iOS & iPhone Features
News: Apple's iOS 12.2 Public Beta 6 Available for iPhone, Adds New Warranty & AppleCare+ Status in Settings
Right after Apple released iOS 12.2 dev beta 6 on Monday, March 18, it seeded the public beta version. So far, from what we can tell, the sixth beta includes a patch for an Apple Pay issue and yet another update to the "About" page in Settings, this time with a new section for warranty and insurance information.
News: Apple Devices Are Being Remotely Locked & Held for Ransom—Here's How to Protect Yourself
It started in Australia, and now seems to have made its way statewide—hackers are remotely locking iOS and Mac devices, holding them for a $100 ransom. Users awoke to the loud "lost iPhone" ringtone, with a message on their lock screen stating that "Oleg Pliss" has hacked their device, and that "they" will unlock it after being sent $100 through PayPal.
How To: Save $20 a Year on Apple Music
Apple Music offers a cheaper subscription option to those of you who look for it — only $99 for a year. If you are already an Apple Music user, you can access the option right now. Otherwise, you have to sign up for a normal monthly plan first, then switch to this plan to get a better deal after.
How To: Open Instagram Straight to the Story Camera to Bypass Your Feed & Start Capturing Right Away
When it comes to shooting a great Instagram story, spontaneity is often key. Who doesn't love seeing something unexpected pop up on their feed? That said, to catch those moments, you need to be quick, and the standard method for opening Instagram's Story camera isn't that. Instead, try this method the next time you need to document something in a flash.
How To: Reply to Texts on Your AirPods Without Siri Reading Out Your Messages
Your iPhone's "Announce Messages with Siri" feature is pure Apple. If you have a pair of connected AirPods (2nd generation or newer), Siri can read your messages to you as they come in, and you can say "Reply" to send one back. However, that natural flow is disrupted once Siri reads back your drafted text — but you can disable it to make the process smooth all the way through.
News: Actual iPhone 6 Leaks Confirm Previous Leaks Were Spot On
Over the weekend—just days before Apple's big event—an actual iPhone 6 leaked on Chinese site cnBeta. Again, nothing here that we already didn't know about—Sapphire screen, round(er) corners, larger display, and new button stylings. Below are images of the new iPhone 6 next to the current iPhone 5S. We can clearly see the protruding camera module as well as sections on the top and bottom of the back where the antennas will be housed. A second source was able to put together some videos, as yo...
News: Apple Releases iOS 14 Public Beta 5 for iPhone, Includes Widget Location Settings & 'Tall' Apple News Widget Size
Apple just released the fifth public beta for iOS 14 today, Wednesday, Aug. 19. This update comes one day after Apple released iOS 14 developer beta 5. It follows iOS 14 developer beta 4 by 15 days, and iOS 14 public beta 4 by 13 days.
How To: 11 Tips for Preordering an iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max Before They Sell Out
Apple's new iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max are sure to be hits this year. Of course, that means plenty of hungry customers are looking to sign up for a model once preorders begin on Friday, Sept. 14, for the XS models, and Oct. 19 for the XR. Luckily, there are preemptive actions you can take right now to avoid waiting outside an Apple Store overnight or getting kicked out of the preorder queue online.
How To: Change the Brightness of Your iPhone's Lock Screen Flashlight
Whenever you need a flashlight, your iPhone's LED flash may be enough to break through the darkness, and you don't even need to unlock your screen to use it. But your LED flash's brightness level may be too strong or not powerful enough. It's not immediately obvious how one would change those lumens from the lock screen, but doing so is almost as fast as turning it on.
How To: Black Dot Character Crashing Messages? Try These Fixes on Your iPhone
There are some nasty iOS bugs out there, many determined to crash the Messages app. For example, in February 2018, we saw a Telugu character render the iPhone messaging app totally useless. While that bug has been fixed, the nightmare continues in a new bug, aptly dubbed the "Black Dot."
How To: You Can Play Dead Rivals & Slaughter Zombies on Your iPhone Right Now
Mobile gamers are well aware of this, but zombie shooters have become pretty stagnant and unimaginative in recent years. Too many entries in this genre feature the same cookie-cutter gameplay, but thankfully, Gameloft aims to change this. The company has soft-launched Dead Rivals in a few countries, and with a little work, you can try the game yourself right now.
News: GigSky Supports eSIM on Your iPhone for Easy Cellular Data When Traveling
With the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, Apple introduced dual-SIM capabilities to iOS, made possible by eSIM technology. If you recently picked up one of these three new iPhones and need to utilize your eSIM while traveling abroad, you might want to take a look at the data plans offered by GigSky.
News: iOS 11.4 Beta 5 Released for iPhones with Under-the-Hood Improvements
Apple is speeding things up in the iOS 11.4 development. The company released to developers the fifth beta for iOS 11.4 on Monday, May 15. Public beta testers got the update just hours later. The update comes just one week after the release of the fourth 11.4 beta, which introduced minor bug fixes and security patches to iPhone running the software. This beta version doesn't seem any different.
