What is Apple’s VendorUI and why is it distributing it to factories
Apple VendorUI: Apple has started the distribution of internal builds of iOS 18 to factories and relevant vendors, according to MarcRumours citing sources.
This version of iOS, known as VendorUI, is selectively provided to ensure stringent control over its access.
What is Apple’s VendorUI?
VendorUI serves as a specialised variant of iOS, tailored for quality assurance testing within manufacturing facilities. It offers a pre-production iteration of the iOS user interface, which Apple typically reserves for public launch at WWDC. The distribution of VendorUI enables testing for new features, settings adjustments, and branding modifications.
Notably, this version may exclude certain applications, focusing solely on those necessary for testing purposes.
Apple typically develops various versions of iOS for different purposes:
Release: The standard iOS version intended for end-users.
InternalUI: Designed for Apple’s software engineers, featuring
pre-production elements of the iOS user interface and unreleased features.
VendorUI: Specifically crafted for quality control testing in manufacturing settings, incorporating aspects of pre-production iOS user interface.
NonUI: Developed for hardware engineers and calibration equipment, devoid of the standard iOS user interface.
LLDiags: Geared towards low-level diagnostics, with minimal user interface functionality except for basic diagnostics menu (Diags).
The distribution of VendorUI for iOS 18 suggests a potential increase in leaked iOS features, as the operating system becomes accessible to a broader audience.
