other Handy Changes
- QR Code Scanning: The Camera app can now scan QR codes. When you point your camera at a QR code, a notification pops up with suggestions based on what it scanned.
- One-Handed Keyboard: Third-party keyboards can now have a one-handed mode, making it easier to type on larger phones.
- Screen Recording: You can record your screen natively. Just add the feature to the Control Center in Settings.
- Wi-Fi Password Sharing: When you try to connect to a Wi-Fi network, nearby iOS 11 or macOS High Sierra devices already connected can wirelessly send the password to you.
- Volume Overlay: The volume change display no longer covers the whole screen when you're watching a video.
- Screenshot Editing: After you take a screenshot, a small preview appears in the bottom left corner. You can tap it to crop, draw on, or delete the screenshot.
- iCloud Keychain for Apps: Third-party apps can now use iCloud Keychain to autofill passwords.
- Flight Information: You can see your airline flight information in Spotlight.
- Signal Bars: The cellular network strength icons changed from five dots to four signal bars, like they were before iOS 7.
- Quick Start: A new setup feature called "Quick Start" makes setting up new devices easier. It can wirelessly transfer your preferences, Apple ID, Wi-Fi info, and iCloud Keychain passwords from your old device.
- iPhone Drag-and-Drop: Drag-and-drop file support is also available on iPhone, but mostly within apps, not between them.
- New App Icons: Many of Apple's built-in apps, like Notes, Contacts, Reminders, Maps, and App Store, got new home screen icons.
- Emergency SOS: This feature disables Touch ID if you press the Sleep/Wake button five times quickly. This means you have to enter your iPhone's passcode to unlock it.
- HEVC Support: iOS 11 supports 8-bit and 10-bit HEVC for better video quality and smaller file sizes.
App Updates
Mail App
You can now draw directly in empty spaces within the Mail app.
Messages App
The Messages app now keeps your messages in sync across your iOS and macOS devices using iCloud. If you delete a message on one device, it's deleted everywhere.
Apple also added a feature to send person-to-person payments with Apple Pay through Messages. This feature was launched a bit after iOS 11 came out, and was first only available in the United States.
A new app drawer for iMessage apps makes it simpler to use apps and stickers. The app also uses less storage space for message backups.
The Messages app also includes a "Business Chat" feature. This lets businesses talk directly with customers through the app.
On the iPhone X, the Messages app introduced "Animoji" (animated emoji). These use face-tracking with Face ID to make emoji that match your expressions.
App Store Redesign
The App Store got a completely new look, along with a new logo. It now focuses more on showing off new apps and daily highlights, with a cleaner design that matches other Apple apps.
Maps App
Apple Maps now offers indoor maps for some shopping malls and airports. New lane guidance and speed limit features help drivers on unfamiliar roads.
Photos App
The Photos app in iOS 11 can now view animated GIFs. You can find your GIF images in an album called "Animated." Memories can also be viewed when your phone is held vertically.
Podcasts App
The Podcasts app also got a redesign similar to the App Store, focusing on new content.
Files App
The new "Files" app replaces the old iCloud Drive app. It lets you browse files stored on your device and across different cloud services like iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. You can organize files into folders, and it even has a built-in player for FLAC audio files. The Files app is available on both iPad and iPhone.
Safari App
You can find your flight information directly in the Safari app.
TV App
The Apple TV app now completely replaces the old Videos app in iOS 11 for all regions, not just the US.
Calculator App
The Calculator app got a new design with rounded buttons, replacing the grid-like ones from iOS 7.
Tools for Developers
- ARKit: A new tool called "ARKit" lets app developers create augmented reality apps. These apps use your device's camera, processor, and motion sensors to place virtual objects in the real world. This feature works on devices with Apple A9 chips or newer.
- Core ML: This new tool helps apps use artificial intelligence faster, for things like image recognition.
- Depth API: This tool lets camera app developers use the dual-camera "Portrait mode" on iPhones (like the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X). This means apps can create photos with blurry backgrounds, just like the default Camera app.
