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iPhone Tips

These camera tips, tricks, and settings can help you take better photos and videos on your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

there are a number of Camera settings that you can change on your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro to take even better photos and videos. Read on as we detail how to do just that.

While you can switch between camera modes and change some options directly in the native Camera app, some of the settings can only be found within the iOS Settings app.

1. Turn on the Grid

Framing a person or an object in a photo or video is not always easy. Thankfully, having Grid enabled in the Camera app simplifies everything. Grid makes it much easier to hold your iPhone in the right position, center your main focus, and more.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Camera.
  3. Look for the Grid option in the Composition section and turn it on.

Now you’ll see the grid lines every time you open the Camera app on your iPhone 14.

2. ProRAW and ProRes

A cool iPhone 14 Pro camera trick lets you capture images in ProRAW format directly in the Camera app. For those unfamiliar, a RAW photo is basically the original image captured from the sensor, with minimal or no post-processing. It contains all the data about things like brightness, shadows, and colors that can be edited later in image editing software like Adobe Lightroom.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro also supports ProRes video, which is a codec with minimal compression that ensures higher quality files that are better for post-editing.

To enable both ProRAW and ProRes, follow the steps below:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Camera.
  3. Tap Formats.

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro, you can also choose between taking ProRAW photos with 12-megapixel or 48-megapixel resolution. After turning these options on, you’ll see ProRAW and ProRes buttons in the Camera app. Just tap them when you want to capture photos and videos using these formats.

Please note: none of these options are available for non-Pro iPhone models. It’s also worth noting that ProRAW photos and ProRes videos take up much more space in iPhone storage than regular formats.

3. Mirror Front Camera

By default, every photo you take using the front camera of your iPhone is flipped. This is because, rather than capturing exactly what you see on the screen, iPhone flips the image so that things like text are displayed correctly. However, if you prefer to capture selfies exactly as they appear in the Camera app preview, you can.

The best iPhone 14 camera tip we can offer is to show you how to turn on the Mirror Front Camera option. Simply follow the steps below:

  1. Start the Setting app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Camera.
  3. Under the Composition section,turn on Mirror Front Camera.

With this option turned on, your selfies will look exactly as you see them in the preview.

4. Macro Control

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a Macro mode feature in the ultra-wide lens, which lets users capture really close-up images. This mode is automatically turned on depending on the distance between the iPhone and the object you are pointing at, which may annoy some users. Thankfully, you can choose to turn this option on manually only when you want to use it.

To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Go into Camera.
  3. Scroll down and enable the Macro Control option.

Now the Macro button will appear when the iPhone is really close to an object, and it will only activate if you tap on it.

5. Photographic Styles

A cool iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera trick is Photographic Styles. These are presets with different tone and warmth values that can dramatically change how your photos look while still preserving things like sky color and skin tones.

You can choose a Photographic Style directly from the Camera app. Alternatively follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Camera.
  3. under the Photo Capture section, tap the Photographic Styles option

6. Change the video resolution

The Camera app on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lets you quickly switch between different resolutions and frame rates before shooting a video. However, changing these options from the Settings app lets you choose even more resolutions and frame rates.

For example, you can set your iPhone to record videos in 720p resolution to save storage space, shoot slow motion videos in 1080p resolution at 240 fps for better quality and smoothness, or even capture Cinematic Videos in 4K resolution at 24 fps or 30 fps on the iPhone 14.

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Camera.
  3. Tap the Record Video, Record Slo-mo, or Record Cinematic menus.
  4. Choose the option that works best for you.

7. Preserve Settings

Our next iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera tip is to save your preferred settings. When you’re taking pictures or filming with your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, there are a lot of adjustments you can make, such as changing the exposure level, choosing a filter, or enabling ProRAW. By default, every time you close the Camera app, these settings are reset. But if you want to keep them on, there’s a cool trick to do that.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Camera.
  3. Tap Preserve Settings.

You can select which options you want to keep the same settings every time you open the Camera app.

8. Bonus: Swipe up for more

Our final iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera tip is to try swiping your finger upward on the screen to reveal a menu with extra options whenever you’re about to take a photo or record a video with the Camera app, . There you can change Photographic Styles, the Aspect Ratio, apply filters, set the Aspect Ratio, and more.

Conclusion

These are the best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Camera tricks, tips and settings that you need to know to elevate your photography game to a whole new level. Are there any other iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Camera tricks you know? Share it with us in the comments section below.

Need some iPhone 14 charging tips? These are the facts and habits you need to maximize your phone battery’s longevity.

iPhone users — casual and enthusiasts alike — are forever searching for longer battery life. While fast charging keeps us topped up every day, the absence of replaceable batteries means eventually, the lithium-ion cells enclosed in our phones are going to age and deteriorate, making it harder to maximize battery life.

If you’ve used iPhones a couple of years, you’ve probably noticed the battery doesn’t seem to last as long as it did when your handset was brand new. Three years down the line, many phones struggle to make it through the day on a single charge. Holding onto a phone even longer can even spell trouble for system stability.

Unfortunately, battery capacity inevitably declines with age. However, there are cool iPhone 14 charging tips you can use to prolong the life of your battery. If you’ve ever wondered what the best way to charge your iPhone’s battery is, here are some scientifically proven tips to maximize battery life.

iPhone 14 charging tips

Partial charging is a healthy habit

One particularly persistent battery myth is that you need to occasionally fully discharge and recharge to erase “battery memory.” This couldn’t be more wrong for lithium-ion batteries. It’s a leftover myth from lead-acid cells, and it’s pretty undesirable to charge your iPhone 14 in this way.

Partial charging is just fine for lithium-ion batteries and can have some great benefits for cell longevity. To understand why it’s important to appreciate how a battery charges. Li-ion batteries draw constant current and operate at a lower voltage when closer to empty. This voltage gradually increases as the cell charges up, leveling off at around a 70% charge before the current begins to fall until the capacity is full.

Notably, operating at a low voltage is good for a battery’s lifespan, increasing the number of available charging cycles before you’ll start to see a significant reduction in capacity. Roughly speaking, every 0.1V decrease in cell voltage doubles the cycle life, according to Battery University. Therefore, charging up your phone in that 30% to 80% range keeps the voltage lower and might slightly prolong the battery’s lifespan.

Smaller but regular top-ups are much better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.
Using up just 20% of your battery between charges isn’t practical, but topping up when you’ve used about half will see an improvement in your battery life over the long term. Especially if you avoid charging up to full each time too. The bottom line is that smaller, regular top-ups are better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.

Avoid idle charging

Charging overnight is a very common habit, but it’s best to avoid, despite the convenience of waking up with a full battery in the morning. Each full charge counts as a ‘cycle’, and the iPhone 14 is only built to last for a set number.

If you charge overnight, you are guaranteed to miss when the phone exceeds the magic 80% mark that is best for extended long-term life.

While the iPhone 14 has built-in sensors to shut off charging when it hit 100%, if still turned on it’ll lose a small amount of battery while idle.

What you may get is a “trickle charge” as the charger attempts to keep the iPhone at 100% as your phone naturally loses on its own charge during the night. This means that your iPhone is constantly bouncing between a full charge and a little bit below that full charge – 99% to 100% and back again during a longer-than-required charge. It can also heat the iPhone up, which is also bad for the battery.

So, a great iPhone 14 charging trick is to charge during the day than to charge overnight.

Your best policy is to have Do Not Disturb and Airplane Mode switched on. Better still, you could completely switch off your iPhone, but that may not be possible if you rely on it as an alarm or wish to be ready to take calls at all hours.

If you are leaving your iPhone plugged in for a long period of time, removing the case can prevent it over-heating.

A final iPhone 14 charging tip that’s worth mentioning is parasitic load. This occurs when the battery is being drained significantly at the same time as being charged, such as watching a video or gaming while charging.

Parasitic loads are bad for batteries because they distort the charging cycle and induce mini-cycles — where part of the battery continually cycles and deteriorates faster than the rest of the cell. Worse still, parasitic loads occurring when a device is fully charged also induce higher voltage stress and heat on the battery.

Gaming or watching videos while charging is bad because it distort charging cycles.
The best way to avoid parasitic loads is to turn your iPhone off while charging. But that’s not really realistic. Instead, it’s best to keep the workload light while the device is plugged in, leaving it idle most of the time. Browsing the web is probably fine. Also, remember to unplug it once the battery is topped up enough.

Heat is the enemy of long battery life

Along with all of the above iPhone 14 charging tips, temperature is an equally key contributor to longevity and maximizing battery life. In fact, it’s arguably the biggest killer of long-term battery health. Like high voltages, high temperatures stress the battery and make it lose capacity far more quickly than when kept at lower temperatures.

A cell kept between 25 – 40 degrees Celsius (77 – 86 degrees Fahrenheit) should retain around 85% to 96% of its capacity after the first year with sensible charging cycles. Raising the temperature regularly above 40°C (104°F) and charging to 100% sees this fall to just 65% capacity after the first year, and a 60°C (140°F) battery temperature will hit this marker in as little as three months.

The ideal temperature to maximise battery cycle life is below 40°C
A battery dwelling in a full state-of-charge exposed to a high temperature is the worst of all worlds and the number one thing to avoid when charging your iPhone. So a cool iPhone 14 charging trick is to never leave your phone under your pillow to charge at night or plugged in on the dashboard of your car on a hot day.

Use MFi Certified charging accessories

Another iPhone 14 charging tip is to use the charging accessory that came with your phone, as it is sure to have the correct rating. Or make sure that a third-party charging accessory is approved by Apple. Cheap alternatives from Amazon or eBay may damage your iPhone, and there have been several reported cases of cheap charging accessories actually bursting into flames.

That said, your iPhone should draw only the power that it needs from a charger.

