Identical iOS on 4 devices?

[thekeyring]

I've been frustrated with this idea for a while, but it's peaked when I read a comment that Apple TV is an iOS device.

I can't shake the feeling that there are actually three versions of iOS being branded as one: Phone iOS, Tablet iOS and TV iOS. A feeling increased by the rumors of an iPad with a smaller screen and an iPhone with a bigger screen.

If I'm wrong and iOS is the same on all devices isn't that a waste of space? Including all the iPad features on an iPhone simply for them to be "turned off"? Or including the new Apple TV UI on an iPad or iPhone where it's never seen or used, because iOS displays the relevant iPad and iPhone interfaces?

 

[mrapplegate]

As you know each device has their own download, so each is different. If they were the same with just features turned off there would only be one download.

 

[sesnir]

iOS for iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV are all different. For example, the iPad version of the Settings app is not installed-but-hidden on the iPhone or Apple TV. Actually, there's different variations of iOS depending on if the iPad is Wifi-only, AT&T, Verizon, and of course which generation the device is matters.

Edit: Beaten to it.

 

[Menel]

I've been frustrated with this idea for a while, but it's peaked when I read a comment that Apple TV is an iOS device.

I can't shake the feeling that there are actually three versions of iOS being branded as one: Phone iOS, Tablet iOS and TV iOS. A feeling increased by the rumors of an iPad with a smaller screen and an iPhone with a bigger screen.

If I'm wrong and iOS is the same on all devices isn't that a waste of space? Including all the iPad features on an iPhone simply for them to be "turned off"? Or including the new Apple TV UI on an iPad or iPhone where it's never seen or used, because iOS displays the relevant iPad and iPhone interfaces?

Yes. Good thing Apple didn't design it like that.

 

[thekeyring]

Thank-you everyone for posting. This makes things a lot more straight forward. Also, thanks for not yelling at me for not being as smart as you