- Core NFC: This tool gives developers limited access to the near field communication (NFC) chip in supported iPhones. This could lead to apps that scan nearby things to give you more information.
What Was Removed or Changed
- 32-bit Apps: iOS 11 only supports apps made for 64-bit devices. Older 32-bit apps will not work and won't even show up in the App Store.
- Social Media Integration: iOS 11 removed the built-in connections to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and Vimeo.
- 3D Touch Multitasking: The ability to switch between apps using 3D Touch was removed at first but brought back in iOS 11.1.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Toggles: In iOS 11.2, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles in Control Center were changed. Tapping them only disconnects from current connections, but doesn't fully turn off the chips. You have to go to the Settings app to completely turn them off.
Common Issues
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Control Center Toggles
After iOS 11 came out, people noticed that the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles in the Control Center didn't fully turn off these features. They only disconnected from active connections. This was done so features like AirDrop and AirPlay could still work. Some experts felt this was confusing for users and could be a security risk. iOS 11.2 later changed the toggles to show a warning message when turned off, explaining how they work.
Battery Drain Problems
Some users found their battery drained faster after updating to iOS 11. This is often normal after a big update. Your device works hard in the background, updating apps and re-indexing data. These activities use more battery for the first few days. However, some users reported continued battery drain issues even after a while, especially with the 11.3.1 update.
Calculator Bug
In October 2017, users found a bug in the built-in iOS Calculator app. If you typed numbers too quickly, it would give wrong answers. For example, "1+2+3" might show "24" instead of "6." This was caused by a delay in the app's animations. Apple fixed this issue in iOS 11.2.
Keyboard Autocorrect Bugs
In November 2017, users reported a bug where typing "I" would sometimes change to "!" or "A" with a strange symbol. Apple fixed this in iOS 11.1.1. Later, another bug changed "It" to "I.T." This was fixed in iOS 11.2.
December 2 Crashes
In early December 2017, some devices running iOS 11.1.2 started crashing repeatedly at a specific time (12:15 a.m. local time). This happened if an App Store app sent local notifications. Users found that turning off notifications or background app refresh could stop the issue. Apple released iOS 11.2 on the same day, which fixed this problem.
HomeKit Security Issue
In December 2017, a security problem was found in iOS 11.2's HomeKit system. This could allow unauthorized access to smart locks. Apple quickly released a fix that limited HomeKit features. iOS 11.2.1 later fully fixed the issue and restored all features.
Supported Devices
iOS 11 needs devices with an Apple A7 chip or newer. Older devices with Apple A6 or A6X chips are no longer supported. This includes the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPad (4th generation). This makes iOS 11 the first version that only runs on devices with 64-bit processors.
iPhone |
iPod Touch
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iPad
|
Version History
| Version | Release date | Notes | Update type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11.0 | September 19, 2017 | Initial release on iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
No longer supports iPad (4th generation), iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c
|
Initial Release |
| 11.0.1 | September 26, 2017 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.0.2 | October 3, 2017 | Not available for download on iPhone X
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.0.3 | October 11, 2017 | Not available for download on iPhone X
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.1 | October 31, 2017 | Initial IPSW release for iPhone X
|
Feature Update |
| 11.1.1 | November 9, 2017 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.1.2 | November 16, 2017 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.2 | December 2, 2017 |
|
Feature Update |
| 11.2.1 | December 13, 2017 | Fixed an issue where remote access could be unexpectedly disabled for shared users in the Home app. | Bug Fixes |
| 11.2.2 | January 8, 2018 | Improved security for Safari and WebKit to protect against the Spectre security flaw. | Security Fixes |
| 11.2.5 | January 23, 2018 |
|
Feature Update |
| 11.2.6 | February 19, 2018 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.3 | March 29, 2018 | Initial release on iPad (6th generation)
|
Feature Update |
| 11.3.1 | April 24, 2018 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| 11.4 | May 29, 2018 |
|
Feature Update |
| 11.4.1 | July 9, 2018 |
|
Bug Fixes |
See also
In Spanish: IOS 11 para niños
- macOS High Sierra
- tvOS 11
- watchOS 4