Posts

iOS 14

New iOS 14 Features iPhone Users May Not Know About Yet 

/in , /by

Now that Apple has released their much anticipated iOS software update for their mobile devices, iPhone and iPad users everywhere are taking advantage of all the new features and layout changes that came with it. There’s often so many new features that come along with these annual updates that tech lovers can sometimes overlook some of them, so here’s a list of some of the more unique and unknown ones: 

Setting Your Default Email/Web Browser: After years of complaints from users that they cant change their default search engine on their device, Apple has finally decided to let them not only delete the standard ‘Mail’ and ‘Safari’ apps from their devices, but assign their own defaults as well. Users simply open settings and scroll to the bottom where it lists every installed app on your device. Find the mail or Safari app and tap on it, here’ you’ll see them listed as the “Default” browser or email app. Once there you can select and choose your own!

Embed from Getty Images

Getting Rid Of App Home screens: If you’re the type of person who puts every app that they rarely use on a specific page, tucked away, now you can literally hide the entire page from your device’s main set up. Just long-press a single area of your home screen to trigger the new “edit mode,” which will then allow you to tap on the page indicator and remove the page itself. This will not delete the apps on those pages, but will instead move them into the App library where they’re more hidden. 

Searching The Emoji Keyboard: Emoji’s are arguably the most popular keyboard shortcuts available on any device, and now, users can finally search for which emoji they want at any given moment instead of having to endlessly scroll through general categories to find one. All you have to do is launch the emoji keyboard like you normally would and you’ll now find a search bar at the top of the keyboard!

Hidden Photo’s Get A Much Needed Security Update: Previously, if you were to select any number of photos to be “hidden” away from your Photos App’s main page, the photos were simply moved to a hidden folder on the app that practically anyone could go to and click on. With iOS 14, Apple has now added an option to hide the hidden album completely. Users can go into Settings, Photos and then make sure the Hidden Album is switched to “off.” Once this setting is activated, users can only access the pictures in that album if they go back into settings and turn the switch on. 

Embed from Getty Images

Picture In Picture: iPhone users can finally take advantage of Picture In Picture viewing, a setting that was previously only available on the iPad. Now users can make FaceTime calls while replying to emails or text messages without that blurred “Paused” window appearing to the other users. This feature also allows for individuals to continue to watch YouTube videos or TV Shows while scrolling through social media. 

Faux Eye Contact In FaceTime: With iOS 14, users who are facetiming will be able to give their friends/family/loved ones the illusion that they’re looking right at them when they’re looking directly at their screen. It’s one of the more subtle features of the update, but nonetheless, many are excited to see how it looks to make “eye contact” with the people they’re talking to as if they were in person. 

Back Tap: A new accessibility feature now allows users to trigger certain system functions by tapping on the back of their phone. By going into Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, users can select the amount of taps they want to use and the action they want to initiate. These actions include triggering the Control Center to appear, launching Siri, taking a screenshot, and more!

Apple Software

Apple Announces New Software Updates With Pandemic In Mind

/in , /by

Apple held their annual developer presentation this week and brought a slew of new products to make users’ lives much easier while they’re stuck at home. Overall the company announced a brand new set of wearable devices, a new iOS software interface, new Mac software and so many more updates for the devices we find ourselves using even more now that most of us are still enduring statewide lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

This event is one of the few major keynote presentations that comes from the company every year. Typically these events happen in person, but for obvious reasons this year it was purely digital. The spring developer conference that took place this week normally debuts a wide range of internal updates, which for fellow tech nerds like myself is just as exciting as a new iPhone launch, which typically occurs during Apples fall keynote conference. 

Embed from Getty Images

This developer conference was no different, as one of the biggest upgrades that Apple announced was the ability to use multiple products at once with the least amount of lag or technical difficulties. The goal was to make using every device within your home as smooth of an experience as possible, especially considering the world will continue to be staying home indefinitely until this pandemic is over. 

According to Gizmodo Magazine, “the big push here was the ease with which you can use multiple products with the least amount of trouble. Apple says it has open-sourced HomeKit/the Home app to prioritize privacy and ease of use, so that when you add a smart device and set it up through the iOS 14 Home app, it’ll automatically suggest various automation options.”

If you’re a smart home fan you may already own smart bulbs that connect to your phone/Bluetooth devices, and now, Apple is rolling out a new feature with iOS 14 known as “adaptive lighting.” This will allow users that own smart bulbs to change the colors you see in specific rooms automatically based on user preference. 

Embed from Getty Images

In terms of home security Apple is also stepping up their game and releasing a brand new system that will allow users to specifically designate zones of their property that they want to closely monitor while excluding all other areas. This way users will be notified right away of any activity that’s taking place in those specific areas of the home. Users can also use facial recognition features for close contacts that have been tagged in photos to allow your security system to recognize when certain family or friends arrive at your house. 

If you own an Apple HomePod, it will be able to notify you with who’s at the door, while your Apple TV can then display a video overlay of the security camera located at the door to show you a live feed. 

Apple TV in general is getting a few software updates as well which will support multi-user functionality for Apple Arcade. Apple TV will also begin supporting Xbox controllers for Apple Arcade and will provide picture-in-picture support for multi-player gaming. 

Besides that all new Apple device announcements are still projected to be made in the beginning of September as usual, but users will be able to have access to a majority of the upgrades mentioned above within the coming two months.