iPhones Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-22-2022

Your iPhone can be so much more than a communication tool to talk into. Aside from making calls and creating your contacts, you should make yourself familiar with the many options available on the iPhone touchscreen. You'll also want to be able to handle troubleshooting when your Apple device acts strangely or stops working. When you need a bit of levity, check out our 10 ways to have fun with Siri. And finally, if you have an iPhone with Face ID, you’ll discover Face ID–specific tips for creating animoji and putting your iPhone into recovery mode.

Article / Updated 12-22-2022

A variety of iPhone models are on the market; it can be daunting when trying to decide which one you want to purchase. In this article, I focus on Apple’s newest models, the iPhone 14 series. If you’d like to explore others, Apple has a great tool on its website for making comparisons. The sizes of the latest iPhone 14 models vary: iPhone 14 measures 2.82" by 5.78" (6.1" diagonally) with a depth of .31 inch (smaller of the phones on the left in the image below). iPhone 14 Plus measures 3.07" by 6.33" (6.7" diagonally) with a depth of .31 inch (larger of the phones on the left in the image below). iPhone 14 Pro measures 2.81" by 5.81" (6.1" diagonally) with a depth of .31 inch (smaller of the phones on the right in the image below). iPhone 14 Pro Max measures 3.05" by 6.33" (6.7" diagonally) with a depth of .31 inch (larger of the phones on the right in the image below). You can get iPhone 14 and 14 Plus in starlight, midnight, blue, purple, and a beautiful product red version. iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max come in gold, silver, space black, and a great-looking deep purple. Why the iPhone 14 is worth buying Not sure whether to get an iPhone 14 model? Here are a few more key differences: All iPhone 14 models include upgraded batteries. You get up to 20 hours of video playback for iPhone 14, up to 23 hours for 14 Pro, 26 hours for 14 Plus, and a whopping 29 hours for 14 Pro Max. iPhone 14 models use eSIMs instead of physical SIMs. A SIM stores important information about your phone and your cellular provider network. Physical SIMs can be moved from phone to phone, but eSIMs are permanently built-in. All models received camera upgrades. iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max have triple rear-facing cameras, providing amazing optical zoom, portrait mode, and other features. The 14 and 14 Plus have dual rear-facing cameras. Screen resolution. The higher the resolution the better, especially for larger screens since you need to pack more pixels (the tiny dots of color that make up the images) into a larger space. The iPhone 14 offers 2532 x 1170 resolution; 14 Plus provides 2778 x 1284 resolution; 14 Pro boasts 2556 x 1179; and 14 Pro Max provides a stunning 2796 x 1290. The table below gives you a quick comparison of the iPhone SE (third generation), 12, 13, 13 mini, 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max (models currently sold by Apple). All costs are as of the time this book was written. (Some carriers may introduce non-contract terms.) iPhone Model Comparison Model Storage Cost (may vary by carrier) Carriers SE (third generation) 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB From $429 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 12 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB From $599 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 13 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB From $699 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 13 mini 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB From $599 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 14 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB From $799 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 14 Plus 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB From $899 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 14 Pro 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB From $999 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile 14 Pro Max 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB From $1,099 AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile Other differences between iPhone models come primarily from the current operating system, iOS 16. One exciting pricing option is the iPhone Upgrade Program. You choose your carrier, get an unlocked phone so you can change carriers, and receive Apple Care+ to cover you in case your phone has problems, all starting at a cost of $39.50 a month (depending on the iPhone model you select). The price does not include data usage from your carrier. Decide How Much Storage Is Enough Storage is a measure of how much information — for example, movies, photos, and software applications (apps) — you can store on a computing device. Storage can also affect your iPhone’s performance when handling such tasks as streaming favorite TV shows from the web or downloading music. Streaming refers to playing video or music content from the web (or from other devices) rather than playing a file stored on your iPhone. You can enjoy a lot of material online without ever downloading its full content to your phone — and given that the most storage-endowed iPhone model has a relatively small amount of storage, streaming is a good idea. Your storage options with an iPhone 14 or 14 Plus are 128, 256, and 512 gigabytes (GB), while 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max have 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB (terabyte, which is 1000GB). You must choose the right amount of storage because you can’t open the unit and add more, as you usually can with a desktop computer. However, Apple has thoughtfully provided iCloud, a service you can use to back up content to the internet. How much storage is enough for your iPhone? Here are some guidelines: If you simply want to check email, browse the web, and keep your calendar up to date, and you enjoy communicating via voice, video, and instant messaging, 128GB likely is plenty. For most people who manage a reasonable number of photos, download some music, and watch heavy-duty media such as movies online, 256GB may be sufficient. But if you might take things up a notch regarding media consumption and creation in the future (such as the newest grandchild being on the way soon), you should seriously consider 512GB. If you like lots of media, such as movies or TV shows, you might need 512GB or 1TB. For example, shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second will take roughly 1GB of storage space for every two and a half minutes of footage. If you shoot a lot of video, 1TB of storage might be more appealing. Do you know how big a gigabyte (GB) is? Consider this: Just about any computer you buy today comes with a minimum of 256GB of storage. Computers have to tackle larger tasks than iPhones, so that number makes sense. The iPhone, which uses a technology called flash storage for storing data, is meant (to a great extent) to help you experience online media and email; it doesn’t have to store much since it pulls lots of content from the internet. In the world of storage, 64GB for any kind of storage is puny if you keep lots of content (such as audio, video, and photos) on the device. What’s the price for larger storage? iPhone 14, a 128GB unit costs $799, 256GB is $899, and 512GB will set you back $1,099. iPhone 14 Plus with 128GB goes for $899, 256GB at $899, and 512GB for $1,199. iPhone 14 Pro with 128GB is $999, 256GB is $1,099, 512GB goes for $1,299, and the model tops out at $1,499 for 1TB. Not to be outdone, iPhone 14 Pro Max is the priciest: $1,099 for 128GB, $1,199 for 256GB, $1,399 for 512GB, and $1,599 for 1TB. Note that prices may vary by carrier and where you buy your phone.

