audioOS

From The Apple Wiki
audioOS
DeveloperApple Inc.
Written in
OS familytvOS-based (iOS-based, Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelClosed source
Initial release9 February 2018; 6 years ago
Update method
PlatformsHomePod
Kernel typeHybrid (XNU)
Default
user interface
SoundBoard
LicenseProprietary
Official websitewww.apple.com/audioos

audioOS (often referred to by Apple as HomePod Software) is the operating system used by the HomePod and HomePod Mini. It is a forked version of tvOS as of 13.4 (prior to 13.4, it was a forked version of iOS).

The first version of audioOS is marketed as 11.0. An OTA update was released before the HomePod's launch as 11.0.2. OTAs with broadened firmware requirements are prefixed with "9.9." (example: 9.9.11.0.2).

The shell for audioOS is called by "SoundBoard" (instead of SpringBoard), although it has no user interface. Most frameworks and applications are replaced with HomePod equivalents that are prefixed with "Air".