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Release appearance

iOS 6.0 Public

Full article
Public release

Recorded context

About this appearance

The public iOS 6 release added Apple-designed Maps, wider Siri capabilities, Facebook integration, Shared Photo Streams, Passbook, new communication and productivity tools, accessibility controls, and extensive security repairs.

Date
Sep 19, 2012
Availability
available
Revision
No

Release notes

What changed

Original editorial synthesis. Linked references appear with the claims they support and in the source ledger.

The main platform additions reorganized navigation, voice assistance, social sharing, photo collaboration, and digital passes. Maps supplied Apple cartography, directions and Flyover; Siri broadened its knowledge and languages; Facebook gained system integration; and Passbook surfaced time- or location-relevant passes.[1][2]

Other changes reached FaceTime, incoming-call handling, Mail, Safari, stores, games, accessibility, privacy, networking, and regional input and services. Apple’s security bulletin separately documents repairs to lock-state boundaries, protected data, messages, media and document parsers, the kernel, and browser behavior.[3][4]

Source ledger

References

Sources are linked to the claims they support. Publication and access dates are shown when available.

  1. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Maps, Siri, Facebook integration, Shared Photo Streams, and Passbook

    Back to text ↑
  3. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — FaceTime improvements through Features for China mainland

    Back to text ↑
  4. About the security content of iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 security content

    Back to text ↑
  5. About the security content of iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · CFNetwork — CVE-2012-3724; DHCP — CVE-2012-3725; IPSec entries

  6. About the security content of iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · CoreGraphics, CoreMedia, ImageIO, libxml, Office Viewer, Kernel, and WebKit entries

  8. Apple Previews iOS 6 With All New Maps, Siri Features, Facebook Integration, Shared Photo Streams & New Passbook App

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2012-06-11T00:00:00Z · FaceTime and incoming-call options

  10. Apple security updates (2011 to 2012)

    Apple Support · Apple · 2023-08-10T00:00:00.000Z · iOS 6 — 19 Sept 2012

  11. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Accessibility improvements

  12. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — App Store, iTunes Store, and Game Center improvements

  13. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Facebook integration

  14. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — FaceTime and Phone improvements

  15. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Mail improvements

  16. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Maps

  17. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Other features and Features for China mainland

  18. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Passbook

  19. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Safari improvements

  20. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Shared Photo Streams

  21. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6 — Siri improvements

  23. About iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 6

  26. About the security content of iOS 6

    Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · Passcode Lock, Restrictions, Mail, Messages, Telephony, and UIKit entries

  29. Apple Previews iOS 6 With All New Maps, Siri Features, Facebook Integration, Shared Photo Streams & New Passbook App

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2012-06-11T00:00:00Z · Siri expansion and Eyes Free

Release changes

Changed in this release

Features, fixes, removals, and regressions first observed in this release record.

security · fixed

Content, kernel, and WebKit security

documentedconfirmed

Apple updated or hardened FreeType, ImageIO, media handling, libxml, Office Viewer, packet-filter kernel paths, and WebKit memory and origin handling against crashes, disclosure, spoofing, and code-execution risks.

  1. [1] About the security content of iOS 6 · CoreGraphics, CoreMedia, ImageIO, libxml, Office Viewer, Kernel, and WebKit entries

enhancement · changed

Store and Game Center improvements

documentedconfirmed

Updated stores retained preview history and supported completing seasons or albums, while Game Center added score challenges, social posting, and recommendations based on Facebook friends.

  1. [1] About iOS 6 · iOS 6 — App Store, iTunes Store, and Game Center improvements

security · fixed

Network and Wi-Fi privacy protections

documentedconfirmed

CFNetwork avoided sending requests to an unintended host, DNAv4 broadcasts were disabled on unencrypted Wi-Fi, and IPSec server names were checked properly against certificates.

  1. [1] About the security content of iOS 6 · CFNetwork — CVE-2012-3724; DHCP — CVE-2012-3725; IPSec entries

enhancement · changed

Privacy, system, and regional capabilities

documentedconfirmed

New controls covered Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Photos, and Bluetooth-shared data; other additions included an iPad Clock app, iCloud-synced keyboard shortcuts, Bluetooth MAP, a global HTTP proxy, and integrations with Baidu, Sina Weibo, Tudou, and Youku.

  1. [1] About iOS 6 · iOS 6 — Other features and Features for China mainland

security · fixed

Lock, data, and communication protections

documentedconfirmed

Representative repairs tightened multiple lock-screen state paths, restored password enforcement after Restrictions changes, protected Mail attachments and web-view files, preserved the intended iMessage reply address, and displayed the originating SMS address.

  1. [1] About the security content of iOS 6 · Passcode Lock, Restrictions, Mail, Messages, Telephony, and UIKit entries