iOS 6

iOS 6
Version of iOS
IOS 6 icon.png
IOS 6.0 SpringBoard.PNG
iOS 6.0 running on an iPhone 5
Version6.x
CodenameSundance (6.0)
Brighton (6.1)
ArchitectureARM32
Latest build10B500 (6.1.6)
Release date2012-09-19
Replaces
iOS 5
Replaced by
iOS 7

iOS 6 (codenamed Sundance) is the sixth version of iOS that was released on 19 September 2012. It was first announced at the WWDC keynote on 11 June 2012. It is the last version to feature the skeuomorphic user interface design introduced with the original iPhone OS.

New features and changes[edit | edit source]

Notifications[edit | edit source]

  • Do Not Disturb has been added, which will silent incoming calls and notifications.
  • A Twitter widget has been added to the Notification Center.
  • Custom vibrations can now be set for alerts.

Apple Maps[edit | edit source]

Apple Maps has been added, which replaces Google Maps. It includes several new features, such as:

  • "Flyover" views in some major cities
  • 3D maps for certain countries
  • Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions
  • Real-time traffic reports
  • Smooth zooming

Siri[edit | edit source]

  • Siri is now available on the iPad (3rd generation and newer).
  • Several new Siri commands have been added, such as:
    • Providing Facebook and Twitter updates
    • Providing detailed sports information
    • Creating restaurant reservations
    • Purchasing movie tickets via Fandango (iOS 6.1)
    • Retrieving movie reviews
    • Reading Notifications
    • Launching apps
  • Siri now supports Italian, Korean, and Cantonese languages.

Passbook[edit | edit source]

The Passbook app has been added, which can be used to store boarding passes, admission tickets, and coupons. It would later become the Wallet app in iOS 9.

Camera and Photos[edit | edit source]

  • The Camera app has been redesigned with a darker user interface.
  • 240-degree panoramic photos can now be captured.
  • Photos in a Photo Stream can now be removed and shared.

Phone and FaceTime[edit | edit source]

  • Options to "Reply with Message" and "Remind me later" have been added for incoming calls.
  • FaceTime calls can now be done over cellular data (iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPad 3).
  • The phone dialer was redesigned with a brighter user interface.

Music[edit | edit source]

  • The Music app has been redesigned with a brighter user interface.
  • Scrubbers on the Now Playing UI are now motion sensitive. This change would later be added to the Lock Screen in iOS 6.1.
  • iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud.

Safari[edit | edit source]

  • Landscape view is now displayed in full-screen for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
  • Offline support has been added to the Reading List.

App Store[edit | edit source]

  • The App Store has been redesigned, featuring dark UI elements.
  • The "Categories" tab was removed and replaced with the "Genius" tab.
  • Search results are now displayed as horizontally scrolling cards, as opposed to a vertically scrolling list.
  • Apps can now be updated without needing to enter an Apple ID password.
  • Users are no longer automatically returned to the home screen when installing or updating apps.

Settings[edit | edit source]

  • The icon has been tweaked to resemble the System Preferences icon in OS X.
  • The "Limit ad tracking" setting was added to prevent targeted advertising.
  • iOS 6.1 added an "Reset Advertising Identifier" setting to allow the advertising identifier to be reset by users.
  • New privacy settings were added to allow users to set what certain types of information an app can access such as Contacts, Calendars, Reminders and Photos.

Miscellaneous[edit | edit source]

  • Podcast functionality was separated from the iTunes app and received its own Podcasts app.
  • The Clock app is now available on the iPad.
  • Facebook integration has been added to several built-in iOS apps.
  • The share interface was updated to display options in a grid-like layout.
  • The built-in YouTube app has been removed. Google would later develop and release its own YouTube app through the App Store in late 2012.

List of known builds[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.0[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.0.1[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.0.2[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.1[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.2[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.3[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.4[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.5[edit | edit source]

iOS 6.1.6[edit | edit source]