iOS 6 facts for kids

iOS 6

Version of the iOS operating system
iOS 6 home screen on an iPhone 5
Source model	Closed, with open source components
Initial release	September 19, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-09-19)
Latest release	6.1.6 (10B500) / February 21, 2014; 11 years ago (2014-02-21)
Repository	Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Update method	Software Update
Package manager	App Store
Platforms	iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Kernel type	Hybrid (XNU)
Default user interface	Springboard
License	Proprietary EULA except for open-source components
Preceded by	iOS 5
Succeeded by	iOS 7
Tagline	It takes your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in entirely new directions.
Support status
Obsolete, unsupported. Drops support for the iPod Touch (3rd generation), and iPad (1st generation).

iOS 6 was a big update for Apple's iOS mobile operating system. It was the sixth main version, coming after iOS 5. Apple first showed it off on June 11, 2012.

It was released to everyone on September 19, 2012. A year later, iOS 7 took its place on September 18, 2013. iOS 6 was the last version to use a "skeuomorphic" design. This means apps looked like real-world objects, like a notepad app looking like a real notepad. iOS 7 changed to a flatter, simpler look.

iOS 6 brought many new features. It introduced a new Apple Maps app, replacing Google Maps. There was also a special Podcasts app for listening to shows. The Passbook app was new, helping you keep tickets and coupons organized.

The App Store got a fresh new look. It showed apps in a card style and made it easier to find what you wanted. Facebook was built right into the system. This let you share updates, "like" things, and sync contacts and events.

New privacy settings gave you more control over your apps. You could choose what information apps could access. Siri, Apple's voice assistant, got smarter. It could now help with restaurant bookings, opening apps, and finding movie reviews. It also worked on more devices. iOS 6 also added support for faster LTE internet for many phone companies.

People generally liked iOS 6. They said it didn't make huge changes but made things better. It refined what already worked well. However, the new Apple Maps app had problems. Many users found its information wrong or incomplete. This led to an apology from Apple's CEO, Tim Cook.

iOS 6 was the last version that worked on the iPhone 3GS and the fourth-generation iPod Touch.

History of iOS 6

Apple first showed iOS 6 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. This event happened on June 11, 2012. The official release date for iOS 6 was September 19, 2012.

System Features

Siri Updates

Siri is Apple's smart voice assistant. It first came out with iOS 5 on the iPhone 4s. In iOS 6, Siri got many new abilities. You could ask it to book tables at restaurants. It could also open apps for you. Siri could read messages from your Notification Center. You could even use it to post updates to Facebook and Twitter. It also gave you movie reviews and sports scores.

Siri learned new languages in iOS 6. These included Italian, Korean, and Cantonese. It also became available on more devices. These were the iPhone 5, fifth-generation iPod Touch, and third-generation iPad. Later, in iOS 6.1, Siri could help you buy movie tickets. This feature worked with Fandango but only in the United States at first.

Facebook Integration

Facebook was built into many of Apple's apps in iOS 6. You could use Facebook features directly from these apps. For example, the Calendar app could show your Facebook events. The Contacts app could display information about your Facebook friends. The App Store and Game Center had Facebook's "like" button. There was also a quick way to post Facebook updates. This was found in the Notification Center.

Settings Changes

The Settings app got some new looks and tools in iOS 6. Its icon was updated to look like the one on Mac computers. A new "Do Not Disturb" mode was added. This mode lets you silence your phone's sounds. You could set it to allow calls from certain people. It could also let a second call ring if someone called you quickly twice. A small moon icon would appear when this mode was on.

New privacy settings were also added. Besides "Location Services," you could now control access to "Contacts," "Calendars," "Reminders," and "Photos." These settings gave you more control. You would get a message when an app wanted to use your information.

iOS 6 also had a "Limit Ad Tracking" setting. This let you stop companies from showing you targeted ads. Apple said this feature would give you more control. It would prevent ad networks from collecting information for targeted ads. In iOS 6.1, you could also "Reset Advertising Identifier." This gave you a fresh start with ad tracking.

App Grid and Other Updates

On the IPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad, a fifth row of app icons appeared. This meant you could see more apps on your screen. When you downloaded a new app, a banner would show up. It would tell you the app was new.

The way you shared things also changed. The "Share Sheet" showed a grid of app icons. This made it easier to pick where to share your content.

App Features

Apple Maps

A brand new Apple Maps app came with iOS 6. It replaced Google Maps as the main map app. Apple Maps used a new way to draw maps. This made zooming in and out much smoother. It also offered turn-by-turn directions with spoken instructions. You could see 3D views in some places. "Flyover" views let you see major cities from above. It also showed real-time traffic information.

At first, turn-by-turn directions worked on the iPhone 4s and newer. It also worked on the iPad 2 and newer (if it had cellular). "Flyover" view was for iPhone 4s and newer, fifth-generation iPod Touch, and iPad 2 and newer.

Passbook App

A new app called Passbook was added. It helped you keep track of important documents. These included boarding passes for flights and tickets for events. You could also store coupons and loyalty cards here.

If a store supported it, you could use your device with Passbook. It could replace a physical card for payments. The app was smart too. It could show you coupons when you were near a store. It would also show your boarding pass when you were at the airport. It even told you about gate changes.

Photos and Camera

The Camera app got a new feature called Panorama mode. This let you take very wide photos. You could capture a 240-degree view.

The Photos app also improved how you shared pictures. You could now remove images from Photo Stream. You could also share special Photo Streams with friends or the public.

App Store Redesign

The App Store in iOS 6 had a completely new look. The "Categories" tab was removed. It was replaced with "Genius," which helped you find new apps. Apps were shown as cards instead of lists. The way the App Store searched for apps also changed. This sometimes helped newer companies get noticed.

Another great change was that apps could update without needing your iTunes password. Also, when you installed or updated an app, you no longer went back to the home screen automatically.

Phone App Enhancements

When you got a call in iOS 6, you could swipe up on the lock screen. This showed options like "Reply with message" or "Remind me later." "Reply with message" let you send a quick text. You could choose from preset messages or write your own. "Remind me later" gave you options to set a reminder. For example, it could remind you in an hour or when you got home.

Podcasts App

The way you listened to podcasts changed in iOS 6. Podcast features were moved out of the iTunes app. They got their own special Podcasts app. This made it easier to find and listen to podcasts.

Safari Web Browser

The Safari web browser got a full-screen view for iPhone and iPod Touch. This meant you could see more of the website. The Reading List feature also improved. You could now save articles to read offline. This meant the text, pictures, and layout were saved on your device.

In iOS 6, Safari also let you upload files. You could upload photos from your gallery to websites.

FaceTime Over Cellular

FaceTime is Apple's video calling service. In iOS 6, it could now work over a cellular connection. Before, it only worked with Wi-Fi.

Clock App on iPad

The Clock app had been on iPhone and iPod Touch since they first came out. With iOS 6, it became available on the iPad. The clock design looked like a famous Swiss railway clock. Apple even made a deal with the Swiss Federal Railways to use this design.

Music App Redesign

The Music app was redesigned for iPhone and iPod Touch. The new look was mostly white. The "Now Playing" screen also changed. It had motion-sensitive controls, similar to the iPod Nano 7th generation.

YouTube App Removal

The YouTube app used to be a standard app on iOS devices. But in iOS 6, it was removed. Apple said this was because their license to include it had ended. However, you could still watch YouTube videos using the Safari web browser. Google, which owns YouTube, then made its own YouTube app. This app was later released in the App Store.

Problems with iOS 6

Apple Maps Launch Issues

When iOS 6 came out, Apple replaced Google Maps with its own Apple Maps. This caused a lot of problems right away. People complained that the maps were wrong or incomplete. For example, some places were missing. Directions were often incorrect. Satellite images were sometimes covered by clouds. There were even reports of a museum appearing in a river!

Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, wrote an apology letter. He said sorry for the "frustration caused by the Maps application." He suggested people download other map apps from the App Store. Scott Forstall, who was in charge of iOS development, left Apple soon after. This was partly because of the Maps issues.

Advertising Identifier Concerns

In September 2012, some experts worried about the new "Advertising Identifier." They said Apple didn't explain enough about how it worked. They wondered if it could still track users even if they chose to "limit ad tracking." They worried Apple might still collect data for other reasons.

High Data Usage

Many users noticed their phones used more data than usual after updating to iOS 6. This sometimes led to big phone bills. Some believed a bug caused phones to use cellular data even when connected to Wi-Fi. Apple later released an update to fix this problem.

FaceTime Certificate Expiration

In April 2014, people still using iOS 6 had trouble with FaceTime. This was because a special certificate needed for FaceTime had expired. Apple explained the issue. They said devices that could update to iOS 7 should do so. Devices stuck on iOS 6 received a special update, iOS 6.1.6, to fix the problem.

Supported Devices

Some new features in iOS 6 needed both front and back cameras. Because of this, Apple stopped supporting older devices. The third-generation iPod Touch and the first-generation iPad did not get the iOS 6 update. This was because they didn't have cameras or the right hardware.

iOS 6 was the first version of iOS to stop supporting an iPad.

Version History

Version	Build	Codename	Release date	Notes	Update type
6.0	10A402 10A403 10A405 10A406 10A407	Sundance	August 27, 2012 September 19, 2012 September 21, 2012 October 11, 2012 November 2, 2012	This was the first release for iPhone 5, iPod touch (5th generation), iPad mini (1st generation), and iPad (4th generation). It brought Apple Maps to replace Google Maps. Siri could now give sports information. Facebook was built into Settings. FaceTime calls could now use cellular data on iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPad 3 (Wi-Fi + Cellular). "Do Not Disturb" mode was added to silence calls and notifications. A "Reply with Message" feature was added for declined calls. The Clock app became available on the iPad. You could set custom vibrations for alerts on iPhone.	Initial Release
6.0.1	10A523 10A525 10A8426			October 29, 2012	Fixed a bug that stopped iPhone 5 from updating wirelessly. Fixed a bug that stopped the camera flash from working. Fixed a bug that stopped cellular service from being available.	Bug Fixes
6.0.2	10A550 10A551 10A8500			December 13, 2012	Only for iPhone 5 and iPad mini (1st generation). Fixed a bug that stopped Wi-Fi from working.	Bug Fixes
6.1	10B137 10B141 10B142 10B143 10B144	Brighton	January 7, 2013 January 28, 2013	Changed the lock screen music controls to a silver look. Added support for more LTE cellular carriers. Integrated Siri with Fandango for buying movie tickets (U.S. only). Added the "Reset Advertising Identifier" button in Settings. iTunes Match users could download single songs from iCloud.	Feature Update
6.1.1	10B145			February 11, 2013	Only for iPhone 4S. Improved cellular reliability for iPhone 4S.	Bug Fixes
6.1.2	10B146 10B147			February 19, 2013	Fixed a bug in Exchange calendar that used too much network data and drained battery.	Bug Fixes
6.1.3	10B329	BrightonMaps	March 13, 2013	Fixed a bug that let people bypass the passcode lock screen to use the Phone app. Improved the Maps app in Japan.	Bug Fixes
Exclusive to iPhone 5
6.1.4	10B350	BrightonMaps	April 27, 2013	Fixed a speakerphone bug for iPhone 5.	Bug Fixes
Exclusive to iPod touch (4th generation)
6.1.5	10B400	BrightonMaps	November 14, 2013	Fixed a bug for iPod Touch 4 that caused FaceTime calls to fail.	Bug Fixes
Exclusive to iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
6.1.6	10B500	BrightonMaps	February 21, 2014	Fixed a security bug related to SSL verification.	Bug Fixes