How to maximize battery life long-term

Lithium-ion battery technology is well understood these days, and iPhones are built around our use cases, but bad habits and myths still permeate the public consciousness. While most of these habits won’t severely negatively impact your iPhone’s battery life in the medium term, the decline in removable phone batteries means we should take extra precautions to maximize battery life and thus our iPhone’s longevity.

Broadly speaking, smaller regular charge cycles and keeping your phone cool are the main iPhone 14 charging tips to keep in mind.

Here’s a TL;DR summary of the iPhone 14 charging tips above:

What’s the best way to charge your iPhone 14?

  • Avoid full cycle (0-100%) and overnight charging. Instead, top up your iPhone more regularly with partial charges.
  • Ending a charge at 80-90% is better for the battery than topping up to completely full.
  • Heat is the battery killer. Don’t cover your iPhone when charging, and keep it out of hot places.
  • Don’t play intensive games, stream videos, or run other intensive workloads while charging to avoid heat and mini-cycles.
  • Use MFi certified chargers

Here are all the advantages of Apple Music over Spotify in 2023.

When it comes to choosing a service, it’s a close race between Spotify Premium and Apple Music, but Apple Music has several benefits over Spotify premium. This is thanks to hi-res lossless and spatial audio albums, and the deep integration with Apple ecosystem. Let’s check all the advantages of Apple Music over Spotify in details.

Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify

Here are 10 reasons why Apple’s audio service has a lot of big advantages over Spotify and other popular competitors:

1. Advantages of Apple Music over Spotify: Music library

Apple Music and Spotify both feature massive libraries, but Apple claims the advantage with “over 100 million” songs to Spotify’s “over 80 million.”

One hundred million songs — it’s a number that will continue to grow and exponentially multiply. But it’s more than just a number, representing something much more significant — the tectonic shift in the business of music making and distribution over these past two decades.

2. Advantages of Apple Music over Spotify: Lossless Audio

One area where Apple Music has big advantage over Spotify is in sound quality. Apple Music offers Lossless Audio. Spotify doesn’t.

There’s a difference in terms of quality for listening to that music if you look at bitrates. Spotify’s apps offer an Ogg Vorbis stream quality equivalent to 160kbps for free users, while its premium service goes up to 320kbps.

Apple Music’s standard bitrate is lower at 256kbps for AAC streams, but it’s not the end of the story. There’s Lossless to take into account.

Apple launched Lossless as its high-definition audio option, which offers music at a higher fidelity than normal. This includes two quality levels: 24-bit/48kHz Lossless and 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res Lossless.

To chuck around these higher quantities of bits means a higher amount of bandwidth is required. For Apple Music Lossless, that means a bitrate of up to 1,411kbps, much higher than usual.

The major caveat here is that you need the proper hardware to listen to Lossless audio. Lossless doesn’t work over Bluetooth, and even Apple admits that even its super-expensive AirPods Max headphones won’t support it, even when connected with a wire. That said, even when listening primarily on wireless earbuds while using an iPhone, I found that most songs sounded louder and brighter on Apple Music compared to Spotify.

Spotify did say it would introduce a similar high-fidelity service, named Spotify HiFi, but it failed to launch despite its promotion, and it was delayed indefinitely.

3. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Spatial Audio

Another advantage of Apple Music over Spotify is Spatial Audio. Apple Music offers Spatial Audio. Spotify doesn’t.

This works like a surround sound system in your earbuds, with the audio mapped out in the physical space around you. Apple is working with artists to specifically engineer their songs to take full advantage of the vast soundscape provided by the clever tech. Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is included at no extra cost and automatically kicks-in whenever you’re listening with a Spatial Audio-compatible device, including the new third-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max.

4. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Cloud locker

Apple Music’s biggest special feature is the iCloud Music Library, accessed through iTunes, which allows collectors to access their libraries of tracks in AAC 256kbps wherever they go when signed in with the same Apple ID. Apple Music has a key advantage over Spotify in that you can combine the songs you already own with the Apple Music streaming catalog.

If you turn on iCloud Music Library within Apple Music, you can access your personal library of tunes across all your devices (from the PC to the phone). This feature “matches” songs in your library with those in the iTunes catalog, or uploads them if the song isn’t available, so you can listen to your music wherever you’re signed in with your Apple ID. You can store up to 100,000 songs.

Note that iTunes Match is also available even without an Apple Music subscription for $25 a year.

Spotify also lets you play music from your device in the Spotify app, but it only works for local files so they aren’t stored in the cloud. So it’s a less elegant solution.

5. Advantages of Apple Music over Spotify: Cool ways to dive deep on an artist

While Spotify is pretty easier to navigate than Apple Music, the Apple Music app has few advantages that will make your inner music nerd happy. Certain album pages feature animated artwork, and some are even accompanied by a full article that provides a deeper dive on the music straight from the artist. When browsing an artist’s catalog, you’ll also see links to any Apple Music Radio shows they’ve been featured on.

Speaking of which, Apple Music Radio is one of the service’s best features. You’ll get live radio shows from top industry personalities like Zane Lowe and Ebro as well as no shortage of on-demand interviews to discover from artists big and small. Spotify offers auto-generated radio stations based on specific artists and genres as well as prerecorded podcasts with songs mixed in, but it doesn’t quite have the same type of live content — or the same big names.

6. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Apple Music is a good value

Apple Music starts at $9.99 per month, which is pretty standard for a music streaming service. But it’s an especially great value if you get an Apple One bundle, which gets you Apple Music, Apple TV , Apple Arcade and iCloud with 50GB of storage for $14.99. If you own an Apple device and plan on using the company’s various subscription services, it’s a no-brainer.

Apple Music and Spotify’s family plans are generally comparable, letting up to six users share an account for $15 to $16 per month. But if you want more than just music for your money, Apple’s got the best deal out right now.

7. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Videos

Apple does a lot more with video, offering music videos alongside tracks, documentaries, and other content. Spotify does provide limited video, such as video podcast playback and some exclusive content, but it’s certainly not as far along as Apple’s offering.

8. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Integration with Apple’s ecosystem

As you would expect, Siri works with Apple Music so you can ask her to play today’s hits and she will do just that. You can ask Siri to “play the top songs from 2021”, “play more songs like this”, “add the new Drake album to my library”, “play all songs by Drake” (to listen to all of Drake’s music, even if it’s not in your library), and “play my music by Drake” (to hear Drake’s songs that you have saved to your library). You can also ask Siri to shuffle the songs in an album or playlist. There are also a new range of playlists coming that can be controlled via Siri. For these, you could ask Siri to plan music for a dinner party, for example.

While Siri does work with Spotify, Siri is part of iOS, and can thus take advantage of iOS and all aspects of it.

Aside from the aforementioned Siri support, Apple Music provides a relatively large collection of features that could benefit users.

The deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem also helps the service a lot, such as enabling Siri queries to play back anything in the catalog. Accessing the music across all Apple devices, and to hand off between items, such as an iPhone to a HomePod mini, gives even more control over how a user listens to their music.

9. Advantages of Apple Music over Spotify: Social sharing

Both services let you follow your favorite artists to keep up to date with their posts and latest releases.

You can also follow friends. On Spotify, you can see what song your pals are listening to in real-time (if they choose to share this detail) on the desktop app.

Spotify Codes are a way to share tracks, albums and playlists among friends. It’s kind of like a custom QR code that you can scan with the camera in Spotify if you’re listening in the same location, or share through messages if you’re apart.

Many popular musicians seem to be more active in posting updates on Apple Music and it’s easier to find that content than it is on Spotify.

Naturally, you can also follow your friends and see what they’re up to across both platforms. While it’s much easier to find profiles on Apple Music than it is on Spotify, you do have to already have your friends in your contacts list (or on Facebook) to follow them.

10. Advantages of Apple Music Over Spotify: Music Discovery

Everyone has heard big things about Spotify’s algorithm that helps its users to discover new music. It’s been a huge hit amongst its users and results in new playlists every week that are tailor-made around the listening habits of a particular user.

However, Apple Music has another approach in which instead of using an algorithm to create playlists for you, it employs real people to do the hard work.

This may well appeal to those of us out there who prefer a human touch when it comes to having our music selected for us.

Apple Music is proud that the curated playlists that they provide have been designed by actual people instead of machine learning algorithms and it’s clear that many users prefer their method.

Conclusion

Apple Music has many advantages over Spotify. Apple has a huge music catalog and integrates seamlessly with other music libraries, has an enormous subscriber community, and delivers a great sound quality.

If you’re an Apple user with lots of music in your library, Apple Music offers a great experience and you’ll prefer the continuity in interface.

Today, freelance iOS developers are gaining a lot of attention. Many companies are looking for software engineers. The benefits of working as a freelance iOS developer make it a wise career choice.
You can set your hours and focus on your work as a software freelancer. It means you can have a work-life balance. Despite this, you still earn more than you would be working for someone else as a regular employee.

Getting clients is only one component of becoming a successful freelance developer. Another aspect that aids a freelancer’s growth is using SaaS development services. Software dev may provide SaaS apps to their clients. It contains Google Workspace, Dropbox, Salesforce, Cisco WebEx, Concur, and GoToMeeting.

Why Work as a freelance iOS developer?

Many people, especially the younger generation, find freelancing more beneficial. Even so, the difficulties faced by independent software developers are complex and overwhelming. Here are seven motivators for independent software developers.

1. If You Strive for Excellent Work

Excellence means you appreciate difficulties. It is true that waiting for your boss to assign you tasks while seated at your desk might be tedious. Become a freelance iOS developer if you like discoveries and challenges.

A software engineer must create future-proof solutions. Nothing beats the satisfaction of figuring out how to fix a long-standing problem. In your role as a software developer, you address consumers’ issues. It’s for you to resolve significant technical and strategic problems.

As a result, striving for excellence will increase your motivation. It will help you to develop enthusiasm to find a project. Furthermore, the software developer can provide remarkable results to current and prospective consumers.