Article / Updated 12-22-2022

Apple’s iPhone gets its features from a combination of hardware and its software operating system, which is called iOS (short for iPhone operating system). The most current version of the operating system, as of December 2022, is iOS 16. It’s helpful to understand which new features the latest models and iOS 16 bring to the table. Features of the latest models Apple’s latest additions to the iPhone family are the iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. Like their predecessors, they're highly advanced smartphones that leave competitors in the dust. Following, are some of the key features of the latest iPhone models. A15 and A16 Bionic chips The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus models include the A15 chip, while the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max receive the latest and greatest, the A16. The truly innovative tech in these models demands processors that can handle some heavy lifting while still being able to answer calls and retrieve email, and the A15 and A16 are both more than capable. Dynamic Island (14 Pro and Pro Max models only) No, this isn’t the latest reality show craze, but rather a long-awaited innovation. iPhone models of late have sported a notch at the top of their screens where sensors, cameras, and other hardware reside. Dynamic Island is a seamless pairing of hardware and software that effectively makes that area come alive with information for you, making it an upgraded notch with a twist, if you will. The notch appears to expand or contract, depending on the notifications, alerts, and other activities its currently tasked with. I hope this great update will find its way into other iPhone models moving forward. Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection Apple has incorporated these two critically important new safety features into the iPhone 14 lineup. Emergency SOS via Satellite helps you reach emergency responders when you’re outside traditional cell or Wi-Fi service. Crash Detection utilizes new gyroscope and accelerometer tech in the latest models to detect when you’ve been in an automobile crash and will cause your iPhone to alert emergency services automatically. Both features are something you never want to need but are thankful to have. Splash, water, and dust resistance Your new iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, or 14 Pro Max is resistant to damage caused by water splashing onto it or from dust collecting in it. Now, you don’t want to take your iPhone 14 model deep-sea diving, but it’s likely to survive submersion in about six meters of water for up to 30 minutes. In other words, if your iPhone 14 model gets wet, it’s much more likely to survive the ordeal than older iPhone iterations, but it still isn't something you’d like to see happen to your expensive investment. You might consider acquiring AppleCare+, which is Apple’s extended warranty, currently priced at $149 (iPhone 14), $179 (14 Plus), or $199 (iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max) per year. Monthly plans are also available. AppleCare+ covers unlimited incidents of accidental damage (but you will be charged minimal fees, based on the nature of the repair), which could more than cover the cost of repairing your iPhone without it. You can also get AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage for an additional $70 (all four models). Ceramic Shield The toughness and durability of Apple’s screens just keeps getting better. Ceramic Shield was developed by Apple and Corning, and according to them, it’s the toughest screen ever for a smartphone, making it four times more likely than other smartphones to survive a drop unscathed. Don’t think your iPhone is unbreakable. Cases are still a good — no, make that a great — idea. As mentioned, Apple has a line of cases that not only protect your iPhone but also allow for wireless MagSafe and Qi charging. (Qi is an industry-standard wireless charging technology used by Apple and most smartphone manufacturers.) Features of iOS 16 Any iPhone model from the iPhone 8 and newer (including the SE second generation, and all 11, 12, 13, and 14 models) can use most features of iOS 16 if you update the operating system. This update to the operating system adds many