How To: There's a Faster Way to Open Recent Files on Your iPhone
With the updated Files app in iOS 13, iPhone users finally have decent file browser. But, as with any file browser, it can easily become crowded, making it hard to find the files you want.
News: Apple Releases iOS 13.1 Public Beta 2 for iPhone to Software Testers
Apple has pulled quite the headscratcher in anticipation of its big iPhone unveiling next week. Its latest iPhone update, iOS 13.0, is just on the horizon, going through eight beta versions so far. And yet, before that software's official release, the company has started beta testing iOS 13.1, with no explanation why. And the second public beta for iOS 13.1 is now out, so let's see what's new.
News: iPhone 8 May Release on Time After All, Just Without a Key Feature
As with any new smartphone (but especially with Apple), the iPhone 8 is generating rumor after rumor. This newest rumor, however, rocks the boat a bit, as BGR reports that the iPhone 8 may release at Apple's standard time in the fall, but the 3D camera will be pushed to the 8s.
News: Apple's iOS 13.6 Public Beta 2 for iPhone Includes Option to Automatically Download New Updates
No, you didn't miss a beta. Apple just released the second public beta for iOS 13.6 today, Tuesday, June 9, three hours after the release of 13.6 dev beta 2. This update might come as a surprise to you, considering your iPhone might currently be running iOS 13.5.5 public beta 1. Indeed, this update is that version's successor, just with a major name change.
News: You'll Need New Accessories for the iPhone 7, Even Though It Looks the Same
In years past, Apple has always waited two years before redesigning the iPhone, but this year they broke the trend. Aside from a few minor changes, the overall design and style of the iPhone 7 models is the same as last year's iPhone 6s models, and the iPhone 6 ones before that, so it's almost as though they've switched to a three-year cycle—just as early reports suggested.
How To: Use Apple's iPhone 12 Studio to See How MagSafe Accessories Will Look on Your New Phone
There's a variety of brilliant colors in the iPhone 12 lineup, including the elegant Gold and show-stealing Pacific Blue finishes on the Pro models. It's difficult enough to choose an iPhone color as a customer, but deciding on accessories can make things even worse. Which color case looks best with what iPhone color? What about a MagSafe wallet attachment? Well, Apple has a tool to help you figure that all out.
How To: The Trick to Taking Night Mode Time-Lapses on Your iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max
Good time-lapse videos capture cities, nature, and other long-running events in a way normal photos and videos simply can't. Your iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max can make time-lapses look even better, thanks to Night mode. But it isn't exactly intuitive or even clear on how to enable the feature since, unlike with Video mode, you won't find a Night mode icon to use.
News: Here's Everything We Know About What's Coming in the iPhone 7
If history holds true, we'll see the iPhone 7 arrive this September, and just like many times before, there are already a ton of rumors about its features. As usual, many claims are pure speculation, but there are some trustworthy reports and lots of good information we can use to make some educated guesses regarding Apple's upcoming flagship.
How To: Unlock an iPhone 3G with the ultrasn0w jailbreak tool
In this how to video, you will learn how to unlock your iPhone 3G 3.0 firmware with Ultrasn0w. First, turn on your device and go to Cydia. Click manage and sources. From here, go to edit and click add. Enter repo666.ultrasn0w.com here and click add source. Once that is done, go back to Cydia. Go to search and look for Ultrasn0w. Click install and confirm to install it. Now you have Ultrasn0w installed. Reboot your iPhone. Next, insert your SIM card. Go to your settings to confirm that the SIM...
Streak: The Once-a-Day Lock Screen Trivia Game for iOS
The bulk of my mobile gaming is done in instances of boredom, like sitting in a waiting room or watching bad TV. So when I heard about a new trivia game that pits every user against each other just once a day, I was immediately intrigued; it's a new spin on a very popular platform.
How To: This Is the Quickest Way to Disable Face ID or Touch ID in a Pinch
Here's the situation: you need Face ID or Touch ID disabled, yesterday. You don't have time to dig around in your settings, slowly working through an authentication reset. If you find yourself in a place where you think your own face or fingerprint will be used against you, use this trick to instantly protect your iPhone.
How To: The Easiest Way to Clean Up Your Twitter Timeline on Your iPhone
Technology allows us to communicate with others like never before, providing us with the ability to stay connected with past and current coworkers, classmates from high school, and even relatives in far-away countries.
How To: Unlock & Shoot in Apple ProRAW on Your iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max
Apple ProRAW, the new RAW shooting format available on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, is now available in iOS 14.3. But you won't find a switch for it in the Camera app after updating your iPhone, and that's because it's an opt-in feature you have to unlock.
