This glossary lists common jargon you will frequently come across as you browse this wiki. Definitions you see below will appear in a popup when hovering on them in articles.
Hardware[edit]
- AOP
- Always-On Processor, marketed as "motion coprocessor" in early 64-bit SoCs.
- AMCC
- Apple Memory Cache Controller.
- AP
- Application Processor, the primary CPU of an Apple Silicon system-on-a-chip that most code executes on
- ARM
- The ARM instruction set used by the CPU and other coprocessors of an Apple Silicon system-on-a-chip
- armv6
- The ARM instruction set used by the CPU on early iOS devices
- armv7
- The ARM instruction set used by the CPU on early iOS devices
- arm64
- The ARM instruction set used by the CPU on current iOS devices
- baseband
- The modem chipset that provides cellular capabilities to a device
- JTAG
- An industry standard for testing hardware after manufacturing
- NAND
- "NOT-AND" logic gate, frequently used to refer to flash memory (solid-state drives)
- NOR
- "NOT-OR" logic gate, likely used to refer to the NOR flash memory used to hold boot data on early iOS devices
- NVRAM
- Non-volatile memory, used to store small amounts of data used during the boot process
- S5L
- The series of Samsung systems-on-a-chip used by iPods and early iOS devices, prior to A9
- SEP
- Secure Enclave Processor, a coprocessor on the system-on-a-chip that handles encryption requirements such Touch ID and Face ID
- SoC
- System on a chip, an integrated set of processors that provide the majority of an iOS device's core hardware functionality
Boot[edit]
- bootrom
- SecureROM
- The first significant code that runs on an iOS device
- DFU
- Device Firmware Update mode, a feature of the bootrom allowing for emergency restores when the installed firmware is invalid
- iBEC
- iBootStage2
- A stripped-down variant of iBoot, used to enter Restore Mode
- iBoot
- The bootloader on iOS devices and some later iPods, or a general name for the pre-kernel boot process
- iBSS
- iBootStage1
- A stripped-down variant of iBoot, providing some services for the restore process
- LLB
- Low Level Bootloader, a component that runs setup routines before starting iBoot
- Recovery Mode
- The mode an iOS or later iPod device boots into when the operating system fails to boot, known by its "connect to computer" graphic
- WTF
- What's The Firmware, an early variant of DFU mode
Protocols[edit]
- SWD
- Serial Wire Debug, an electrical interface that can debug processors in a device
- TSS
- Tatsu Signing Server, the server that generates cryptographically signed strings that certifies that components of the boot process are allowed to run on the device
Firmware & Boot[edit]
- APTicket
- Application Processor Ticket, a cryptographically signed string that certifies that components of the boot process are allowed to run on the device
- ASR
- Apple System Restore, the program that installs a root filesystem image to a device
- GM
- Golden Master, an outdated term for a Release Candidate software version
- IMG2
- File format used for images an early iOS or later iPod device can boot to
- IMG3
- File format used for images later 32-bit iOS devices can boot to
- IMG4
- IM4P
- File format used for images 64-bit iOS devices (including 32-bit Apple Watches) can boot to
- IPSW
- The file format that holds iOS and iPod firmware restore images
- OTA
- Over-the-air, often used to refer to OTA Updates, where an iOS device downloads and installs an update on itself without assistance from external hardware
- ramdisk
- A firmware image that contains a minimal operating system for certain tasks, named as such because it is stored temporarily in memory rather than permanently on disk
- RC
- Release Candidate, a software version that is receiving final beta testing in anticipation of its official release.
- RSR
- Rapid Security Response, a mechanism allowing Apple to release urgent security updates without issuing a full OS release
IMG3/IMG4 tags[edit]
- ECID
- Exclusive Chip Identification, the serial number of an Apple Silicon system-on-a-chip
- KBAG
- Keybag, a value in the IMG3/IMG4 formats that forms part of the decryption keys for encrypted firmware files
- SHSH
- Signed hash, a cryptographically signed string that certifies that components of the boot process are allowed to run on the device
iTunes[edit]
- AAS
- Apple Application Support, a program consisting of the base libraries used by iTunes and other Apple apps on Windows
- AMDS
- Apple Mobile Device Support, a program consisting of libraries and a driver for iOS and iPod devices, used by iTunes, Xcode, and other Apple apps on macOS and Windows
- QT
- The QuickTime media player, previously required for iTunes for audio/video playback
Security[edit]
- ASLR
- Address Space Layout Randomisation, a security technique to prevent memory from being taken over
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, a central database of security vulnerabilities reported in software
Jailbreak[edit]
- brick
- A device that is failing to boot into a working operating system
- semi-tethered
- A jailbreak that is temporarily applied until the device powers off or reboots, but can still be booted into a non-jailbroken state
- semi-untethered
- A jailbreak that is applied through an app installed on the device, leaving the device boot process unmodified
- tethered
- Often used to refer to a jailbreak that is temporarily applied until the device powers off or reboots
- untethered
- Often used to refer to a jailbreak that reapplies when the device is powered off or rebooted
Codenames[edit]
This page lists several code names of Apple features.