2. If You Wish to Choose the Projects

As a freelance iOS developer, you can work with companies that share the same values as you. It is a great decision to select projects that will help you grow more knowledgeable and an expert. Remember, your project will determine your success and longevity in the industry.

To gain clients, you must take advantage of the ongoing advancement of technology. Even said, working alone allows you to choose whom you want to collaborate with and which tasks you want to do. Provide results that will entice every firm to become a long-term client. Work as a freelancer if you wish to expand your expertise through various activities.

3. If You Want Flexible Working Hours

The freedom to establish one’s schedule is a definite perk for some. It’s up to you if you choose to work on a Saturday instead of going out. When you work for yourself as a freelancer, you choose your schedule and work from wherever you like.

You can also opt to work in an office building or the comfort of your own home or studio. Working as a freelancer, the freedom to work when and where you want is possible. But ensure to meet all the project’s requirements before the due date.

4. If You Want to Improve Your Self-Management Skills

Every part of how you manage things and make other decisions as a freelancer is up to you. You should ensure that you please your clients. You may find that controlling things requires more effort than typical.

For those who work alone, self-management abilities are essential. Your scope includes activities such as managing, tracking, and scheduling. Being a freelance iOS developer will prove your management skills.

5. If You Want a High Possibility of Financial Success

Competitive pressures influence rates and the volume of work to some extent. But, through portfolios and a solid reputation, freelancers can raise their rates. freelance iOS developers have complete control over pricing and earning money.

Avoid losing potential clients because your prices are too high. Ensure your demands are reasonable. As a freelancer, you need to make a portfolio that clients will think is worth what you charge. You can achieve high financial success if you ensure your clients are happy.

6. If You Wish to Build Your Brand

Many developers want to have a stellar reputation in the technology industry. The good news is that freelancers have a lot of leeway in developing their brand presence. Many factors can contribute to achieving successful branding.

A freelancer has the potential to evolve into a full-fledged firm. It is because freelancers supply their services to a vast number of clients. Work exposure with exceptional branding can result in successful business marketing.

Besides, cutting-edge technologies offer some effective techniques. For example, some create books to showcase their skills. They also make extensive use of social media sites. Building their brand and visibility in public is vital. It has a significant impact on a freelance iOS developer’s successful brand.

7. If You Enjoy Working with Multiple Clients

Most programmers are working hard to improve their skills and expertise. Thus, freelance iOS developers appreciate working with multiple clients with different values. They find it more challenging and intriguing to interact with people from various business areas.

Freelancers can work for more clients and have more freedom each year. A wide range of experiences lets you learn about different business processes. Also, you can learn how to handle different kinds of projects. It can lead to a better idea of how the industry works.

Takeaway

It’s understandable why so many people choose to freelance, given its many benefits. Additionally, the tech industry is a vibrant and expanding one. It offers a wide range of opportunities for those seeking to shift careers.

Gaining more experience as a freelance iOS developer is crucial. It is because technology careers are fascinating and fulfilling. Freelancers will have many opportunities for advancement in the coming years. You can become a successful freelance iOS developer if you master the fundamentals.

iPhone is easier to use than Android phone. Or, flipping that around, Android phone is too hard for the average user to figure out. Read on as we discuss the main reasons why iPhones are easier to use than Android phones.

Top reasons why iPhones are easier to use than Android phones

iPhone is one of the easiest smartphones to use. One of its primary design characteristics is user friendliness and simplicity of basic system tasks. Its ease and lack of difficulty is considered a positive by users who want their device to work. With that in mind, here are the real reasons why iPhones are easier to use than Android phones:

iPhone don’t require extensive customization

The ability to tweak Android has for long been one of its strong points. But, just like other times, too much of anything is bad

Sometimes, what we love about Android makes it a less enticing platform to the general consumer. Users prefer Android platform because of the flexibility and level of control it provides in terms of customization and personalization. This is in stark contrast to Apple’s iOS which pretty much restrict any customization. While there are some clear benefits of customization, there are some problems too.

While Google and its partnered manufacturers have been getting better at making Android more intuitive, especially after Android 12, the truth is it can still be a bit confusing. Dealing with random icon placements, endless settings, and full customization isn’t for everyone.

An android phone can be modified and customised in various ways, but the basic features of its operating system are much more complicated and confusing than the iOS system.

Apple fans love their operating system’s simplicity, and it is arguably one of the things iOS does better than Android. There isn’t much to iOS, and that’s part of the allure. Many iPhone lovers don’t want a phone to mess around with and customize. They want a device that works well, is easy to use, and can take them to their content with the least amount of effort. This is what the “it just works” expression is all about.

iPhones have simple user interface

The iPhone’s interface is intuitive, which makes it easy to use. Their usability comes from simple operating logic: all the apps are launched from the home screen. All the settings, for example, can be found under one menu. And even if you upgrade your iPhone to the newest model, the operating system still works the same way and taking it into use is easy.

The user experience for iOS is intuitive enough to have almost no learning curve. I have seen kids who have never used a smartphone figure out the basics in 10 minutes. Similarly, if you already own an iOS device, you can switch to any other and immediately know exactly how it works.

With iOS, you get home pages with rows and columns of icons, which you can organize as you wish, but there’s no app drawer to hide things — it’s all laid out in front of you. The settings are straightforward, and the experience is always the same, no matter which Apple mobile device you’re using.

iPhones sports advanced technology under the hood, such as a global search feature and multitasking capabilities, yet the basic day-to-day use of the device is so easy that most people are able to jump right into using it.

Apple doesn’t clutter the main screen with clocks and widgets and other features you may not want. Instead, the main screen is filled with apps—the main reason you purchased the iPhone. Tap an app and it opens. Click the Home button (on iPhones that have one), which is the only physical button on the front of the iPhone, and the app closes, or swipe up from the bottom of the screen on iPhones that don’t have a physical Home button. Swipe from right to left or from left to right, and you move between screens. It’s that simple.

Android device fragmentation

Many interpret this term in the narrow sense, believing that, with regard to Android, it means the simultaneous coexistence of updated and non-renewable smartphones. In a broader sense, fragmentation means dividing something into many disparate fragments. In the case of Android, fragmentation is a consequence of the use of the operating system by different manufacturers who cover it with their own shells rather than develop a custom platform.
Few people understand that due to the fragmentation, our smartphones are equipped with functions that are not available in the original version of Android.

In fact, Android is considered the most fragmented operating system that has ever existed. Google’s natural desire to develop and improve its mobile OS has led to the emergence of one of the key shortcomings of the Android platform. The most common operating system for smartphones and tablets is present on hundreds of millions of devices, which at the same time operate on many different versions of the system, differing from each other not just by serial number, but by features, functionality, and compatibility with applications.

Inconsistency between phone makers creates a learning curve, as most Android phones look and feel different from one another.

I’ve been using smartphones for quite some time now. I primarily use an iOS device, but have also dabbled with android devices which my family members/friends use.

The core issue seems to be the software overlay put on by OEMs. To each manufacturer, his own. Android’s greatest strength, which is being open to all, is also one of its major weaknesses, I would say. This results in some parts of the UI not remaining constant throughout (while the rest does remain the same). Samsung has a different way of showing things to you. HTC has another way, and, Sony has something different for you.

The basic issue is, you have hundreds of OEMs, and thousands of SKUs/phone models, each with its own set of unique features. Android has to cater to all of it. And each manufacturer will also try to add his style and taste to the OS. All of this ends up in a slightly varied experience across android devices

In short, the problem with Android is that you’re never quite sure what user experience (UX) you’re going to get.

When purchasing a flagship product with Android from a reputable manufacturer, the end-user can expect a fast, stable and ergonomic machine, which in turn, is reflected in the price. On the other hand, Android’s licensing is quite permissive and allows just about anybody to manufacture Android-equipped devices. Inexpensive machines, however, can have a very different UX with steep learning curve.

See also: Why are iPhones Faster Than Android Phones? Here’s The Truth

Conclusion

Compared to competing Android smartphones, iPhones are easier to use, more stable, and works more smoothly. In terms of overall user experience for a non-technical user, Apple’s iOS has a distinct advantage over Google’s Android OS. It’s a robust, user-friendly operating system with a simple UI. Because its features are simple to understand and use, it makes the iPhone appealing to many users.

We’ve all had numerous debates with friends and family over which is faster smartphone. Regardless of what hardcore Android users might say, the iPhones are faster than Android smartphones. Read on as we discuss the main reasons why iPhones are faster.
Having used both platforms daily for years, I have encountered way fewer hiccups and slow-downs using iPhones. Performance is one of the things iPhones usually does better than Android smartphones. So, why are iPhones faster than Android smartphones?

Top reasons why iPhones are faster than Android phones

Apple Manufactures iPhone Processors

Generally, whenever Apple announces a new iPhone, it also announces a new System-on-a-Chip. Inevitably, comparisons are made between Apple’s latest SoC and the latest offerings from Qualcomm, Samsung, Google, and MediaTek. It doesn’t usually take long for benchmarking numbers to appear and for Apple to be declared the winner.

So, why is it that Apple’s SoCs always seem to beat the competition? Why are the processors used by Android seemingly so far behind? Are Apple’s chips really that good? Well, let me explain.

The iPhones are much faster compared to Android smartphones due to their superior processors. Apple does not rely on processor chip manufacturers for its hardware. Instead, it designs processors that conform to its vision of the latest iPhone. By building its own processors, Apple is able to have complete control over the design and performance of products.

Apple also designs processors that use Arm’s 64-bit instruction architecture. That means that Apple’s chips use the same underlying RISC architecture as Qualcomm, Samsung, and Google. The difference is that Apple holds an architectural license with Arm, which allows it to design its own chips from scratch. Apple’s first in-house 64-bit Arm processor was the Apple A7 which was used in the iPhone 5S. It had a dual-core CPU, clocked at 1.4 GHz, and a quad-core PowerVR G6430 GPU. It was manufactured using a 28nm process.

