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iOS 7 facts for kids
| Version of the iOS operating system | |
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iOS 7.1 home screen on an iPhone 5s, showing the redesigned user interface
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| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Initial release | September 18, 2013 |
| Latest release | 7.1.2 (11D257) / June 30, 2014 |
| Repository |
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| Update method | Software Update |
| Package manager | App Store |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| License | Proprietary EULA, except for open-source components |
| Preceded by | iOS 6 |
| Succeeded by | iOS 8 |
| Tagline | The mobile OS from a whole new perspective. |
| Support status | |
| Obsolete, unsupported. Drops support for the iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 4th generation (Although it can be ported by patches and dual-booting.) | |
iOS 7 was a big update for iOS, Apple's mobile operating system for iPhones and iPads. It was the seventh main version, coming after iOS 6. Apple first showed it off on June 10, 2013, and released it to everyone on September 18, 2013. Later, iOS 8 took its place on September 17, 2014.
iOS 7 brought a completely new look to the iPhone and iPad. A team led by Apple's design chief, Jony Ive, created this new style. It featured "flatter icons" and new ways to unlock the screen and move between apps. Jony Ive described the new design as "simple and beautiful." This new design was everywhere in the system, including the Notification Center and Siri. It also added a new Control Center for quick access to settings.
Other cool features in iOS 7 included AirDrop for sharing files wirelessly. It also introduced CarPlay, which connects your iPhone to your car's screen. Apps in the App Store could now update themselves automatically. iOS 7 was also the first iOS version to work with 64-bit apps and processors.
People had mixed feelings about iOS 7. Some thought the new design was not as good as it could be. They felt that some changes made things slower or harder to find. However, many liked the new Control Center and the improvements to Siri and multitasking. Some users even reported feeling dizzy or sick from the new animations, like a kind of "car sickness."
But even with mixed reviews, many people quickly updated to iOS 7. After just one day, it was on 35% of iOS devices. Within five days, 200 million devices had iOS 7, making it Apple's fastest software update ever. iOS 7 was the last version of iOS that worked on the iPhone 4.
Contents
System Features in iOS 7
New Look and Feel
iOS 7 changed how everything looked on your device. It had "sharper, flatter icons" and thinner fonts. The way you slid to unlock the screen was also new. There was a new control panel that popped up from the bottom of the screen. Even the apps that came with the iPhone got a fresh design.
Jony Ive, Apple's design leader, said that true simplicity comes from making complex things easy to understand. He felt iOS 7 showed this idea. The screen that appeared when your device started up matched the color of your phone's front (white or black).
AirDrop for Easy Sharing
iOS 7 brought AirDrop, a cool way to share files without wires. You could send photos, videos, or documents to other nearby Apple devices. You could turn it on in the Control Center. You could choose to be seen by "Contacts Only" or "Everyone."
AirDrop worked on the iPhone 5 and newer models. It also worked on the fourth-generation iPad and newer, all iPad Minis, and the fifth-generation iPod Touch.
Control Center: Quick Settings
The Control Center was a new feature in iOS 7. You could swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open it. It gave you quick access to important settings. These included Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and screen rotation lock. You could also change screen brightness and control music. A flashlight button and a quick camera shortcut were also there.
Improved Notifications
The Notification Center got a big update in iOS 7. It looked different and worked better. It had three sections: "Today" (for daily info), "All" (for all notifications), and "Missed." Notifications also showed up on your lock screen. If you saw a notification on one device, it would disappear on your other Apple devices.
Better App Switching
Switching between apps became easier in iOS 7. When you double-pressed the home button, you saw large previews of your open apps. You could then easily swipe through them to pick the one you wanted.
CarPlay: iPhone in Your Car
CarPlay (first called iOS in the Car) came with iOS 7.1. It let you connect your iPhone to your car's display. You could use your phone's features like music and maps right on your car's screen. You could even use Siri to send messages without using your hands. CarPlay worked with iPhones that had a Lightning port and iOS 7.1 or later.
Siri Gets Smarter
Siri, Apple's voice assistant, got a new look in iOS 7. When you talked to Siri, cool visual waves appeared. Siri could now control some settings on your device, like turning Bluetooth on or off. If Siri couldn't do something by voice, it would offer to take you to the right settings menu. Siri also started using Bing for web searches and could search Twitter. You could also choose if Siri had a male or female voice.
Other System Updates
- Spotlight Search: You could find the search bar by dragging down on the home screen.
- New Wallpapers: iOS 7 had new wallpapers with a "Parallax" effect. This made icons seem to float above the background when you moved your phone.
- Custom Settings: You could create special vibrations for different alerts. You could also turn off the parallax effect if it bothered you. A new feature let you block callers, and this block worked across your iPhone, Messages, and FaceTime.
- New App Indicators: Newly installed or updated apps had a blue dot next to them until you opened them for the first time.
