A lot of people have been asking, “is iOS based on Unix?” The short answer is no, it’s not. In fact, Apple don’t really make any part of their OS based on anything at all. Instead, it’s just an operating system that’s been designed to work with their hardware.
However, Apple could still be planning to release an upgraded version of OS X. There’s even word that they may be preparing to release iOS 7 some time in the future. Apple could also be preparing to launch an entirely new version of their mobile device brand, which would certainly be based on Unix. But, that’s just a wild supposition. So let’s take a look at why Apple might be using Unix as the underlying technology behind iOS:
Unix is still the leading open source application development environment. Apple themselves are great fans of the open source community and are often happy to contribute code to help other developers develop new programs. It’s this free software base that makes Apple’s iPhones so versatile. Whether it’s looking for ways to extend their range of products, or wanting to create completely new applications, the ability to run code on Apple’s wildly popular mobile phones is one of the main reasons why they continue to sell so many iPhones.
Of course, it would only make sense if the mobile operating systems used in the iPhone were also Unix based. But unfortunately, that’s not the case. Instead, what we have is a situation where Apple are using a pre-OS X development environment to develop their new mobile operating system. The good news is, this isn’t the end of the story. The fact that Apple chose to use Unix as the basis for their newest operating system means that even if they choose to abandon Apple’s Unix based phones, they will still have one of the most versatile mobile operating systems in the world.
To understand why Apple have chosen to base their latest offering on Unix instead of Windows, you first need to understand just how Unix works. Basically, Unix is a variant of Linux which was designed and developed by computer developers to provide a free, modular and easy to use operating system. What this means for the iPhone is that the iPhone is able to run a number of different programs thanks to its multi-tasking capabilities and the fact that it has access to a number of different services such as the Safari web browser, GMail email client and much more. This means that users can multitask and run multiple programs all at the same time on the iPhone, something that can’t be said for most other mobile operating systems.
So, is iPhone based on unix? Of course it is. This is because Apple have found a way of integrating their own set of desktop software into the mobile operating systems and allowing iPhone users to take advantage of everything that the MacOS offers. For example, Safari offers all of the features that you would find in the classic web browser, allowing you to browse the internet, read documents and plenty more all from the comfort of your iPhone. In addition, there are a large number of additional features that are only available through the use of Apple’s web browser – including things like Maps and fully integrated support for the iPhone’s motion sensor. These features are only available through the iPhone, and as a result, iPhone based on unix is more practical than just about any other mobile operating systems out there.
But why should you choose iPhone over other mobile operating systems? In short, because Apple has found a way to integrate everything into one place – meaning that everything is consistent and reliable no matter what device you use. For instance, with the latest release of iPhone 4, the company have managed to include a completely new interface that is sleeker, smoother and easier to use than any other interface that has been seen before. And considering that this interface is already available in any modern PC or laptop, this is something that just about any user will appreciate.
So if you’re wondering ‘is iOS based on unix?’ the answer is both “yes” and “no”. On one hand, the portability factor of the Apple user experience is undeniable. However, with the addition of a wide variety of mobile operating systems to the market, you shouldn’t necessarily assume that all things will work on the same platform.