- ACE
- The USB-C port controller on the Mac
- ACSN
- "Anonymous Crowd-Sourced Network", the server-side part of Find My offline finding (see also Search Party)
- Akashi
- Cellular data on Apple Watch
- Andromeda
- Always-on Display on iPhone 14 Pro[1]
- Bobcat
- The internal framework "Siri Natural Language Generation" introduced in tvOS 16.4
- Broadway
- Apple Card
- Brook
- Handwashing detection (BrookServices and BrookDataCollection private frameworks since iOS 14).
- Burrito
- Bedtime (unsure of boundary with Eucalyptus)
- Chamois
- Stage Manager (window management on macOS 13 / iPadOS 16)
- Charon
- "Dive" app for Apple Watch Ultra[2]
- Cinnamon
- Apple Watch electrocardiogram
- CKKS
- CloudKit Keychain Syncing, part of iCloud Keychain
- Durian
- AirTags (seen eg. in the firmware update)
- Ensemble
- Universal Control (macOS 12/iOS 15)
- Eucalyptus
- Sleep tracking (unsure of boundary with Burrito)
- Glimmer
- Previously named Gobbler, this app created in 2017 is installed on Apple employees’ phones to improve Face ID
- Green Tea
- Chinese region customizations
- Haywire
- Lightning video adapters (eg. Lightning to HDMI)
- HiFive
- Chip present in Lightning cable connectors to negotiate the Lightning protocol.
- Hydra
- Multiplexing chip in iDevices since iPhone X to deal with the Lightning protocol.
- Lisa
- Digital Crown on the Apple Watch.
- Newton
- Apple Watch fall detection
- Madrid
- iMessage[3]
- Mandrake
- Siren on Apple Watch Ultra[4]
- Marzipan
- UIKit on macOS (Catalyst)
- Maverick
- Update protocol from AP to Baseband chip
- Medusa
- iPad Split Screen (probably Slide Over etc. too), not to be confused with the T1 EFI device (http://www.cmizapper.com/products/medusa-3.html)
- Mesa
- TouchID on iDevices
- Munin
- Apple Maps "Look Around" feature (streetview-like)
- Pallas
- Apple's software update server (gdmf.apple.com) as of iOS/iPadOS/tvOS/audioOS 14, watchOS 6 and macOS 11
- Quadra
- ProRaw
- Rose
- U1 / Ultra Wide Band chip
- Sanddollar
- TouchID on the T1/T2 MacBook
- Savage
- Face ID
- Scandium
- Apple Watch blood oxygen saturation measurement
- Search Party
- Find My network (SP prefix in frameworks etc)
- SOS
- Secure Object Sync, part of iCloud Keychain
- Splat
- Rapid Security Response updates
- Stark
- CarPlay
- Stewie
- Roadside Assistance over satellite (iOS 17)
- Sting
- Action Button on Apple Watch Ultra[5][6]
- Stockholm
- Apple Pay / Secure Element (handles NFC as well)
- Skywagon
- Xcode Cloud
- Tincan
- Walkie-Talkie
- Tinker
- Apple Watch Family Setup
- Tristar
- Multiplexing chip in iDevices that deals with the Lightning protocol.
- Tritium
- Apple Watch always-on screen (series 5 and later)
- UARP
- Universal Accessory Restore Protocol[7]
- Vinyl
- The eSIM or eUICC
- Wormhole
- AirDrop[8]
- Yonkers
- Face ID (A12+)
- Zeus
- Hermès variants of products (like Apple Watch and AirTag)
Unknown names[edit]
Codenames seen somewhere, but for which we don't know the meaning or it's not certain, and needs more investigation.
- Absinthe
- FairPlay-related
- Avocado
- Seen in SpringBoard code
os_feature_enabled_impl("SpringBoard", "Avocado") - Engram
- A "keychain view" (whatever that is), related to iCloud Keychain; there's also a related Engram private framework
- Futhark
- Private framework since iOS 9 (text detection?)
- Hawkeye
- Some FindMy-enabled product, probably means third-party devices.
