What is Sandbox in iOS? Can I transfer data between one app to another app?

Mobile device application developers use the sandboxing capability of iOS to ensure the security of the user data and to ensure that the application don't share data with other applications installed on the same device.

• The sandbox forms and maintains a private environment of data and information for each app.

• The sandbox can minimize the damage that can be done from a potential hacker but it can't prevent the attack from happening.

• Although Apple has built robust sandboxing features into iOS , it is upto the developer's to ensure that their apps are written securely.

• When an app is installed on a mobile device, the system creates a unique directory for it.

• Sandboxing only prevents the hijacked app from affecting the other apps and also other parts of the system.

From The iOS Environment

For security reasons, iOS places each app (including its preferences and data) in a sandbox at install time. A sandbox is a set of fine-grained controls that limit the app’s access to files, preferences, network resources, hardware, and so on. As part of the sandboxing process, the system installs each app in its own sandbox directory, which acts as the home for the app and its data.

one solution to transmit data from one to another app is via URL Schemes

iPhone apps are all sandboxed, meaning there is no sharing of files between applications.

There are some ways of transferring data between applications but they're very limited. Look at URL schemes.

http://wiki.akosma.com/IPhone_URL_Schemes