Fast forward several years and Apple’s latest offerings for mobile, use a hexa-core CPU, using Heterogeneous Multi-Processing (HMP), and an in-house GPU (after Apple decided to stop using Imagination’s GPU, while still licensing the underlying tech from Imagination). The six CPU cores are made up of two high-performance cores, and four energy-efficient cores.

In short, Apple’s recent generations of processors offer better CPU performance than every other smartphone processor, from any company. Why?

On paper, the scores for Apple’s processors (which only have 6 cores) are faster than the octa-core scores for all the processors. And not just for one generation, but two, or even three. Things like the GPU, the DSP, the ISP, and any AI-related functions. These other parts of the SoC will influence the day-to-day experience of any devices using these processors. However, when it comes to raw CPU speed, Apple is the clear winner.

This can be a bit hard for Android fans to stomach. So what is the reason? First, we need a bit of a history lesson.

It is fair to say that Apple caught Qualcomm sleeping when it announced the 64-bit A7 back in 2013. Until that point, Apple and Qualcomm had both been shipping 32-bit Armv7 processors for use in mobile devices. Qualcomm was leading the field with its 32-bit Snapdragon 800 SoC. It used an in-house Krait 400 core along with the Adreno 330 GPU. Life was good for Qualcomm.

When Apple suddenly announced a 64-bit Armv8 CPU, Qualcomm had nothing. At the time one of its execs called the 64-bit A7 a “marketing gimmick”, but it didn’t take long for Qualcomm to come up with a 64-bit strategy of its own.

In April 2014, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 810 with four Cortex-A57 cores and four Cortex-A53 cores. The “Cortex” range of cores come directly from Arm, the custodians of the Arm architecture. But in that same year, Apple announced the A8, its second-generation in-house 64-bit CPU. It wasn’t until March 2015 that Qualcomm was able to announce its first-generation in-house 64-bit CPU, the Snapdragon 820, with its custom Kryo CPU core.

In September of the same year, Apple released the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus using the A9 processor, Apple’s third-generation 64-bit in-house CPU. Suddenly Qualcomm was two generations behind Apple.

In 2016, Qualcomm’s offering was from Arm again, but it had a twist. Arm created a new licensing program that allowed its most trusted partners early access to its latest CPU designs and even some measure of customization. The result was the Kryo 280 CPU core. According to the spec sheet, the Snapdragon 835 uses eight Kryo 280 cores, however it is generally accepted that it has four Cortex-A73 cores (with tweaks) plus four Cortex-A53 cores (with tweaks). For the Snapdragon 835, Qualcomm moved the announcement from spring to winter meaning the 835 was announced after the Apple A10 and the iPhone 7.

Qualcomm’s first 64-bit CPU arrived in the same year as Apple’s third.
This ping-pong match continues. Things changed slightly when Arm introduced the Cortex-X range. These CPU cores were designed to lessen the gap between Android’s processors and Apple’s. The Cortex-X CPUs are designed first for the highest performance, even at the risk of higher power consumption. That is why there is normally just one Cortex-X core in a mobile processor and then three high-end Cortex-A cores, and then four power-efficiency cores. A 1 3 4 setup.

So, what is different about Apple’s CPU cores?

There are several key things to recognize about Apple’s CPU cores.

First, Apple had a head-start over just about everyone when it comes to 64-bit Arm-based CPUs. Although Arm itself announced the Cortex-A57 back in October 2012, the proposed timeline was that Arm’s partners would ship the first processors during 2014. But Apple had a 64-bit Arm CPU in devices during 2013. The company has since managed to capitalize on that early lead and has produced a new CPU core design every year.

Second, Apple’s SoC efforts are tightly coupled to its handset releases. Designing a high-performance mobile CPU is hard. It is hard for Apple; for Arm; for Qualcomm; for everyone. Because it is hard, it takes a long time. The Cortex-A57 was announced in October 2012, but it didn’t appear in a smartphone until April 2014. That is a long lead time.

However, that lead time is changing. The cadence at present seems to be that Arm announces its new CPU designs in the late Spring and OEMs start to announce devices towards the end of the year or the start of the next year. Normally around 6 to 8 months after the CPU designs have been announced. Of course, the smartphone makers don’t get to hear about the newest processors when we do, they are read-in to what is happening for maybe 18 months ahead.

Third, Apple’s CPUs are big and in this game, big means expensive. It is estimated that the Snapdragon 888 has around 10 billion transistors, whereas the Apple A14 has 11.8 billion transistors. The A15 consist a total of 15 billion transistors. The A16 Bionic is even bigger at 16 billion transistors, allowing faster data processing. The new chip is based on TSMC’s latest 4nm fabrication process, which makes it super efficient. The key here is that Apple sells smartphones, not chips. As a result, it can afford to make the SoCs more expensive and recoup the money in other places, including the final retail price.

Arm and Qualcomm, however, are in the chip selling business. Arm does the CPU core design for Qualcomm (and others like MediaTek) and Qualcomm designs the chips, which it, in turn, sells to handset makers like Samsung, Sony, LG, etc. Arm needs to make a profit. Qualcomm needs to make a profit. All the OEMs need to make profits. The practical result is that Qualcomm can’t afford to make overly expensive processors or OEMs will start looking elsewhere.

Apple can afford to make its SoCs more expensive and recoup the money in the iPhone’s final retail price. Arm and Qualcomm can’t.

Forth, and finally, Apple’s plan of making processors with wide pipelines at (initially) lower clock speeds has come to fruition. In very broad terms, SoC makers can either make a CPU core with a narrow pipe, but run that pipe at high clock frequencies; or use a wider pipe, but at lower clock speeds. Like a real-world water pipe, you can either pump water at high pressure through a narrower pipe or at lower pressure through a wider pipe. In both cases, you can theoretically achieve the same throughput. Arms processors tend to use narrower pipes (but that has changed slightly with the Cortex-X range), while Apple is in the wider pipeline camp.

iPhones Have Large Cache Memory

The cache is an important factor in the performance of smartphones today. Cache memory performs much faster than RAM, and a large cache memory allows smartphones to perform significantly better.

Lags and system glitches are way too common even in flagship Android smartphones; iPhones are not prone to this thanks to a larger high-performance cache. Apple’s CPUs have big caches. Silicon costs money and for some chip makers, their profit margin can be found in just 0.5 mm2 of silicon saved. Apple is able to make bigger chips (in terms of silicon costs) and that includes large caches.

The Apple A14 has 4MB of L2 cache for each of the high-performance cores, and 16MB of system cache. The A15 uses even bigger caches with 6MB for each of the high-performance cores and 32MB of system cache. These caches are huge compared to the 2.5MB total of L2 cache for the high-performance cores on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the 10MB total of L3 and system cache.

Both the A16 Bionic’s Everest (P) cores now have access to a total of 16 MB L2 cache (vs 12 MB on the A15). On the other hand, the System Level Cache (SLC) has been slashed to 24 MB from the A15 Bionic’s 32 MB. The increased memory bandwidth should offset the lower cache value. On the other hand, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 cores can use the shared 6 MB level 3 cache.

A larger cache memory allows faster data exchange with the CPU, thereby boosting the overall processing speed. Despite Android smartphones having vast amounts of RAM, iPhones perform considerably better thanks to the high-performing cache memory.

iPhones Have Excellent Software and Hardware Optimization

Whether Apple processors are better or not, what matters most is iOS is optimized to work perfectly with the few devices Apple makes. Meanwhile, Android is dropped into a sea of smartphones, tablets, and other products. It’s up to OEMs to optimize the software for the hardware, and they sometimes do a poor job at it.

The iPhones are faster than Android phones because the iPhone’s hardware is optimized for its software and vice-versa. Apple’s closed ecosystem makes for tighter integration, so iPhones don’t need super powerful specs to match the high-end Android phones. It’s all in the optimization between hardware and software. Since Apple controls production from beginning to end, it can ensure resources are used more efficiently. Furthermore, developers have to follow a stricter process to release apps, not to mention they don’t have to optimize their apps for what may seem like an infinity of devices.

This is not to say all iOS devices can outperform all Android devices. Some Android phones are made with beastly internals and stunning performance. Generally, though, iOS devices are faster and smoother than most Android phones at comparable price ranges. For example, an iPhone 14 can perform nearly as well as the highest-end iPhone, and it starts at $799 MSRP. Even the budget iPhone SE is a great performer.

iPhones Have No Bloatware

Bloatware is software you don’t want that burdens and slows down your device. These are programs that are preinstalled on new devices, come bundled with other downloads, or are injected into your system through malicious sites.

No matter how you buy your iPhone, where you buy it from or what iPhone you buy, you won’t see any bloatware preinstalled when you boot it up for the first time. That means it’s clean from the very start, with no power- or data-siphoning apps you didn’t ask for sabotaging things behind the scenes. The iPhone has only has a few pre-installed Apple apps, and you can uninstall even those in just a few taps.

The Android device, in comparison, the moment you power it on for the first time, you’re treated to a sea of unwanted apps that not only clutter your phone but also affect its performance. Even spending $1,800 on a Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn’t spare AT&T customers from the affront of seeing software like CNN and DirecTV Now cluttering their app drawers. And it can be even worse if you buy a budget handset that has been heavily subsidized by a discount carrier. Tons of Google apps are automatically added, and not to mention the unwanted OEM apps. It is almost impossible to get rid of these apps for good without rooting your phone.

Bloatware significantly impacts the overall performance of your device. A large number of background resources are utilized by these unwanted apps causing your Android not to use resources where needed.

See also: Why Are iPhones So Slippery? Here’s The Truth!

