Directly from Apple Documentation.
The NSNull class defines a singleton object you use to represent null values in situations where nil is prohibited as a value (typically in a collection object such as an array or a dictionary).
NSNull *nullValue = [NSNull null];
NSArray *arrayWithNull = [NSArray arrayWithObject:nullValue];
NSLog(@"arrayWithNull: %@", arrayWithNull);
// output: "arrayWithNull: ()"
It is important to appreciate that the NSNull instance is semantically different from NO or false—these both represent a logical value; the NSNull instance represents the absence of a value. The NSNull instance is semantically equivalent to nil, however it is also important to appreciate that it is not equal to nil. To test for a null object value, you must therefore make a direct object comparison.
id aValue = [arrayWithNull objectAtIndex:0];
if (aValue == nil) {
NSLog(@"equals nil");
} else if (aValue == [NSNull null]) {
NSLog(@"equals NSNull instance");
if ([aValue isEqual:nil]) {
NSLog(@"isEqual:nil");
}
}
// output: "equals NSNull instance"
Is it clear now??