11 Clever iPhone 6 Hacks
Apple's smartphone is full of little surprises. Do you know about these tips and tricks for your daily iPhone use?
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The iPhone has undergone quite the transformation since it was first launched in 2007. We've watched as Apple's famous smartphone evolved from its basic model of eight years ago to the high-powered iPhone 6 Plus currently on the market.
With the launch of the iPhone, Apple took a big risk in redesigning the modern cellphone, and it continues to pay off big-time. The company announced a record-setting 47.5 million iPhone shipments during its most recent fiscal third quarter.
It's easy to see why the iPhone has been such a tremendous success -- it's powerful, easy to use, and comes with a massive app store offering everything from annoyingly addictive games to technical tools for niche professions.
As IT pros, you're up-to-date on new tech trends, digital devices, apps, and accessories. You know the iPhone is one of the most efficient smartphones on the market; you may even have one for business purposes and another for personal use.
But how well do you know your iPhone?
I recently upgraded my personal phone from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 6 and have since become obsessed with exploring the seemingly endless capabilities of my new device. It seems I discover a new feature, however subtle, every day.
Not only does my iPhone 6 have a fully functional power button and smooth, crack-free screen, I can use it to see which apps are draining my battery, exit or mute group chats, and enter a long alphanumeric passcode.
Read on to learn about other tricks I've discovered with my iPhone 6. If you're a seasoned iPhone user some of these may not come as a surprise, but there could be a hidden tidbit that will help make your iPhone more effective and efficient.
Of course, if you notice I'm missing a hidden iPhone hack, feel free to share your own tips in the comments.
When it comes to protecting your personal information, every extra precaution helps. A simple (but effective) way of protecting your iPhone is to create a longer, more complex alphanumeric passcode to prevent hackers from gaining access to your device. You'll need to disable the Simple Passcode (4-digit number), which you can do by going to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode.
Is there a website or two you frequent several times per day? Rather than going through Safari, you can add those websites directly to your home screen. Next time you're browsing one of those sites, tap the "Export" icon at the bottom of the screen and choose the "Add to Home Screen" option. An app icon will appear on your home screen to take you directly to the website.
Remember all the texting shorthand we used to use on our old flip phones? Now that autocorrect prevents it, I haven't read "CU L8R" in years. This doesn't mean smartphones lack messaging shortcuts; they're just a bit different. Your iPhone, for example, can automatically finish your sentences if you're sending a lengthy text. Just tap the space bar twice and it'll automatically add a period and space.
If you're expecting messages but in a place where your phone has to be on silent, use your LED flash for silent but effective alerts. This is intended for people with hearing problems but also pretty useful if you're at the movies, a restaurant, or another place where audible alerts are unwelcome. To enable, go to Settings > General > Accessibility and switch on "LED Flash for Alerts."
Running low on charge and can't figure out why? A new feature in Settings will tell you which apps are taking the largest toll on your battery life. Go to Settings > General > Usage > Battery Usage for a breakdown of which apps have cost the most energy over the last 24-hour or seven-day period.
This one is for every person who has wanted to leave a group chat, whether it's because your contacts are discussing a movie you didn't see or an event you aren't able to attend. At the top of the chat screen, select Details for the option to leave the messaging frenzy. If you'd like to stay in the chat but don't want to receive a stream of notifications, you have the option to select "Do Not Disturb." (Side note: If you keep scrolling, you'll have access to all the attachments sent within the group conversation. This also works with one-on-one messaging.)
If everyone in your group chat is on iMessage, you also have the option to completely leave the conversation. However, if you're talking with an Android user or two, this is not an option.
If you enter a typo in your next email or text message, give your device a shake. This will prompt the option to undo whatever you wrote in Mail, iMessage, or other default apps. Developers have the option to include this feature, so there's a chance you'll find it in other apps as well.
If you like falling asleep to music, there's a way to shut off the sound after you've already started snoozing. Turn on your music and access the clock app. Under Timer, tap "When Timer Ends," and a list of sound options will appear. Scroll to the bottom and select "Stop Playing" to stop the music when time is up. No worries, there won't be an alarm for an unwelcome wakeup call.
Apple has finally decided to support widgets for certain apps. With Notification widgets, you can do things like check the news, access your Kindle book, or view recent Dropbox documents. If you want to add some to your Notification panel, swipe down to access Notifications, tap Today, scroll down and select Edit. There you can add the widgets you want to see and delete the ones you don't.
If you have an iPhone, you've probably activated Find My iPhone to help in the event your phone is stolen or lost. (And if you haven't, you probably should.) iOS 8 has a new feature called "Send Last Location," which will send the phone's location in the event its battery is low. That way, even if your phone has traveled, you'll know where it was last located even if it shuts off. To enable this, go to Settings > iCloud > Find My iPhone and turn on "Send Last Location."
Your iPhone is always tracking you, recording and saving your location data. This is supposed to give you a more personalized smartphone experience, but it's no surprise it has caused a bit of controversy in the privacy department. Despite Apple's claims that your data is safe, you may still want to disable the feature. If you're curious about which places you most frequently visit or want to make your iPhone tracker-free, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations. There you'll see all the places you have recently visited, and you can turn off the tracking if you want.
Your iPhone is always tracking you, recording and saving your location data. This is supposed to give you a more personalized smartphone experience, but it's no surprise it has caused a bit of controversy in the privacy department. Despite Apple's claims that your data is safe, you may still want to disable the feature. If you're curious about which places you most frequently visit or want to make your iPhone tracker-free, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations. There you'll see all the places you have recently visited, and you can turn off the tracking if you want.
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