Reasons why iPhones are faster than Android phones: now you know!

Apple’s iPhone has consistently delivered a brilliant smartphone experience to its loyal users. The iPhones are Generally faster than android phones and it will be very rare to find an Android device that can compete with the iPhone. There is no doubt that the iPhone is very expensive compared to flagship Android devices, and while many term it “Apple Tax,” the truth is far from it.

iPhones are generally much smoother, faster, and have significantly better longevity compared to Android smartphones. They can outperform flagship Android devices thanks to Apple-manufactured hardware and system software.

It’s no doubt iPhones are so slippery. Here’s why
How would you describe iPhones in one word? Exciting? Extravagant? Expensive, perhaps? In any case, I doubt that ”slippery” is a word on your mind right now.

I own several iPhones, and like millions of owners I marvel at the premium design of the casing. It is sleek, simplistic, and feels sensual in the hand. Unfortunately, that comes with a penalty when you use the devices.

In the last week alone I’ve almost dropped my iPhone 15 Pro Max due to the slippery back. The new design and slim profile make this huge iPhone one exquisite-looking piece of technology that’s a real pleasure to use and carry around, but there is nothing “grippy” to hold securely in the hand. Just turning one slightly in the hand can see it slip right out, leaving you to lunge to catch it before it hits the harsh floor.

I know I’m not the only one to experience it, I’ve seen other people perform the “iPhone dance” while trying to catch the device slipping out of the hand. I’ve seen numerous iPhones that weren’t saved before hitting the dirt and were subsequently sporting those disturbing cracks in the glass.

I recently spoke with an acquaintance about the slippery iPhone and he confessed his wife has had her iPhone screen replaced four times. She’s not clumsy, he said, it just slips out of her hand when she’s using it.

Some of you will be quick to point out that you just have to put a case on the phone to avoid the problem. You’d be correct, too, but let’s face it, if you have to put a case on an iPhone to use it securely, that’s what I’d call a design flaw. Good design is not just about making it look good, it’s also about usability.

We’ve seen this slippery problem since the first iPhone. It was sleek and beautiful but you needed a case to keep it in the hand. Then Apple followed that up with an iPhone that was not only sleek and gorgeous, but that was totally enclosed in glass. When that one slipped out of the hand it would not only crack the display but the back, too.

I’m convinced this inability to hold the iPhone securely in the hand is the real reason the bumper case was developed. It was released under the guise of dealing with Antennagate, but I believe it was really to deal with the design choice that makes the phone difficult to hold. After all, the term “bumper” denotes a thing designed to minimize the impact of a collision. Like what happens when the iPhone drops to the floor.

Take an iPhone 15 as an example, the device looks magnificent and feels great, but try using it without any case or cover and you know what I mean. It is almost impossible to hold in the hand without dropping it. Move it around while holding it and it doesn’t feel secure at all. It’s like holding a wet bar of soap covered in lubricant. While beautiful with the new matte frosted back, it’s downright impossible to get a good grip! You have to squeeze it so hard to try to grip it.

Unless I’m reviewing a case, I like to use my iPhone naked. But that’s not possible with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, because it’s too damn slippery.

Its matte glass panels, coupled with its size and weight, mean it’s nearly impossible to go a week without dropping the iPhone 15 Pro Max. And if you don’t drop it, it will surely slide off something or slip out of your pocket.

I can already hear the responses to this: “don’t buy an iPhone if you don’t like this.” Unfortunately, the sleek design of iPhones has been picked up by many of its competitors, so that’s not an answer.

Reasons Why iPhones Are so slippery

Glossy Frame

The first reason why iPhones are so slippery is because of the steel frame on the side of the phone. The steel frame looks more like a piece of jewelry rather than a phone. But the good news ends there. The steel frame is so glossy and slippery that it’s nearly impossible to pick up the iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 pro, or iPhone 14 Pro from your desk without risking dropping it midway. A case would help, of course, but it will diminish these premium looks. Better safe than sorry, i guess.

Frosted glass back,

Another reason why iPhones are so slippery is because of the frosted glass back, flat again, which looks nothing short of gorgeous. Whether it’s white or blue, gold, Deep Purple, or product red, it’s an instant eye-grabber. Plus, it feels presently soft on touch, and you’ll just loved running your fingertips across this surface.

Unfortunately, while the rear glass isn’t a smudge-fest like the frame, it is just as slippery. For instance, the matte glass on the iPhone 12 Pro series, iPhone 13 Pro series, iPhone 14 Pro series and iPhone 15 pro series provides an awful grip, and the only thing that kept me from constantly dropping them were the square, though not razor-sharp, edges of the frame.

On one hand, matte glass surfaces have the advantage of being immune to fingerprint smudges. Besides, they’re a rare design trait in the smartphone world, so that would instantly make the newer iPhone stand out among a crowd of shiny, flashy competitors.

But on the other hand, matte glass surfaces tend to be slippery. Like, really slippery.

I’ve handled various iPhone models with matte glass backs including iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro,, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, and they’ve all felt slippery no matter what. The reason? It could be that when you have a matte glass surface – which is rough and uneven at a microscopic level – tiny gaps of air exist between it and your skin. Perhaps shiny glass surfaces have more contact area with your skin, therefore providing better grip.

The iPhone 8 is equally a slippery line of phones. When the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus came out in 2017, people complained about them being very slippery. This was due to the iPhone 8 series featuring glass on the front and back — the first time Apple had done this since the iPhone 4S. Previous iPhones, like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S had an aluminum back that wasn’t as slippery.

Having said that, the iPhone 6 and iPhone seven are so slippery because their bodies are made from anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum is very slippery. The slipperiest iPhone was the iPhone 6 series. Apple gradually improved grip by making the aluminum on the iPhones 6s and 7 less prone to moisture. In addition, the curved sides on iPhone 7 and iPhone 6 series mean that you don’t have a good way to lock the phone in your hand like you could with a phone that has a more pronounced edge. This point is less a compromise for technical reasons, and more of a criticism of the fundamental way this phone was built from the start.

How To Make iPhone Less Slippery?

iPhones offer a sleek design with matte glass and stunning stainless steel frame all around, but while it sure looks aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it’s useless when it comes to providing grip. The slippery texture on a an iPhone makes it prone to falls and makes it hard to use with one hand. Maybe you hate to cover up the exquisite iPhone design but don’t you hate to see your lovely device damaged if it were to fall?

Many people are willing to cover the premium glass design of their iPhone with something like a plastic case, so long as that case comes with a promise of apt protection from daily wear and tear.

And although getting a case might feel like a compromise to some, aside from protecting your iPhone from scratches, it might even save it from the occasional accidental drop. In addition, impact protection aside, many cases are grippy and less likely to slide off the table as smooth glass will.

With the iPhone offering a sleek (and slippery) design, it’s arguably more important than ever to put it in a case for extra protection and less slippage, especially if you don’t have AppleCare or insurance for your device.

When buying a new phone, people usually have to choose between two of the most popular operating systems. Here are 15 reasons why iPhones are better than Android phones.

Nothing sparks debates in the tech community faster than saying iPhones are better than Android devices or vice versa. Android users often argue that iPhone users only care about branding. On the other hand, iOS fans believe Android devices have unnecessarily complex, impractical features.

However, shopping for smartphones should go beyond opinions. Although both have their bad and good points, there are several areas wherein one operating system outperforms the other.

So, if you’ve been leaning toward buying a new iPhone, we’ve rounded up all the ways that iOS is better than Android to help you make an informed decision.

Fifteen reasons why iPhone is better than Android

Here are fifteen reasons why Apple iPhones are better than Android phones!

1. iPhones Retains Market Value

Unlike their Android rivals, an iPhone holds good resale value over time. Apple also holds tight control on device prices among third-party vendors. You will hardly see an iPhone going for a discounted sale in the first six months of availability.

The latest iPhone models typically cost at least 10% more than top-of-the-line releases from Android brands like Samsung or LG. However, they usually retain their market value longer. All smartphones depreciate after a year or two, but Apple products frequently end up with resale prices closer to their original retail value.

For instance, let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy S21 with the iPhone 12. Apple released the iPhone 12 Pro Max in November 2020, retailing for $1,199. In November 2022, you can get a used model for around $900 on eBay.

On the other hand, the S21 Ultra hit the market in January 2021, also retailing for $1,199. However, its resale value has already dropped to around $550 on eBay.

2. iPhones have Less Security Risks

iPhones are better than Android smartphones when it comes to cybersecurity. iPhones have tighter security than Android, thanks to the exclusive Apple App Store, closed ecosystem, and prompt updates. These make iOS devices challenging to infiltrate.

Also, an iPhone is extremely unlikely to be infected with a virus. Most iOS devices with compromised security systems were either jailbroken or rigged by unauthorized technicians.

That said, Google’s cybersecurity measures are nothing to scoff at. However, frequently customizing Android devices leaves them prone to several security threats.

3. iPhones Have Extremely User-Friendly Interface

Android features an open platform that accommodates full-on customization. You’ll have total control over your smartphone’s settings, and you can use the broad scope of apps on Google Play to execute them.

However, this level of customization also creates a steep learning curve. You’ll need some technical proficiency and customization experience to utilize Android’s platform, which not all smartphone users have.

On the contrary, iOS devices have a straightforward, user-friendly interface. They come with various pre-installed, out-of-the-box features, so you can start using them right from the get-go. You wouldn’t need much time to learn an iOS interface.

4. iPhones Have Superior Phone Protection Plans

AppleCare plan comes at a steep premium. Alternatives like Asurion, SquareTrade, and Samsung Care offer relatively cheaper phone protection plans.

However, none of them compare to Apple’s streamlined, hassle-free services. Instead of spending hours on the customer service line, you can simply visit your local Apple Store for repair quotes and estimates.

