how ios has evolved over the years

The first version of iOS didn't have an App Store or iTunes and had apps like Camera, Mail, Maps, a separate app for the iPod, Safari and Photos among others. As difficult it might be to fathom now but Apple didn't allow third party apps on its first version of iOS. It was in March 2008 that the Cupertino-based company allowed third party apps.

iOS 2.0
The biggest change in iOS 2.0 was the adoption of the App Store and it perhaps changed the way people used their smartphones. The apps were not in abundance but there was an app for almost everything. Before iOS 2.0, people who were on BlackBerry - it was the rage then - complained about Apple not having Push mail feature. iOS 2.0 changed that and was also the first version to include the option of opening Microsoft Office documents.

iOS 3.0
This was the update where you could cut, copy and paste things on the iPhone. It was also the update where "Find my iPhone" feature was included along with better GPS connectivity for the Maps. It was released in June 2009 and SMS became "Messages" in the update.

iOS 4.0
The biggest introduction on this update was FaceTime or video calling. Released in June 2010, it was also the update which had iBooks for the first time on Apple devices. The dock also looked similar to the one on iPad and Wikipedia was included in the Spotlight feature.

Looking back, one could argue that this was perhaps one of the most critical updates for Apple. iOS 5.0 saw Notification Centre make its debut along with iMessage. It was also the update where for the first time you could edit images in the Camera app. The Calendar app became Reminder in this update as well.

iOS 6.0
There was an entire new look and feel to Apple devices with iOS 6.0. Apple introduced Maps in a better - it didn't work very well - capacity and Siri too was improved tremendously. iOS also allowed FaceTime to move from Wi-Fi only app to cellular networks. Passbook, a new feature which allowed you to store movie tickets, boarding passes was also added in the update.

A total design overhaul was the welcome change in this update. The UI looked fresher and brighter and came with important features as well. The Control Centre was a great addition as it allowed users to toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Flashlight with utmost ease. This was also the update where you could click the home button twice to shut down apps.

iOS 8.0
The two biggest changes in iOS 8 were introduction of third-party keyboards and iCloud drive. Other changes were cosmetic as iOS 7 was one of the biggest updates for the company. A notable app which was added in iOS 8 was the Healthkit.

iOS 9.0

Launched in 2015, Siri was the biggest gainer from this update with notable improvements and a new look. It was also the update where Newsstand was binned by apple and got replaced by Apple News app. Indian users didn't get the option but Apple Pay was also introduced for the first time in iOS 9. It was also the update where Passbook became Wallet and Apple devices also got a new keyboard.

The Photos app got a major upgrade as Memories were added and iOS used AI to help people create short movies out of their photos. Apple Music was also redesigned and became a great addition the Apple's iOS. iMessage also saw a big evolution in the update and became more broad-based.