features, including (but definitely not limited to) the following. All-new lock screen: Apple’s taken a fresh approach to the lock screen, allowing you to customize it to your heart’s content. You can create lock screens for every occasion, switch between them in a snap, and include items like widgets, live activities, weather, and more. Focus: Think of Focus as an extension of the Do Not Disturb feature. You can customize a focus to filter notifications based on what you’re doing at the moment. iOS 16 introduces new features like focus schedules, focus filters (imagine one for work and one for personal), and allow and silence lists for apps and contacts. Photos: Photos in iOS 16 includes the new iCloud Shared Photo Library feature, which allows you to create a library of photos that you can share with others via iCloud. Other participants may also collaborate by adding their own photos to the library, providing a more complete memory experience for all. Everyone can also edit, delete, caption, and mark as a favorite any photo in the library. Messages: The latest iteration of Messages finally allows you to select multiple messages at once (for example, if you want to delete several at one time), mark read messages as unread, edit messages you’ve already sent (up to 15 minutes after), and more. This is a nice upgrade, IMO. Safari: Tab groups, a welcome new feature in iOS 15, allow you to group your open web pages any way you like. iOS 16 takes the feature a step further by allowing you to share tab groups and create pinned tabs in tab groups. It also introduces Passkeys, a new and more secure way to authenticate yourself on websites that require a password. Maps: Maps now allows you to add multiple stops along your route. The new Transit Fares feature helps you calculate fares and other fees so you can better prepare for trip costs. Health app: You can now use Health to track your medications, discover potential interaction issues, add medications by scanning the label on bottles, get reminders when it’s time to take medications, and more. These are but a few of the improvements made to the latest version of iOS. I suggest visiting Apple's iOS 16 web page to find out more. Don’t need all the built-in apps? You can remove them from your Home screen. When you remove a built-in app from your Home screen, you aren't deleting it — you’re hiding it. (Note that built-in apps take up very little of your iPhone’s storage space.) If you change your mind, you can easily add them back to your Home screen by searching for them in the App Store and tapping the Get button, or by retrieving them from the App Library. How you recover them depends on the app; some allow you to hide them while others only let you relegate them to the App Library.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-14-2022

This cheat sheet gives you a rundown of some of the most useful features and apps so you can find what you need to customize your iPhone’s behavior. See how to get the most out of Siri (your iPhone’s virtual assistant), review some favorite apps for news and weather, and discover several of the most popular apps for multimedia.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-24-2022

Believe it or not, most of the technical and creative innovation in photography today is coming not from the big DSLR manufacturers but rather from mobile phone makers. Your Apple iPhone is a brilliant mixture of art and science, and its camera is ready and able to help you capture your next stunning photo. Discover how to create bold, strong compositions that hold your viewer’s attention. Master the technical side of iPhone photography. And as the word photography literally means light-writing, immerse yourself in the exciting possibilities for manipulating light. The future is bright for iPhone photographers such as you.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-15-2022

It's not always obvious how you can modify how your iPhone works. For example, you can use Settings to change how the Safari browser protects you from being tracked online or which online calendar's events are shown in iPhone's Calendar app. This Cheat Sheet gives you a rundown of some of the most useful features and apps so that you can find what you need to customize your iPhone's behavior.

