iPhone Life Spring 2022

Spring 2022 Great Gear 40 Apps to Keep Your
Resolutions
Regular Departments 32 Smart Speakers Go Head to We’ll keep you on track no
Head matter your goal.
4 Editor's Message Which is Best? HomePod,
6 Stuff the iPhone Life Team Google Home, or Amazon Life & Tech
Alexa.
Is Loving 42 Digital Cobwebs Be Gone!
48 iView: Augmented Reality & 34 Our Favorite MagSafe Gear 6 easy steps to organize
Mix and match accessories your iPhone.
Your Pool Game to charge, mount, and carry
your iPhone. 46 Get Creative with AirTags
iNews Track pets, packages,
36 Best iPhone 13 Photography parked cars & more.
8 The 2021 MacBook Pro: Buy Gadgets
or Wait? Get even more out of your
The pros and cons of the iPhone camera.
newest model.
Best Apps
12 Trying Out the iPhone 13 Pro
An honest review from a 38 Start a Garden with Your
first-time Pro user. iPhone
3 seed-starting apps for the
14 Apple Watch Series 7 Review techie with a green thumb.
Do modest changes justify
an upgrade?

iPhone Life Sponsors

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2 iPhone Life Spring 2022

NEW YEAR,
NEW YOU!

iOS 15 PAGE
GUIDE
40
The Best of iOS 15: 100+
Tips & Tricks for the New OS SMART SPEAKER
SHOWDOWN
21 iPhone Life’s iOS 15 Issue
22 Focus & Notifications PAGE
23 Safari & Tab Groups
24 Photos & Memories 32
26 Favorite Features
28 FaceTime & SharePlay
29 iCloud & Privacy
30 Health & Records

Editor's Message

Getting Off the Fence

I f you’re an Apple enthusiast (which you likely are since you’re reading this magazine), you know how hard it is to pass on
the latest products. We often wrestle with that hard-to-pinpoint yet powerful allure of a new iPhone or MacBook and the
reality that we may not need that new device. In this issue, you’ll find hands-on reviews of many of Apple’s latest products
to help you get off the fence and make informed decisions about where to make (and how to justify) your Apple purchases.

In my review of the Apple Watch Series 7 on page 14, I make a case for only upgrading to the Series 7 if you already own a
Series 4 or older. After waiting several years and prudently holding off in the face of appealing features like the always-on display
and blood oxygen sensor, I was finally ready to buy. All it took was seeing the full-screen keyboard and slimmer profile of the
Series 7 during Apple’s unveiling last fall. It didn’t matter that Apple analysts were predicting a larger redesign and additional
health sensors with the Series 8 if I waited. I was already sold—the features combined with that indefinable appeal of a new
Apple product had tipped me over the edge. On page 12, you’ll get an account from our Managing Editor, Amy Spitzfaden-Both,
of how she decided to upgrade to Apple’s premium iPhone line for the first time ever. After years of opting for Apple’s budget
models with a friendlier price tag and fun color options, she finally sprung for the iPhone 13 Pro. While you’ll hear the advantages
of the Pro’s superior battery life, powerful processor, and impressive camera features, you’ll also hear her case for sticking with
budget models in the future.

Probably the biggest predicament you’ll face is whether to buy the 2021 MacBook Pro. It’s a massive upgrade that includes
features we’ve been wanting for years, but it’s also the biggest financial investment of them all, costing you anywhere from
$2,000–$6,000. With Apple’s newest Pro notebook, Apple delivered its own silicon processors, an impressive 64 GB RAM
option, ample ports for easier connectivity, improved battery life, a 1080P webcam, and a gorgeous edge-to-edge mini-LED
display. SEO Content Strategist Leanne Hays walks you through the features and weighs whether it makes sense to wait for a
new 2022 MacBook Air, which could very well deliver many of the features you want at a much lower price point.

Last but not least, Feature Writer Elisabeth Garry helps you think of creative ways to use Apple’s Bluetooth tracker, the AirTag.
Whether you want to keep an eye on your pet while you’re at work or plan a scavenger hunt for your kid’s birthday, you’ll find fun
ideas to help you make use of Apple’s cheapest product (page 46).

We love to hear from you about what products you’re loving and investing in. Email [email protected] and tell me about the
Apple products in your life and why you chose them!

All In on iOS 15

Whether you’re buying new products or not this spring, you can enjoy that magic feeling of something new from Apple as you try
out the latest software features with iOS 15. In this issue, Amy has put together over 100 of our best tips for the new operating
system. You can use Live Text now to pull text straight out of a photo and save it to a note or search the web with it (page 24). You
can use Safari’s new tab groups to organize your online life into different workspaces (page 23). And you can use advanced audio
and video features as well as call Windows and Android users using FaceTime, and even share your screen (page 28)! Amy has
hand picked all of the best tips worth knowing, which you can flip through all year as an easy way to master your iPhone.