News: iOS 11.2 Beta 3 Released, Includes Pop-Up Alerts for Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Controls, New Control Center Bar
Apple released iOS 11.2 beta 3 on Monday to developers, with only a handful of changes over Beta 2. Still, it's always recommended you upgrade to the newest version of iOS, so if you are running any of the previous 11.2 betas, make sure to update.
News: This Case Turns Your iPhone into a Full-Fledged Camera
Your iPhone might have a great camera, but it can be irritating to get things like exposure and focus right when your fingers are all over the 'viewfinder.' The Pictar aims to change that by making your iPhone as much like a DLSR as it can, keeping your fingers from obstructing your next great photo.
How To: Confirm Your Location with Touch ID to Give Yourself an Alibi
One of the biggest hits this past fall wasn't a movie, television show, or book—it was an unassuming podcast called Serial, which centered around an unsolved murder from 1999 of a high school student in Maryland.
How To: Stop Control Center from Opening Accidentally in Apps & Games on Your iPhone
You're in the middle of the fight for your life in your favorite iPhone game when all of a sudden, that critical move you tried to make activates Control Center inadvertently, throwing you completely off track. Instead of fuming, do something about it — block Control Center when you're in apps.
iPhone Security: Apple Refuses FBI's Demands to Create iOS Backdoor
In a letter dated February 16th, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to the FBI's demand that Apple create a "backdoor" to bypass the encryption on an iPhone used by one of the perpetrators of last year's terrorist attack in San Bernardino, CA. Cook began the letter by stating that Apple has "no sympathy for terrorists" and has cooperated in giving the FBI all of the information that it has available.
News: See What's New in iOS 10 Beta 3 for iPhone
With the next iPhone release around the corner, Apple is hard at work getting iOS 10 squared away. On Monday, July 18, they issued the third beta of iOS 10 to developers, which should be released within a few days to those using the iOS 10 public beta.
How To: Play Marvel Battle Lines to Unleash Spider Man & Other Heroes on Your iPhone Right Now
Marvel has solidified itself as the dominant superhero franchise with the release of Avengers: Infinity War, and it's now dipping its toes into the world of mobile card-based strategy games with the soft launch of Marvel Battle Lines in select countries ahead of a worldwide release. If you'd like to install this game right now and get a head start on your fellow gamers stateside, there's a workaround.
News: Apple's iOS 13 Developer Beta 6 Available for iPhone with New Dark Mode Control, Hidden Link Previews & More
If tradition holds, we're roughly one month away from Apple's big iPhone announcement. While we're excited to see what will mainly be a significant camera upgrade, it's not all about the hardware. Apple will also release the official version of iOS 13 to coincide with the iPhone XI. Before then, however, iOS 13 needs beta testing, and developer beta 6 just hit on August 7.
News: Apple Just Released iOS 12.1.1 Beta 2 to Developers
Developers opened their iPhones on Wednesday, Nov. 7, to find an update to the iOS 12.1.1 beta. Apple seeded developers the first 12.1.1 beta on Halloween, marking one week between it and the second beta. It's a quick update turnaround but in line with trends as Apple typically waits at least a week in between beta releases.
News: iOS 11.2 Released to the Masses with Bug Fixes, Apple Pay Cash & More New Features
It's been a busy week for Apple. After two beta updates in one week, iOS 11.2 was released to the public around 1:30 a.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 2. Usually, Apple releases updates around 10 a.m. PT, but this one was rushed in the wake of a huge time/date bug that was causing some iPhones to crash on Dec. 2 once 12:15 a.m. local time hit. But bug fixes aren't the only thing in this new iOS version.
News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on iPhone Accessories
A new iPhone is only as good as its accessories. Whether it's a case, screen protector, or charger, your iPhone's ecosystem depends on accessories to keep it powered, protected, and personal. Prices on all of these extras are going to be at an all-time low this Black Friday weekend, so we've rounded up the best deals around to help you get the essentials you want and prices you can afford.
How To: Get Full Screen App Previews in Your iPhone's Multitasking Menu
We've always been able to switch between running apps pretty easily, but iOS 7 beefed up the multitasking menu significantly by incorporating app previews in lieu of just icons.
News: Apple Releases iOS 13.6.1 for iPhone, Adds Bug Fixes for Exposure Notifications, Thermal Management & Automated Storage
Apple just released iOS 13.6.1 for iPhone today, Wednesday, Aug. 12. The update is the latest public update for iPhones since iOS 13.6, which Apple released 28 days ago.
How To: 3 Reasons Why You Need iOS 14.5's New Privacy Features on Your iPhone
Many of us choose to use an iPhone — as well as other devices in the Apple ecosystem — because of the company's dedication to user privacy and security. If you need more proof of that commitment, look no further than iOS 14.5, released April 26, which adds new tools to protect our data while browsing the web and more control over the data installed apps collect on us.