Article / Updated 01-14-2022

Before iOS 11 came out, long-time iPhone users pined for a way to browse files stored on their devices, as opposed to being limited to finding documents and other files only within the apps they’re intended for or created by. When iOS 11 came out, it introduced a new app called Files, which allows you to browse not only for files stored on your iPhone, but also see stuff you stored on other online (cloud) services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and others. How to use the Files app You’ll find the Files app on the second home screen, by default. Tap the Files icon to open the app. On the Browse screen: Tap the Search field to search for items by title. Tap a source in the Locations or Favorites sections to browse a particular service or your iPhone. Tap colors under Tags to search for files you’ve tagged according to categories. Once in a source, you may tap files to open or preview them, and you may tap folders to open them and view their contents. Tap Select in the upper-right corner of the screen and then tap items to select them for an action. Available actions, found at the bottom of the screen, include Duplicating files: Make copies of selected items. Moving files: Move files to other sources. Sharing files: Share files with other people in a variety of ways (Messages and Mail, for example). You can even invite them to make edits, if you like. Deleting files: Trash files you no longer need. Should you like to retrieve a file you’ve deleted, go the Browse screen (tap Browse at the bottom of the screen if you’re not already there) and tap Recently Deleted. Tap Select in the upper-right corner, tap the file you’d like to retrieve, and tap the Recover button at the bottom of the screen. The file will be placed back in the location it was originally deleted from. Please note that some services may not allow you to retrieve a file you’ve deleted; if you don’t see the file you’re looking for, contact that particular service.

Article / Updated 11-08-2021

If you are an iPhone user who has visual challenges, the black-and-white screen option offers a black background with white lettering that some people find easier to use when reading text. The White on Black accessibility setting reverses colors on your screen so that backgrounds are black and text is white. To turn on this feature, tap the Settings icon on the Home screen. Tap General and then scroll down and tap Accessibility. In the Accessibility dialog, tap the White on Black On/Off button to turn on this feature. The colors on the screen reverse. Tap the Home button to leave Settings. The White on Black feature works well in some places and not so well in others. For example, in the Photos application, pictures appear almost as photo negatives. Your Home screen image will likewise look a bit strange. And don’t even think of playing a video with this feature turned on! However, if you need help reading text, White on Black can be useful in several applications. For more help on iPhone accessibility features, check out iPhone Accessibility Options for Easier iPhone Operation.

Article / Updated 10-06-2021

You can lock your iPhone so its touch screen doesn't work. This prevents the iPhone from dialing phone numbers, playing music, or doing anything else when it's in your pocket, rubbing against your pants, or in your purse making contact with keys and other stuff. Apple makes locking your iPhone a snap. In fact, you don’t need to do anything to lock the iPhone; it happens automatically, if you don't touch the screen for one minute. Can’t wait that long? To lock the iPhone immediately, press the Sleep/Wake button. To unlock it, press the Sleep/Wake button again. Or, press the Home button on the front of the screen. Either way, the on-screen slider appears, but your iPhone doesn’t actually awaken until you drag the slider to the right with your finger.