(mentioned in FMIPCore, SiriFindMy and SPShared frameworks, locationd and searchpartyd daemons). - Madia
- Unknown
- Manatee
- A "keychain view" (whatever that is), related to iCloud Keychain
- Mescal
- FairPlay-related
- Morphun
- Private framework, there's also a MorphunData asset in mesu.
- Neutrino
- Private frameworks since iOS 11 (NeutrinoCore and NeutrinoKit).
- Nitrogen
- Unknown
- Octagon
- Related to iCloud Keychain
- Orion
- MCU of some kind
- Oslo
- Related to NFC payments; mentioned in SEP OS,
nfcd, andPrivateFrameworks/iCloudQuota*. - Osprey
- Private framework iOS 13, related to Siri, uses Absinthe
- Pegasus
- Private framework since iOS 9 (not related to NSO's exploit tool).
- Peppy
- Unknown
- Piggyback
- Some protocol related to Secure Object Sync / iCloud Keychain.
- Prague
- Related to NFC payments; mentioned in SEP OS,
nfcd,mobileactivationd, andPrivateFrameworks/DeviceIdentity. - Proud Lock
- Mentioned on SpringBoard code, possibly FaceID unlock?
- Silex
- Private framework since iOS 11.
- Vapor
- Seen in SpringBoard code
os_feature_enabled_impl("NotificationCenter", "Vapor") - Veridian
- Viceroy
- Seen in multiple frameworks, FaceTime-related.
- Xavier
- Private frameworks since iOS 14 (XavierCore/XavierNews).
SoCs[edit]
Starting with A6X, Apple added island/place codenames to SoCs, according to John (@nyan_satan) on the Hack Different Discord.[9]
Starting with the M1 series, Apple additionally uses a suffix to indicate the multiplier of chiplets in the design. The "Chop" variant removes some portion of the "1C" design - for instance, M1 Pro (Jade Chop) is identical to M1 Max (Jade 1C), but with 16 fewer GPU cores. This is further explained with diagrams by John Siracusa on Twitter.
| SoC | Codename |
|---|---|
| A6X | Bali |
| A7 | Alcatraz |
| A8 | Fiji |
| A8X | Capri |
| A9 (Samsung) | Maui |
| A9 (TSMC) | Malta |
| A9X | Elba |
| A10 | Cayman |
| A10X | Myst |
| A11 | Skye |
| A12 | Cyprus |
| S4 and S5 | M9 |
| A12X | Aruba |
| A13 | Cebu |
| A14 | Sicily |
| M1 | Tonga |
| A15 | Ellis |
| M1 Pro | Jade Chop |
| M1 Max | Jade 1C |
| M1 Ultra | Jade 2C |
| M2 | Staten |
| A16 | Crete |
| M2 Pro | Rhodes Chop |
| M2 Max | Rhodes 1C |
| M2 Ultra | Rhodes 2C |
| A17 | Coll |
| M3 | Ibiza (rumored) |
CPU cores[edit]
Since the A6, Apple SoCs have Apple-designed CPU cores. This table lists their names.
- Swift
- A6 CPU core design
- Cyclone
- A7 CPU core design
- Typhoon
- A8 CPU core design
- Twister
- A9 CPU core design
- Hurricane
- A10 performance core design
- Zephyr
- A10 low-power efficiency core design
- Monsoon
- A11 performance core design
- Mistral
- A11 low-power efficiency core design
- Vortex
- A12 performance core design
- Tempest
- A12 low-power efficiency core design
- Lightning
- A13 performance core design
- Thunder
- A13 low-power efficiency core design
- Firestorm
- A14/M1 performance core design
- Icestorm
- A14/M1 low-power efficiency core design
- Avalanche
- A15/M2 performance core design
- Blizzard
- A15/M2 low-power efficiency core design
- Everest
- A16/A17 performance core design
- Sawtooth
- A16/A17/M3 low-power efficiency core design
- ^ https://twitter.com/SteveMoser/status/1567663672507473920
- ^ https://twitter.com/SteveMoser/status/1567622418700673025
- ^ "Madrid" and
com.apple.madridappear in iMessage code, data files, and protocol - ^ https://twitter.com/SteveMoser/status/1567622442427846663
- ^ https://twitter.com/SteveMoser/status/1567663727066873857
- ^ https://twitter.com/KhaosT/status/1568784164891295751
- ^ Apple patent "Techniques for firmware updates with accessories"
- ^ sharingd used to have classes like
SDWormholeConnection - ^ https://discord.com/channels/779134930265309195/779134930265309198/1005033813631569951