Also, claims are a breeze. Most of the time, you can consult an in-store Apple employee and walk out with a brand-new or newly repaired device in an hour or two.

5. Seamlessly Integrated Apple Ecosystem

The range of Apple products has grown notably in recent years. The company started out making computers and has since added music players, tablet computers and smart watches to their product selection. Today, Apple provides a wide range of products and services for various purposes.

The devices work seamlessly and effortlessly together. You don’t need to download or install separate applications to link them together, it’s enough when you sign in to the devices with the same Apple ID. Photos, emails, notes and calendars can be shared to all the devices. You also don’t have to pay twice for apps, movies or books – they can be found on all your devices.

The closed ecosystem also guarantees the user safety. The operating environment is secure when devices, users, manufacturers and app developers are all in the same ecosystem.

The situation is different for Android phones. Several different manufacturers produce phones and tablets based on the same operating system, so a safe ecosystem and using the devices together seamlessly cannot be guaranteed.

6. Easy to Spot Fakes

If you intend to buy a secondhand smartphone, learn to verify authenticity. Scammers have been selling counterfeit devices for decades now. Moreover, the Android knockoffs circulating in the market look almost identical to their original counterparts. You’ll need to watch out for super-minute details.

Fortunately, spotting a fake iPhone is significantly easier. iOS devices have an exclusive interface, so you can easily spot fakes since they likely wouldn’t have features like Siri, iCloud, or even the App Store.

Also, each device comes with a unique serial number. Go to Settings > General > About, then scroll down to the Serial Number section in the middle portion of the page.

Next, copy-paste it into Apple’s service and coverage page. You’d see the device’s valid purchase date, telephone technical support expiration, and warranty coverage if the serial number is legit.

7. Get the best apps first

The developers of the best and highest quality apps still favour Apple. Most apps use Apple’s App Store as their launch platform and release their apps there much earlier than they do in the Android phones’ Google Play store. This has been the case with some of the most popular apps of recent years, such as Super Mario Run and Snapchat.

Some of the high-profile apps and games are iOS-exclusive only. Clubhouse is a recent example of such a trend. Halide is another popular developer that is iOS-only. It’s much harder for app developers to create games and apps for Android phones, as there is a wide range of them and many unique features of the phones should be taken into account in the development. The App Store’s revenue model also serves the developers of high-quality apps better, which will guarantee safe and good apps for iPhone users in the future as well.

8. Every eligible iPhone gets software updates at the same time

Software updates have always been an area iPhones are better than android smartphones as a whole. Unless you own one of Google’s Pixel phones, you never really know when you’re going to receive a security update or major feature release, because that timing is up to each individual phone brand. Some are more consistent than others.

On the other hand, when Apple releases a software update for the iPhone, every single user has immediate access to that update as long as their iPhone is still supported. Currently, iOS 16 supports iPhones all the way back to the iPhone 8, which was released in 2017. And when iOS 16.2 is made available in the coming weeks, every eligible iPhone, from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 8 will get the update at the same exact time.

You just don’t get that kind of consistency and assurance on the totality of Android phones.

9. Apple Pay Is Simpler to Use

Apple Pay is Apple’s payment service, which enables making credit and debit card payments using your phone. Paying works the same way as contactless payment with a plastic card, i.e., by placing the phone by the card reader. The card is protected with Face ID, Touch ID or the phone’s passcode, which let you keep your payment information safe.

Apple Pay can also be used to make purchases in apps: reserving a hotel room, shopping for clothes or ordering a pizza couldn’t be easier.

Options like Google Pay and PayPal also offer noteworthy features. However, their interfaces are a bit more challenging, plus they don’t come pre-installed on Android devices.

Also, Apple Pay is widely used, at least in the United States. The Apple Pay homepage states that more than 85% of retail shops, grocery stores, taxis, and vending machines in the US accept Apple Pay. Google Pay is not yet available in many countries, so users in need of a simple and easy mobile payment method should opt for the Apple iPhone.

10. Wireless headphones and earbuds are a breeze to set up and use

Pairing the wireless AirPods earbuds to your iPhone is a seamless experience that makes Apple’s system leagues ahead of Google’s. One of the most impressive benefits is being able to use the same AirPods with your Mac or Apple Watch without having to pair them again.

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds try to recreate that magical experience, and they come close, but lack the range and ease of use across multiple devices. Google’s Pixel Buds 2 are Android users’ best hope for recreating that magic — and they do a good job, but so far, nothing has truly matched the AirPods experience.

See also: 5 Best AirPods Pro 2 tips and tricks to try first.

11. iPhones Have No Bloatware

Bloatware, crapware. Whatever you want to call it, it doesn’t exist on an iPhone. In this regard, iPhones are better than android phones because Apple doesn’t allow carriers to install any apps before you get the phone, unlike Android devices that are loaded with carrier-specific apps from the moment you first turn them on.

Yes, you can delete or hide those apps in just a few minutes on your Android phone, but it’s not something users should have to deal with. Who really needs the AT&T locker app? Or random games pushed on you because the developer struck a deal with your carrier? I know I don’t. Not to mention, researchers have found that preinstalled apps are prone to bugs and security issues. In my opinion, the owner of a phone should have control over what is and isn’t installed.

12. Video calls with iPhone are as simple as a phone call

FaceTime is one feature that makes iPhone better than Android. FaceTime works so well because it’s encrypted and ready to use the moment you set up your new iPhone.

Like iMessage, FaceTime is for many people synonymous with video calls. It’s the only app they want to use and they don’t have to log into a third-party app or search for contacts to set it up and start a call. It’s just automatically linked to your contacts, camera and dialer to do all the work. It’s this ease that makes FaceTime one of the reasons that family groups stay rooted to the iPhone.

13. Seamless backup and restore

I’ve set up hundreds of Android phones, and the process has never been as painless as it is when I set up a new iPhone. With the iPhone, I log into my iCloud account, tap on Restore and then wait about 20 minutes. That’s not the case with an Android phone.

Google’s backup and restore service does a decent job, but more often than not there are apps I need to reinstall or log into, setting to adjust, and disappointment to manage when the phones frequently fail to restore my home screen layout exactly how I had it. The Restore feature is supposed to save time, but I still spend a chunk of it fine-tuning the Android devices I set up this way.

Meanwhile, my iPhone backs up to iCloud every night (as long as it’s connected to Wi-Fi and charging) and completely restores installed apps, accounts, home screen and settings without fail.

14. iMessage gives you that blue bubble feeling

Perhaps the biggest feature that Android users don’t have, and likely never will, is Apple’s proprietary messaging platform iMessage. It seamlessly syncs across all of your Apple devices, is fully encrypted and has a ton of playful features like Memoji.

When you send a message to another iPhone and you see the chat bubble turn blue, you know that the person on the other end of the conversation is using an iPhone, too. That makes you part of a club, sure, but it also includes certain benefits, like chatting over Wi-Fi and being able to share high-res videos and photos with the person on the other end of the line.

iMessage also lets you request or send money via Apple Pay and pepper the message with extra colorful animations, for example, which makes for a more robust conversation than using standard SMS on the iPhone. You’ll know you’re in typical texting mode when the chat bubbles are green.

Google recently announced the global rollout of its own take on iMessage as part of its Messages app. It uses something called rich communication services that let you send higher quality photos and videos, and see read receipts and even typing indicators so you know when the other person is replying. While Google’s RCS brings huge improvements to chatting on an Android phone, it’s not as widely used as iMessage right now and doesn’t have Apple’s full set of features.

15. Better-looking widgets

Sorry, it’s true. Apple may be late to the game or copied Google here, but it did it right. There are a few different sizes of widgets that developers can create for their apps, which you can then place anywhere on your home screen. You can stack widgets on top of each other and let iOS decide which one to show you depending on your device usage, or you can scroll through them on your own.

Reasons why iPhones are better than android phones? Now you know!

These are the reasons why iPhones are better than android smartphones. iPhones are user-friendly, straightforward device that requires minimal tech knowledge to utilize. You’ll find Apple’s ecosystem convenient.

If you’re looking for more features that make the iPhone better than Android, look no further than this long list of features Apple added in iOS 16, and if you’re still not convinced, here’s a healthy list of hidden iPhone features you probably didn’t know about.

In this article, you’ll be excited to learn that there are several new hidden features that could completely change how you use your iPhone.

Now running the 16th major release of iOS, the iPhone is packed with so many features that mastering them all is no less complicated than learning all the nuances in Windows or MacOS. If you want to get the most out of your iPhone and learn the best tips and tricks for using your phone, here are 14 of the best lesser-known features in Apple’s mobile pocket-sized computer.

If you want to take a closer look at some of the hidden iPhone features, like password-protected photo albums and easily accessible Wi-Fi passwords, here’s what you need to know.

1. Hide apps you don’t use without deleting them

It doesn’t take long to accumulate so many apps that they become hard to manage and organize. If you have apps you rarely use but don’t want to delete them entirely, you can hide them from the Home screen. They’ll still show up in Siri search and you can find them in the App Library (that last page on your iPhone when you keep swiping left). This also comes in handy for hiding built-in apps that Apple doesn’t let you delete.

Just tap and hold the app icon until the pop-up menu appears, then tap Remove App. Instead of tapping Delete App, tap Remove from Home Screen.

2. Automatically close old Safari tabs

If you’re like most people, you may have countless Safari tabs open. But it’s surprisingly easy to tame Safari using this hidden iPhone feature. Start the Settings app and then tap Safari. In the Tabs section, tap Close Tabs. Here you can specify when your iPhone should automatically clean house by closing old tabs — you can choose After One Day, After One Week, After One Month, or Manually, which leaves them open until you close them yourself.

3. Change the iPhone’s default browser

Not a fan of Safari? Perhaps you are a dedicated Chrome or Firefox fan on your desktop computer, and would rather use one of those browsers on your iPhone as well. With this iPhone hidden feature,changing your default browser is easily done. Start the Settings app and then tap Safari. Tap Default Browser App and choose whichever installed browser app you prefer.

