The following is a list of operating systems released by Apple Inc. As of 2023, there are six supported software platforms: iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS and visionOS.

Prior to the introduction of the Macintosh in early 1984, Apple had several operating systems for the Apple II series, Apple SOS for the Apple III series, and Lisa OS and MacWorks XL for the Apple Lisa series; those were introduced between 1977 and 1983.

The original operating system for the Macintosh was the classic Mac OS, which was introduced in early 1984 as System Software. In 1997, System Software was renamed to Mac OS.

In 1999, Mac OS X Server 1.0 was released, followed by Mac OS X 10.0, the first consumer release of the Mac OS X.

From the release of Mac OS X 10.0 until early 2007, Mac OS X was the only software platform. In early 2007, iPhone OS was introduced, increasing the number of software platforms by one, from one to two. In 2010, iPhone OS was renamed to iOS. In 2011, Mac OS X was renamed to OS X. In early 2015, the number of software platforms rose by one, from two to three, as watchOS was introduced. In late 2015, tvOS was introduced, increasing the number of software platforms again by one, from three to four. In 2016, OS X was renamed to macOS. In 2019, iPadOS was introduced as the derived version of iOS for iPad, increasing the number of software platforms again by one, from four to five. In 2020, macOS received an increment in its version, from 10 to 11. In 2023, the number of software platforms rose again by one, from five to six, as visionOS was introduced.

Apple computers

There was no OS for the Apple I.

Apple II

Apple III

Apple Lisa

Macintosh computers

Main article: Macintosh operating systems

Classic Mac OS

Main article: Classic Mac OS

Mac OS X / OS X / macOS

Main article: macOS

See also: macOS version history

macOS was initially called Mac OS X and later OS X.

macOS Server

Main article: macOS Server

See also: macOS Server version history

macOS Server was initially called Mac OS X Server and later OS X Server.

Starting with Lion, there is no separate Mac OS X Server operating system. Instead the server components are a separate download from the Mac App Store.

Other macOS-related releases

Others

Mobile devices

Newton

iPod

See also: iPod firmware

iOS

Main article: iOS

See also: iOS version history

iOS was previously known as iPhone OS, despite also being available on the iPod Touch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations) and the original iPad.

iPadOS

Main article: iPadOS

At its June 2019 Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple introduced iPadOS, a version of iOS, for iPad tablets, promised for fall 2019 release.[2][3]

watchOS

Main article: watchOS

See also: watchOS version history

Living room

Apple TV Software

Main article: Apple TV Software

There was no Apple TV Software 8; version 8 was skipped when moving to tvOS.