Article / Updated 03-26-2021

If you're like most, you might find it helpful to know how to delete and organize apps on your iPhone. How to delete apps on iPhones You may delete many of the Apple apps that came with your iPhone as well as any third-party app you no longer want or need. Here’s how to delete almost any app on your iPhone: Long-press any icon, and then choose Edit Home Screen to start the icons jiggling. Tap the little – (minus sign) in the upper-left corner of the app you want to delete. A dialog appears, informing you that deleting this app also deletes all its data. To remove the app from this device, tap Delete App. If you instead tap Move to App Library, the app will be removed from the home screen and only appear in the App Library. You can download any app you’ve purchased again, for free, from the App Store. So deleting it means only that it's gone from your device. You can always get it back by downloading it again unless, as previously stated, the app is no longer available in the App Store. Just remember that deleting an app from your iPhone this way doesn’t get rid of it permanently. Even then, it’s not really gone forever because you can download purchased apps again for free. And, of course, you can download free apps again for free because, well, they’re free. If you see a warning that deleting the app also deletes any associated data, you may want to save the data before deleting the app. Different apps have different schemes for importing and exporting data; the important thing is that if you create documents with an app (notes, images, videos, and such), deleting the app will delete any files you’ve created with that app unless they’re saved to iCloud or elsewhere. Forewarned is forearmed. If you delete an app and later change your mind and want it back on your iPhone, just tap your-face-in-a-circle in the App Store app and then tap Purchased. Then just tap the little cloud icon to reinstall the app on your iPhone. How to organize apps on iPhones You can have up to 19 Home screens (or pages) of apps. And if you’re like many iPhone users, you’ll soon have a substantial collection of apps on your iPhone. So let’s look at a few ways to organize those apps for easy access. To rearrange apps or create folders on your iPhone, long-press any app or folder and choose Edit Home Screen, which makes the app and folder icons jiggle and dance and little “delete me” minus signs appear on the apps. A folder icon is the same as an app icon when it comes to rearranging icons on-screen. Also, the app or folder you press and hold down to start the jiggling doesn’t have to be the one you want to move — any app or folder will do. To move an app or folder after the jiggling starts, press it, drag it to its new location (other apps on the screen will politely move out of its way to make space for it), and release it. If you move an icon onto another icon and pause for a second, a folder will be created. If you move an icon onto a folder and pause for a second, the folder will open so you can place the icon wherever you like in the folder. Like Home screens, folders can have more than one page; if you see two or more little white dots at the bottom of the folder — one for each additional screen — swipe left to see the next screen or swipe right to see the previous one. To move an app to a different Home screen after the jiggling starts, press the app and drag it all the way to the left or right edge of the screen. The preceding Home screen or next Home screen, respectively, will appear. Keep dragging the app to the left or right edge of each successive Home screen until you reach the screen you want. Then drop the app in its new location on that screen. If the screen already holds 20 apps, the last icon on the page will be pushed to the next Home screen. Be persistent — sometimes it takes a few tries to make the screens switch. All these techniques work with apps on the dock (Phone, Safari, Messages, and Music by default), as well as with apps on Home screens and folders. iOS 14 introduced the ability to add widgets to any Home screen. To do so, long-press an app or folder and choose Edit Home Screen, then tap the + in the upper-left corner of the screen to see the Widget gallery overlay. Tap an item for more info; tap the +Add Widget button to add the widget to the current Home screen. To move the widget to a different Home screen, long-press an app or folder and choose Edit Home Screen and then press and drag the widget left or right to move it to the previous or next Home screen. A few more facts about Home screens. We mention this elsewhere, but in case you missed it: The little dots above the four apps on the dock indicate how many Home screens you have. The black dot denotes the current Home screen; the gray dots represent other Home screens. And last but not least, we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least provide the following reminders. After you have a few screens full of apps and folders, remembering where you put a particular app can be difficult. When that happens, Search can quickly find and launch apps no matter which Home screen they’re on or folder they’re in. Or ask Siri to open the app by name. Finally, take advantage of multitasking by double-tapping the Home button (Touch ID) or swiping upward (Face ID) to quickly switch between recently used apps. There you have it — you now know everything you need to know to find, install, delete, and organize iPhone apps! App Clips App Clips are, according to Apple: A small part of an app experience designed to be discovered the moment it is needed. App Clips are associated with a particular product or business, and load within seconds to complete a specific task, such as renting a scooter, purchasing a coffee, or filling a parking meter. They can be easily discovered and accessed by scanning a new Apple-designed App Clip code, or through NFC tags and QR codes, or shared in Messages or from Safari, all with the security and privacy expected from apps. App Clips, which require an active internet connection, are invoked by pointing your iPhone camera at a QR code, tapping an NFC tag with your iPhone, or tapping a link to an App Clip in Mail, Messages, or Safari. A banner appears describing the App Clip and what it does. Tap the banner and an overlay lets you choose to either use the App Clip immediately or visit the App Store to download the full version of the app. If you choose to use the App Clip right away, it opens and behaves like any other app, allowing you to complete the task without visiting the App Store or downloading an app to your iPhone. When you’re done, exit the App Clip as you exit any app (by pressing the Home button or swiping upward). Note that the App Clip will remain in your multitasking app switcher for a while unless you specifically close it by swiping it upward. App Clips are a convenient way to perform a task that would otherwise require a visit to the App Store. So, keep an eye out for App Clip NFC tags, QR codes, and links — they can save you time and bandwidth.