4. Lock your camera’s focus and exposure

Digital SLR and mirrorless camera photographers know how easy it is to lock the focus and exposure settings — usually just by pressing a button near the shutter release — so they can reframe and recompose the photo. Thanks to this hidden iPhone feature, you can do the same thing on your phone. Start the Camera app and then tap and hold the screen where you want to lock the focus and exposure. After a moment, you’ll see the AE/AF Lock message at the top of the screen; as you recompose the shot, the focus point and exposure setting will stay fixed until you take the picture. You can drag your finger up or down to manually adjust the exposure. To cancel the lock, tap anywhere on the screen.

5. Set a sleep timer for any media

Want to play music or a show at bedtime so the phone shuts off after a set time? You can easily enable a sleep timer using this hidden iPhone feature. Start the Clock app and tap Timer at the bottom. Set the amount of time you want the music to play and then tap When Timer Ends. In the pop-up menu, choose Stop Playing, then Set. Now you can start your timer and the Music app will stop playing automatically.

6. Reply to a specific message in Messages

Did someone send you a long string of messages, and you want to respond to something from a particular message way up in the conversation? Simply use this hidden iPhone feature. In the Message app, tap and hold the message you want to respond to, then tap Reply. Now you can write a message and it’ll appear in the Message app attached to the original message so it’s clear what you are referring to.

7. Tag contacts in group messages

If you’ve been in a group chat you probably know that it’s sometimes hard to get a specific person’s attention, especially if not everyone is closely following the conversation. If you are group chatting in the Messages app, you can use this hidden iPhone feature to tag a specific contact so they get a notification when you send the message. In the Messages app, open a group message and type the @ symbol followed by someone in the chat’s name, like @dave. When you press Space or add punctuation, the @ symbol will disappear and you’ll see a subtle animation effect on the name. When you send the message, that person will get a notification.

8. View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords

In Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network you want the password for. To view the network password, tap the Password section and then use Face ID or enter your passcode to view it. You can then tap Copy to copy the password into your clipboard and share it.

9. Use the Space bar as a mouse

It can be infuriatingly difficult to position the cursor at a specific place on the screen when correcting a typo or moving the cursor somewhere else in a document. Thankfully, Apple has given you a sort-of-secret way to easily move the cursor as if your phone had a built-in mouse or touchpad. Simply tap and hold the keyboard’s Space bar. After a moment, the keyboard will turn blank. Now the entire keyboard area is a large touchpad — just move your finger around to reposition the cursor.

10. Compress the keyboard for one-handed typing

The iPhone keyboard has more secrets hiding in plain sight. If you frequently type one-handed, you can compress the keyboard and slide it to the left or right, depending upon which hand you prefer to type with. To do this, tap and hold the Globe or emoji icon at the bottom left until the pop-up menu appears. In the menu, tap the right- or left-justified keyboard icon. To cancel the compressed keyboard and go back to the ordinary one, tap the arrow to the left or right of the keyboard.

11. Find and remove duplicate photos and videos

Maybe you’ve saved the same photo multiple times or downloaded a video more than once, resulting in duplicates littering up your photo album. It may not be a problem if you’ve got storage to spare, but you’re running out of space, you can now remove every single duplicate easily with this hidden iPhone feature.

In Photos > Albums, you should see a new Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple scans through all of your photos and shows you any photo or video you’ve saved more than once in that album. From there, you can either delete any duplicates, or simply press Merge, which will keep the photo with the highest quality (and relevant data) and then move the others to the trash.

12. Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard

With this hidden iPhone feature, you can enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.

13. Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected

Thanks to this hidden iPhone feature, you can now lock the Hidden album. You don’t actually need to do anything to toggle this feature on. If you want to check it out, launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a tiny lock next to the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. To view the contents of those albums, you’ll need to use Face ID or your passcode.

14. Pin your favorite tabs in Safari

Safari caps your open tabs at 500, and if you’re nearing that limit, it might be pretty darn hard to find the exact tab you’re looking for. You could scroll endlessly, but with this hidden iPhone feature, you can easily find the exact tab you’re looking for.

In Safari, if you press down on an open tab, you will see an option to hit Pin Tab. This will move that tab to the top of Safari, where it will exist as a tiny tab preview, permanently pinned there, which you can then tap to view.

2022 was a big year for Apple Fan. The year brought us new phones, like the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, and new software updates, like iOS 16. Whether you bought something new, updated your iPhone with new software, or just kept on trucking with the same old tech, we were here to help you use it all. These are our favorite iPhone hacks and tips of 2022.
If you dive into the Settings app, you can find some cool iPhone hacks you might not have even known existed. Want to declutter your home screen? Use your battery a little less throughout the day? You can do all that — and more. Some of these iPhone hacks are relatively straightforward, while others are hidden deep within your device.

In this guide, we’ve got 25 iPhone hacks that you’ll definitely want to try today.

1. Stop apps from tracking your exact location

Apps like Doordash, Postmates, Google Maps and Waze all require your exact location to deliver food to the right location or direct you to where you want to go. But not all apps need to know precisely where you are at every moment.

Thanks to this iPhone hack, you can easily prevent any app from tracking your exact location. In the Settings app, choose an application (like Instagram, for example), tap Location and then toggle off Precise Location. Any app with Precise Location off will only know your approximate location, within a few miles.

Don’t toggle this feature off for apps that require exact location, like food delivery and navigation services.

2. Turn the back of your iPhone into a button

With this cool iPhone hack, the back of your device can be used as a secret button to activate certain actions, like take a screenshot or enable low power mode, and run shortcuts that can automatically play music when you arrive at the gym or turn on your smart lights when you get home. However, the option is hidden deep in your settings — here’s how to find it.

In the Settings app, go to Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and choose one of the two tapping options (double or triple tap). You should see a list of actions you can run by tapping the back of your iPhone, like opening your camera, turning on the flashlight, scrolling up and down and more. Tap on on action or shortcut to set it for double or triple tap.

3. Bring back full-screen incoming call alerts

If your iPhone is unlocked and you receive a phone call, a banner-style notification will appear at the top of your screen, with a photo and name of the person calling, and the options to pick up or deny the call. But this banner wasn’t always there.

Before iOS 14, the incoming call screen would take over your entire display when your iPhone was unlocked and in use. It was disruptive, sure, but it also got the job done.

When the banner appeared, it was a welcome change for many, because it’s more discreet and allows you to still use your phone while receiving a call. However, if for any reason you’re not a big fan of the banner and want to revert to the more attention-grabbing full-screen alert, you will appreciate this hidden iPhone hack. Go to Settings > Phone > Incoming Calls and tap Full Screen.

4. Turn off 5G coverage you don’t want or have

Apple touts a Smart Data feature that’s specific to its 5G phones (iPhone 12 and iPhone 13) that will automatically switch between 4G LTE and 5G networks based on how you’re using your device.

However, you may find that your iPhone’s battery drains faster than it did before. If you don’t want to sacrifice battery life for faster 5G speeds, shut it down with this neat iPhone hack. You can always turn 5G back on when you want it, or when service in your area improves.

To turn off 5G on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, forcing it to always use 4G LTE even if you have 5G coverage, open the Settings app, then go to Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data and tap LTE.

Alternatively, if you want your iPhone to exclusively use a 5G connection when available, you can select 5G On.

5. Fine-tune how much data is used by a 5G connection

If you’re happy with your 5G performance, here’s a related iPhone hack you should check out. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode, where you’ll find three different options: Allow more data on 5G, Standard and Low Data Mode.

Even though there are brief descriptions below the three different settings, they don’t paint a complete picture for the first option. According to an Apple support document, allowing more data on 5G will give you high-quality video and FaceTime calls. It also enables your phone to download software updates and stream high-definition Apple TV and Apple Music content, and it allows third-party developers to also improve their respective apps.

The default setting on this page will depend on your carrier and your data plan, so it’s a good idea to check your iPhone and make sure it’s correctly set to your preference.

6. Stop apps from cluttering up your home screen

The App Library is a place where you can quickly find and access all of your applications. And while apps are housed here, all newly downloaded apps also appear on your home screen. This may not be a problem if you download apps sparingly, but if you’re installing new apps on a consistent basis, they can quickly clutter up your home screen.

Thanks to this iPhone hack you can stop downloaded apps from appearing on your home screen. Go to Settings > Home Screen and select App Library Only. If you want to find the app, you’ll have to swipe left on your home screen until you reach the App Library.

7. Stop unexpected (and embarrassing) photo popups on your iPhone screen

Apple’s artificial intelligence helps surface photos and videos in various places across your iPhone, as a reminder of family vacations, couple photos and holidays — but you may not always want your personal pictures to pop up unexpectedly, especially if they’re private, embarrassing or inappropriate.

With this iPhone hack, you can now prevent Featured Photos, as well as curated collections known as Memories, from appearing in photo widgets on your home screen and the Search and For You sections in Photos.

To block these tailored photos, make sure you are running iOS 16 or higher. Now, launch the Settings app, go into Photos and toggle off Show Featured Content. All featured content will no longer appear across your device — instead, it’ll only be available in your photo library and albums.

8. Put the address bar in Safari back on top

The address in Safari migrated to the bottom of the screen with the introduction of iOS 15 — a welcome addition for those with smaller hands who had difficulty reaching it with one hand at the top. While this move might feel more natural, since it’s closer to the keyboard and where you typically place your thumbs, it can be off-putting since many people are used to seeing the URL bar near the top of the screen.

Thanks to this hidden iPhone hack, you can easily put the address bar back at the top of the screen. Go to Settings, tap Safari and choose the Single Tab option under the Tabs subheading.