tvOS

Main article: tvOS

See also: tvOS version history

audioOS

Main article: audioOS

visionOS

Main article: VisionOS

Table of operating systems

Device(s) OS Release Announced Released Discontinued Notes
Apple II series Apple DOS June 1978 1983
Apple ProDOS 1983 1993
Apple GS/OS 1988
Apple III Apple SOS 1980
Apple Lisa Lisa OS 1983
MacWorks XL 1984
Macintosh computers (68k) Classic Mac OS System 1
System 2 1985
System 3 1986
System 4 1987
System Software 5
  • Also marketed as System 5
System Software 6 1988
  • Also marketed as System 6
Macintosh computers (68k and PowerPC) System 7 1991
Mac OS 8 1997
Macintosh computers (PowerPC) Mac OS 9 1999
Mac OS X/OS X/macOS Mac OS X Public Beta September 13, 2000 May 14, 2001
  • Code name Kodiak
Mac OS X 10.0 September 13, 2000 March 24, 2001
  • Code name Cheetah
Mac OS X 10.1 September 25, 2001
  • Code name Puma
Mac OS X Jaguar August 23, 2002
  • Version 10.2
  • First release with a marketing name
Mac OS X Panther October 24, 2003
  • Version 10.3
Macintosh computers (PowerPC and x86) Mac OS X Tiger April 29, 2005
  • Version 10.4
Mac OS X Leopard October 26, 2007
  • Version 10.5
Macintosh computers (x86) Mac OS X Snow Leopard August 28, 2009
  • Version 10.6
Mac OS X Lion July 20, 2011
  • Version 10.7
  • Also marketed as OS X Lion
OS X Mountain Lion June 11, 2012 July 25, 2012
  • Version 10.8
OS X Mavericks June 10, 2013 October 22, 2013
  • Version 10.9
OS X Yosemite June 2, 2014 October 16, 2014
  • Version 10.10
OS X El Capitan June 8, 2015 September 30, 2015
  • Version 10.11
macOS Sierra June 13, 2016 September 20, 2016
  • Version 10.12
macOS High Sierra June 5, 2017 September 25, 2017
  • Version 10.13
macOS Mojave June 4, 2018 September 24, 2018
  • Version 10.14
  • Final version of macOS to support 32-bit hardware and software
macOS Catalina June 3, 2019 October 7, 2019
  • Version 10.15
  • First version of macOS with only 64-bit hardware and software support; 32-bit hardware and software support dropped
Macintosh computers (x86 and ARM64) macOS Big Sur June 22, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • Version 11
macOS Monterey June 7, 2021 October 25, 2021
  • Version 12
macOS Ventura June 6, 2022 October 24, 2022
  • Version 13
macOS Sonoma June 5, 2023 Late 2023
  • Version 14
Macintosh computers (PowerPC) Mac OS X Server Mac OS X Server 1.0 March 16, 1999 March 16, 1999
  • Code name Hera
  • Also referred to as Rhapsody
Mac OS X Server 10.0 May 21, 2001
  • Code name Cheetah
Mac OS X Server 10.1 September 25, 2001
  • Code name Puma
Mac OS X Server 10.2 August 23, 2002
  • Code name Jaguar
Mac OS X Server 10.3 October 24, 2003
  • Code name Panther
Macintosh computers (PowerPC and x86) Mac OS X Server 10.4 April 29, 2005
  • Code name Tiger
Mac OS X Server 10.5 October 26, 2007
  • Also marketed as Leopard Server
Macintosh computers (68k) A/UX February 1988
Macintosh computers (PowerPC) MkLinux
Copland N/A
  • Never released
Other computers NeXTSTEP September 18, 1989
  • Developed by NeXT, which Apple bought in 1997
OpenStep 1994
Darwin November 15, 2000
A/ROSE
AIX for Apple Network Servers
Macintosh Application Environment
PowerOpen Environment
Star Trek N/A
  • Never released
Taligent
Newton Newton OS August 3, 1993 February 27, 1998
iPod iPod OS
Apple TV Apple TV Software (x86) Apple TV Software 1 September 12, 2006 March 21, 2007 February 12, 2008
Apple TV Software 2 January 15, 2008[4] February 12, 2008[5] October 2009
Apple TV Software 3 October 2009
  • Derived from Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
Apple TV Software (ARM) Apple TV Software 4 September 1, 2010
Apple TV Software 5 March 7, 2012
Apple TV Software 6 September 20, 2013
Apple TV Software 7[note 1] September 17, 2014
tvOS tvOS 9[note 1] September 9, 2015 October 30, 2015
tvOS 10 June 13, 2016 September 13, 2016
tvOS 11 June 5, 2017 September 19, 2017
tvOS 12 June 4, 2018 September 17, 2018
tvOS 13 June 3, 2019 September 19, 2019
tvOS 14 June 22, 2020 September 16, 2020
tvOS 15 June 7, 2021 September 20, 2021
tvOS 16 June 6, 2022 September 12, 2022
tvOS 17 June 5, 2023 September 2023
iOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) iPhone OS/iOS[note 2] iPhone OS 1[note 2] January 2007 June 29, 2007
  • Derived from "OS X" (At the time, "macOS" was still known as "Mac OS X" and not "OS X" as it was known from 2012 to 2016.)
iPhone OS 2[note 2] Early 2008 June 2008
iPhone OS 3[note 2] Early 2009 June 2009
iOS 4[note 2] Early 2010 June 2010
  • Continuing from iPhone OS 3
iOS 5 June 6, 2011 October 12, 2011
iOS 6 June 11, 2012 September 19, 2012
iOS 7 June 10, 2013 September 18, 2013
  • First version of iOS to bring 64-bit hardware and software support
iOS 8 June 2, 2014 September 17, 2014
iOS 9 June 8, 2015 September 16, 2015
iOS 10 June 13, 2016 September 13, 2016
  • Final version of iOS to support 32-bit hardware and software
iOS 11 June 5, 2017 September 19, 2017
  • First version of iOS with only 64-bit hardware and software support; 32-bit hardware and software support dropped
iOS 12 June 4, 2018 September 17, 2018
iOS devices (iPhone and iPod Touch) iOS 13 June 3, 2019 September 19, 2019
iOS 14 June 22, 2020 September 16, 2020
iOS 15 June 7, 2021 September 20, 2021
  • Final version of iOS supported on or by iPod touch
iPhone iOS 16 June 6, 2022 September 12, 2022
  • First version of iOS supported only on iPhone; support dropped for iPod touch
iOS 17 June 5, 2023 September 2023
iPad iPadOS (derived from iOS) iPadOS 13 June 3, 2019 September 24, 2019
  • Derived from iOS 13
  • First version of iPadOS
iPadOS 14 June 22, 2020 September 16, 2020
  • Derived from iOS 14
  • Second version of iPadOS
iPadOS 15 June 7, 2021 September 20, 2021
  • Derived from iOS 15
  • Third version of iPadOS
iPadOS 16 June 6, 2022 October 24, 2022
  • Derived from iOS 16
  • Fourth version of iPadOS
iPadOS 17 June 5, 2023 September 2023
  • Derived from iOS 17
  • Fifth version of iPadOS
Apple Watch watchOS watchOS 1 Early 2015 April 24, 2015
  • Derived from iOS 8
  • First version of watchOS
watchOS 2 June 8, 2015 September 21, 2015
  • Derived from iOS 9
  • Second version of watchOS
watchOS 3 June 13, 2016 September 13, 2016
  • Derived from iOS 10
  • Third version of watchOS
watchOS 4 June 5, 2017 September 19, 2017
  • Derived from iOS 11
  • Fourth version of watchOS
watchOS 5 June 4, 2018 September 17, 2018
  • Derived from iOS 12
  • Fifth version of watchOS
  • First version of watchOS to bring 64-bit hardware and software support
watchOS 6 June 3, 2019 September 19, 2019
  • Sixth version of watchOS
  • Derived from iOS 13
watchOS 7 June 22, 2020 September 16, 2020
  • Seventh version of watchOS
  • Derived from iOS 14
watchOS 8 June 7, 2021 September 20, 2021
  • Derived from iOS 15
  • Eighth version of watchOS
  • Final version of watchOS to support 32-bit hardware and software
watchOS 9 June 6, 2022 September 12, 2022
  • Derived from iOS 16
  • Ninth version of watchOS
  • First version of watchOS with only 64-bit hardware and software support; 32-bit hardware and software support dropped
watchOS 10 June 5, 2023 September 2023
  • Derived from iOS 17
  • Tenth version of watchOS
Vision Pro visionOS June 5, 2023 Early 2024

Notes

  1. ^ a b There was no Apple TV Software 8 or tvOS 8, version 8 was skipped when moving to tvOS.
  2. ^ a b c d e iOS was previously known as iPhone OS, despite also being available on the iPod Touch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations) and the original iPad.

References

  1. ^ "Apple OS History". Computer Hope. May 21, 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  2. ^ Warren, Tom (2019-06-03). "Apple reveals iPadOS for iPad with a new home screen, multitasking improvements, and more". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  3. ^ Jaffe, Justin. "Apple introduces iPadOS, giving iPads their own operating system". CNET. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  4. ^ "Jobs reveals Apple TV update, HD rentals [U]". MacNN. January 15, 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018.
  5. ^ "Apple releases Apple TV "Take 2" update". MacNN. February 12, 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018.
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