- Better Folders: Folders could now have multiple pages, just like the home screen. This meant you could put many more apps (up to 135) into a single folder.
App Features in iOS 7
App Store Improvements
The App Store got some big changes in iOS 7. You could set apps to update automatically. You could also see a history of all updates for each app. A "Near Me" tab suggested popular apps based on your location. It also became possible to download older versions of apps. This was helpful if a new iOS update made your older device unable to run the latest app version.
Photos and Camera Updates
The Camera app in iOS 7 added a square photo mode, great for Instagram-style pictures. It also had live filters that changed how your photo looked as you took it. You could zoom in while recording videos. A "Burst mode" let you take 10 photos per second by holding the shutter button. On the iPhone 5S, you could even record slow-motion videos at 120 frames per second.
The Photos app also got new ways to organize your pictures. It had "Photos," "Shared," and "Albums" tabs. The main Photos view showed your pictures in a timeline, grouped by "Years," "Collections," and "Moments." You could also add filters to your photos after taking them. The app also supported the new AirDrop sharing feature.
Camera Design
The Camera app's look was completely new in iOS 7. Buttons and controls used simple, flat shapes. You could switch between camera modes by swiping or tapping the mode name. This new design became the basis for all future iOS camera apps.
Camera Controls
The redesigned camera gave you more control over your photos. You could adjust the brightness (exposure) and lock the focus. Tapping on the screen would set the focus and exposure for that spot. If you tapped and held, it would lock the focus and exposure. You could also swipe up or down to change the brightness. These controls worked for both photos and videos, including slow-motion and front camera modes.
Music App and iTunes Radio
The Music app now included Apple's iTunes Radio service. This let you create radio stations based on your favorite artists. You could skip songs and buy them directly from the iTunes Store. iTunes Radio also showed songs that were popular on Twitter. It was free with ads, but if you subscribed to iTunes Match, you could listen without ads. iTunes Radio was later replaced by Apple Music in 2016.
Safari Web Browser
The Safari web browser got many updates in iOS 7. The search bar and address bar were combined into one "Smart Search" field. Managing tabs was easier, allowing more than eight open tabs. Tabs were stacked vertically instead of horizontally. It was also easier to open a Private tab, and a "Do Not Track" button helped with privacy.
Maps with Walking Directions
Apple Maps in iOS 7 added turn-by-turn directions for walking. The map view became full-screen, with search bars disappearing when not needed. It also had a Night Mode that turned on automatically when you drove at night. You could also change Siri's voice volume in Maps separately from the main system volume.
Dynamic Weather App
The Weather app in iOS 7 got a new icon and cool visual effects. It showed dynamic animations that matched the current weather, like rain falling or clouds moving.
FaceTime Audio Calls
iOS 7 added a separate FaceTime app on iPhone. It also introduced FaceTime Audio, which let you make voice calls over Wi-Fi. You could start a FaceTime Audio call from the Phone app, Contacts, or the FaceTime app itself.
Messages with Timestamps
The Messages app in iOS 7 now let you see the exact time for every message you sent or received.
Common Issues with iOS 7
Design Causing Sickness
Soon after iOS 7 came out, some users reported feeling sick. This was due to the new animations, like zooming when opening apps and the "parallax effect" where icons seemed to float. Doctors explained that this could happen when what your eyes see doesn't match what your inner ear feels, similar to car sickness. While the parallax effect could be turned off, most other animations could not.
Battery Drain Reports
Some users reported that the iOS 7.1 update caused their iPhone and iPad batteries to drain faster. While some tests showed minor battery use increases on certain devices, others found no big changes.
Lock Screen Bypass
A way to get past the lock screen was found in iOS 7. This allowed someone to access parts of the phone very quickly. Apple later fixed this issue.
Supported Devices
iOS 7 stopped supporting older devices that had less than 512 MB of RAM. This meant the iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch (4th generation) could not update to iOS 7. The iPhone 4 had limited support for iOS 7.
iPhone |
iPod Touch |
iPad |
Version History
| Version | Release date | Notes | Update type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | September 18, 2013 | Initial release.
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Initial Release |
| 7.0.1 | September 20, 2013 |
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Feature Update |
| 7.0.2 | September 26, 2013 |
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Bug Fixes |
| 7.0.3 | October 23, 2013 | Initial release on iPad Air and iPad mini 2.
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Feature Update |
| 7.0.4 | November 14, 2013 |
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Bug Fixes |
| 7.0.5 | January 29, 2014 |
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Bug Fixes |
| 7.0.6 | February 21, 2014 |
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Bug Fixes |
| 7.1 | March 10, 2014 |
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Feature Update |
| 7.1.1 | April 22, 2014 |
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Bug Fixes |
| 7.1.2 | June 30, 2014 |
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Bug Fixes |
See also
In Spanish: IOS 7 para niños