9. Add features that can be used when your iPhone is locked

There are times when you might want to have certain info handy even when your phone is locked. That’s why Apple allows you to enable some features without having to unlock your device, such as the notification center, Control Center, the ability to reply to messages and the Wallet app.

To customize the features you’d like to access on the lock screen, simply use this iPhone hack. Launch the Settings menu, tap Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode when prompted. Scroll down until you see the Allow Access When Locked section, and toggle the sliders based on your preferences.

10. Make your favorite email app or web browser your default

It was a long time coming, but 2020’s iOS 14 update finally brought the ability to choose your own default apps — at least for email and web browsing. That means that when you tap a link or an email send button, your iPhone will automatically launch the web browser or email provider of your choosing rather than Safari or Mail.

To set up this iPhone hack, open the Settings menu and select the app you’d like to set as a default (such as Google Chrome or Outlook). You should then see a button that says Default Mail App or Default Browser App. Tap that option and select the app of your choosing instead of Safari or Mail.

11. Get full notifications on your lock screen

The first time you experience Apple’s Face ID tech, you’ll notice that you can’t see the content of new alerts and notifications on the lock screen. For example, instead of seeing who sent you a text message and what it says, you’ll only see a generic Messages alert.

By default, all iPhones with Apple’s Face ID tech will hide the content of an alert until you pick up your phone and unlock it. It’s a privacy feature that I rather enjoy, but I also understand how it could be annoying (I’ve heard a few complaints from readers and family members alike).

Thanks to this cool iPhone hack, you can change how notifications appear on your lock screen by going to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and selecting Always. Conversely, you can select Never if you want to keep the content of your notifications always hidden from the lock screen.

12. Turn off (or on) HDR video for sharing videos

Phones in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups can record high dynamic range (HDR) video with Dolby Vision. That means your videos will be brighter with more accurate colors and improved contrast. Sounds awesome, right? It is. But there’s a problem — not every app or service will work with HDR video.

Developers will need to update their apps in order to accept HDR video, but even then, the person viewing the video will need a capable device to see the difference in quality. For Apple devices, those include the iPhone 8 or newer, the 2020 iPad Air, the second-generation iPad Pro and some Macs.

So, what can you do to share videos universally? Well, you have a few options:

You can turn off HDR video by going to Settings > Camera > Record video and turning the switch next to HDR Video to the Off position. Going forward, all videos will be captured in standard dynamic range, and you shouldn’t have any issues sharing or editing it.
Leave HDR Video turned on, but when you want to share the video, with Facebook for example, use the Photos app instead of going into the Facebook app and uploading it. When you use the Photos app, your iPhone will automatically convert the video to SDR and upload it. When you send the video to another iPhone user, Apple will detect if their iPhone, iPad or Mac is compatible with HDR Dolby Vision. If it’s not, Apple will convert the video automatically.
If you leave HDR Video on and need to edit your video, you can use Apple’s iMovie app or the Photos app that’s built into your iPhone. You can even use iMovie to export the video as SDR if needed.

13. Customize your home screen with fancy wallpaper

Another iPhone hack related to home screen you should implement involves your wallpaper or background. Apple has added some new wallpapers of its own, with a pretty cool twist.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select Wallpaper from the list. Make sure the switch labeled ”Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper,” which you’ll see below the two thumbnail previews of your wallpaper, is turned on. Now, tap Choose a new wallpaper and select either Stills or Live. See the circle near the bottom of each wallpaper? It’s half black, half white.

That circle means that the wallpaper has both light and dark mode versions and will change automatically based on the system status of your phone.

You can also set live wallpapers as your background if you’re not sold on dark and light mode.

14. Turn on dark mode to save your battery

Speaking of dark mode, if you don’t want to have to repeatedly adjust your screen’s brightness, you can use your phone’s dedicated dark mode. Dark mode converts all of the white backgrounds in apps to, more often than not, a black background. In turn, your phone is able to save battery power thanks to the darker colors.

Turn on this cool iPhone hack by going to Settings > Display & Brightness and selecting the Dark option at the top of the screen.

Apple’s apps will automatically switch to a dark color scheme, and most third-party apps have also adopted the feature.

15. Manage your notifications with Focus Mode

We get a lot of notifications every day, but not all of them are relevant all the time. With iOS 15, Apple introduced a feature called Focus Mode. Think of it as a custom Do Not Disturb feature that’s tailored to specific circumstances.

Focus Mode blocks less relevant alerts, while allowing notifications from important people and apps to come through so that you don’t miss anything. You can set up different types of Focus Modes for specific circumstances.

Apple currently offers options for Do Not Disturb, personal, sleep, work, driving, fitness, gaming, mindfulness and reading, but you can also create your own custom mode. You can schedule Focus Modes so that they turn on automatically when needed, and display your status in apps so that others know you have notifications silenced.

To set up this neat iPhone hack, open the Settings menu, tap Focus and choose one of the available options to set up your notification preferences. Tap the plus ( ) symbol in the top right corner to add a new Focus.

16. Make your screen text bigger or smaller

With a couple of taps on your iPhone’s screen, you can adjust the font size to make it easier to read. Open Settings and go to Display & Brightness > Text Size where you can use the slider until you’re happy with the font size.

For a little added oomph, you can turn on Bold Text (it’s just below the Text Size button).

17. Add an alternate appearance to Face ID

Apple’s facial recognition feature — Face ID — constantly learns different aspects of your face with each scan. If you’re struggling to get Face ID to consistently recognize you, try this hidden iPhone hack.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > enter your PIN > Set Up An Alternate Appearance and go through the process of enrolling your face again.

18. Disable auto brightness for longer battery charge

Your iPhone’s screen brightness level can have a big impact on battery life. By default, iOS will automatically adjust the display’s brightness based on how much light its ambient sensor detects. But if you want to take complete control, you can disable auto-brightness using this iPhone hack, meaning the brightness level will stay where you set it until you adjust it again.

Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and at the bottom of the page, you’ll find a switch to turn off Auto-Brightness.

Now, whenever you want to adjust your screen, you can do so by opening Control Center with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen on a device with a home button, or a swipe down from the top-right corner on newer iPhones.

19. Triage your privacy settings

The first time you set up an iPhone with all of your apps, you’re bombarded with prompts asking for permissions to access personal information ranging from tracking your location to your Apple Health information or your camera roll.

It’s far too easy to get in the habit of approving everything just so you can use the app, but take a few minutes and go through your privacy settings to tailor what each app can and can’t see. We walk you through the whole privacy process in two quick steps.

20. Go back to using old iPhone lock screen notifications

Apple’s latest redesign brings widgets, customizable fonts and colors, a wallpaper gallery and stylized date and time to the lock screen, as well as one overlooked change to notifications. Instead of appearing at the top of your lock screen, notifications now appear at the bottom, which you can then tap on to appear full screen.

However, not everyone may be happy with this change. If you want to go back to the way notifications appeared on iOS 15, simply use this iPhone hack. Launch the Settings application and go to Notifications > Display As. You’ll then see three options:

  • Count: Notifications appear as a numbered count at the bottom of the screen.
  • Stack: Notifications appear in a stack at the bottom of the screen.
  • List: Notifications appear fully across your screen.

To go back to the old notification style, choose the List option.

21. Use Control Center to access apps with a swipe or tap

The iPhone’s Control Center is a convenient spot to quickly change songs, turn on airplane mode, connect to Wi-Fi or start a timer, but there’s so much more to it than that. You can quickly turn your flashlight on, check on a timer or start recording your screen with a quick swipe and tap.

Customize which apps and features are available in Control Center by opening Settings > Control Center. Remove an option with a tap on the red minus button or add an option by selecting the green addition button. Drag features up or down using the three-line icon on the right side of the screen.

Personally, I like having quick access to the Wallet app and toggles for low-power mode and dark mode.

As a reminder, if you have an iPhone with a home button, like the iPhone SE, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, you’ll need to swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen where the battery icon is.

22. Strip the new search button from your iPhone’s home screen

Your iPhone’s search feature lets you quickly find a text message, third-party app, file, note or location — pretty much anything on your device or on the web. As you know, to get the search bar, you just swipe down anywhere on the screen, and it appears.

With iOS 16, Apple adds another way to access Search from the home screen, via a small button right above your dock.

However, the new search button is easy to accidentally trigger, because it’s near where your thumb might go when you swipe between your various home pages.

But, like many new features on iOS 16, you can turn this setting off. Simply launch the Settings app, go to Home Screen and toggle off Show on Home Screen to remove the search button from your home screen.

The Search bubble should disappear, replaced by a few small dots representing your various home screens.

23. Organize alerts with Notification Summary

Apple wants to help you manage your notifications in iOS 15, starting with the Notification Summary feature. Rather than letting notifications pile up on your home screen, you can schedule alerts that aren’t urgent to arrive in a bundle at a specific time of day.

Important notifications like calls, direct messages and other time-sensitive alerts (like the status of your Uber or Lyft ride, for example) will still appear immediately.

To try this iPhone hack, open Settings, press Notifications and tap Scheduled Summary.

24. Keep from accidentally ending your own phone calls

The side/power button on the side of your iPhone allows you to quickly sleep and wake up your device, but if you accidentally hit it during a phone call, you’ll prematurely end your call. If that’s something you’ve encountered in the past, this iPhone hack will let you prevent that from happening.

Make sure you are running iOS 16. Then go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and toggle off Lock to End Call to prevent the side button from ending your calls. If you do hit the side button accidentally, your screen will go to sleep, but you’ll stay on your phone call, uninterrupted.

25. Change Siri’s voice

If you’ve recently set up a new iPhone, you may have noticed that Siri no longer defaults to a female voice. Instead, you’ll be asked which Siri voice you want to use, including several more recent options. Once you’ve made your selection, Apple will change Siri’s voice across all of the devices linked to your Apple ID.

You can check out the voice options by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice.