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iOS 4 facts for kids
| Version of the iOS operating system | |
 |
|
iOS 4.0 home screen
|
|
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Initial release | June 21, 2010 |
| Latest release |
4.2.1 (November 22, 2010)
4.2.10 (July 25, 2011)
|
| Repository |
|
| Update method | iTunes through a computer |
| Package manager | App Store |
| Platforms | |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| License | Proprietary EULA except for open-source components |
| Preceded by | iPhone OS 3 |
| Succeeded by | iOS 5 |
| Support status | |
| Obsolete, unsupported. Drops support for the iPhone (1st generation) and iPod Touch (1st generation). | |
iOS 4 was a big update for Apple's mobile devices. It was the fourth main version of the iOS operating system. Apple first showed it on April 8, 2010, and released it on June 21, 2010. This was the first time the system was called "iOS" instead of "iPhone OS." This change happened because the iPad had just come out. Later, iOS 5 replaced it on October 12, 2011.
iOS 4 brought many new features that we now use all the time. You could finally put apps into folders on your home screen. This made it easier to organize many apps. You could also set cool wallpapers on your iPhone's home screen. A new multitasking feature let some apps run in the background. This was great for things like internet calls or music.
Other cool additions included a spell checker for typing. The iBooks app became available on iPhones. The Mail app got better, letting you see all your emails in one place. Apple also launched Game Center for social gaming and FaceTime for video calls.
However, some people with older iPhone 3G phones had problems. Their phones became slower and the battery drained faster after the update. Apple looked into these issues. There were also some antenna problems with the new iPhone 4. Apple tried to fix these with software updates.
iOS 4 was the last version to have the "iPod" app for music and videos on iPhones. After this, iPhones got separate Music and Videos apps. It was also the last iOS version that worked on the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod Touch. Newer versions of iOS no longer supported these older devices.
Contents
History of iOS 4
Apple first showed off iPhone OS 4 at a special event on April 8, 2010. At the WWDC event on June 7, 2010, Apple changed its name to iOS 4. This new name included the iPod Touch and iPad devices.
The official release date for iOS 4 was June 21, 2010.
Exciting New Features
Organize Your Home Screen
iOS 4 made it much easier to organize your apps. You could now put apps into folders. This meant you could have up to 2,160 apps on your home screen! Folders were automatically named based on the apps inside them.
For iPhones, you could finally set your own wallpapers. These wallpapers would show up behind your app icons. However, this feature didn't work on older phones like the iPhone 3G. This was because of how the icon animations worked. The bottom dock on the iPhone also got a new look.
Multitasking and Fast App Switching
One of the biggest new features was multitasking. This allowed you to quickly switch between apps. You just had to double-click the home button. Apple designed it so it wouldn't drain your battery too much.
Some apps, like those for internet calls or music, could truly run in the background. For other apps, a feature called "Fast App Switching" let them stay ready in the background. This meant you could leave an app, use another, and then quickly go back to the first one. This feature was not available on older iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod Touch models.
Smart Spell Checking
iOS 4 added a helpful spell checker. It would underline misspelled words in red. If you tapped on the word, it would suggest the correct spelling.
Camera and Photos
The Camera app got a small but useful update. It now supported 5x digital zoom. This let you get a bit closer to your subject when taking photos.
iBooks for iPhone
The iBooks app, which was already on the iPad, came to the iPhone and iPod Touch. It wasn't built-in, but you could download it from the App Store. This allowed users to read digital books on their phones.
Better Mail App
The Mail app became much more convenient. It now had a "unified inbox." This meant you could see all your emails from different accounts in one place. It also supported more business email accounts.
Game Center for Fun
A brand new app called Game Center was introduced. It was an online network for social gaming. You could invite friends to play games with you. It also let you compare your scores on leaderboards. Game Center was not available on the iPhone 3G.
FaceTime Video Calls
iOS 4 brought FaceTime, a new video calling app. It used your device's camera to let you make video calls to other FaceTime users. This feature was only available on devices with a front-facing camera, like the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch (4th generation). Older models like the iPhone 3G and 3GS didn't have the camera needed for FaceTime.
Safari Web Browser
The Safari web browser also got some updates. You could now choose Bing as a search option, in addition to Google and Yahoo!. Starting with iOS 4.2.1, you could also search for specific words or phrases on a webpage.
Challenges and Issues
Performance and Battery Concerns
After upgrading to iOS 4, some iPhone 3G users noticed their phones became slower. They also reported that their battery didn't last as long. Apple looked into these issues. Some customers even filed lawsuits, saying Apple's software caused problems on older phones. Apple stated that updates were coming to help fix these issues.
Alarm Clock Glitch
There was a small problem with the alarm clock in iOS 4. During Daylight Saving Time (DST), the alarm would sometimes go off an hour too early or too late.
iPhone 4 Antenna Issues
When the iPhone 4 was first released, some users had problems with its antenna. This could affect call quality. Apple tried to fix this with a software update (iOS 4.0.1), but it didn't fully solve the problem.
Supported Devices
iOS 4 was the first version of iOS to stop supporting older devices. The original iPhone and first-generation iPod Touch could not run iOS 4 due to their hardware.
However, the iPhone 3G did support iOS 4, even though it had a similar processor to the first iPhone. The iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod Touch had limited support for iOS 4. This means they didn't get all the new features, like multitasking.
iPhones |
iPod Touch Models
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iPads |
Apple TV
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Images for kids
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iOS 4 logo
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iOS 4.0 home screen