I hope you enjoy this issue and find inspiration and support for your love of all things Apple.

Donna Cleveland
Editor in Chief at iPhone Life

4 iPhone Life Spring 2022



Around the Office

STUFF THE IPHONE LIFE
TEAM IS LOVING

Sarah Kingbury, Senior Web Editor
Levoit VeSync Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart
Humidifier ($79.99)
I recently got this Wi-Fi-controlled cool-mist humidifier
to save my office plants from the dry forced-air heat at
work. It’s ideal for the office because I can use the
companion app to control it from home and set an
optimal humidity range that triggers auto-starting and
stopping. Plus, the 6-liter tank holds enough water to last when I’m out on
weekends. I predict my office jungle will thrive this winter!

Elisabeth Garry, Feature Writer
The New Yorker: Fiction
Podcast (Free)
I just discovered The New
Yorker: Fiction podcast, which
invites authors to pick and
narrate a favorite story from the
archives, then sit for a conver-
sation about it with host and editor Deborah Treisman.
It’s a great way to discover some real standout short
stories from the magazine’s long history.

Leanne Hays, Erin MacPherson, Web Editor
SEO Content Conido Charging Stand for Apple Watch ($20.99)
Strategist This Apple Watch charging stand (with puck built in!) is a great
Raptic Link low-budget alternative to the nicer ones. The magnetic surface
+ Lock Apple is perfectly angled and weighted to make placing and removing
AirTags Case your watch seamless and easy—no fiddling with the puck to
($39.99) get it to stay in the correct position. This has quickly become
This is a great my go-to charger.
accessory for securing your AirTag
to your valuables while you track
them. The polycarbonate housing is
built into a casted-zinc combination
carabiner. You can attach the Link &
Lock and track it with your AirTag,
and best of all, no one can remove
your Link + Lock without the
combination!

6 iPhone Life Spring 2022

Donna Cleveland, Editor in Chief PUBLISHER & CEO MANAGING EDITOR
Otterbox Amplify Glass Screen Protector David Averbach • [email protected] Amy Spitzfaden-Both • [email protected]
($49.95) WEB EDITOR
I love the security a good screen protector CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Erin MacPherson • [email protected]
offers but hate the specks of dust and bubbles Raphael Burnes • [email protected] FEATURE WRITERS
on my screen that often occur during Olena Kagui • [email protected]
installation. That’s why I’ve been so happy with CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Elisabeth Garry • [email protected]
the Otterbox Amplify line. The included setup Noah Siemsen • [email protected] Ashleigh Page • [email protected]
kit is virtually dummy proof, and all but guarantees a flawless MARKETING ASSISTANT
application. It’s so sleek I hardly can see it and features an EDITOR IN CHIEF Austin Durr • [email protected]
antimicrobial and anti-scratch surface that keeps my phone protected. Donna Schill Cleveland • [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS

Ashleigh Page, FOUNDER & COLUMNIST David Averbach (page 34)
Feature Writer Hal Goldstein • [email protected] Donna Cleveland (pages 4, 14)
Blossom app Elisabeth Garry (page 46)
(Free) ART DIRECTOR Hal Goldstein (page 48)
I’m leveling Jaime Thatcher • [email protected] Leanne Hays (pages 8, 38)
up my garden SENIOR WEB EDITOR Olena Kagui (page 36)
game with the Sarah Kingsbury • [email protected] Nicholas Naioti (page 32)
Blossom app, SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Ashleigh Page (page 40)
which allows me to identify house- Rheanne Taylor • [email protected] Amy Spitzfaden-Both (pages 12, 22, 23, 24,
plants and herbs, view care tips, 26, 28, 29, 30, 42)
diagnose problems (too much light?), SEO CONTENT STRATEGIST
and set watering reminders. I can Leanne Hays • [email protected]
even view quotes from famous
authors about specific plants (a WRITER & PRODUCER
feature this bookworm adores). Cullen Thomas • [email protected]

Cullen Thomas, AD SPECIALIST & VIDEO EDITOR
Writer & Nicholas Naioti • [email protected]
Producer
Schlage Sense CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBSCRIPTIONS ada and Mexico add $7 per year; outside North
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iPhone Life Spring 2022 7

SHOULD YOU BUY A
2021 MACBOOK PRO?

IT’S APPLE’S FASTEST AND MOST POWERFUL PRO
LAPTOP TO DATE, BUT IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?

BY LEANNE HAYS

A pple’s 2021 MacBook Pro is loaded with updates “IF YOU NEED SPEED,
and improvements that make it “the world’s best POWER, CONVENIENCE,
pro notebook,” as Apple executive Greg Joswiak AND CONNECTIVITY, AND
proclaimed upon its release. But these high-end YOU HAVE THE CASH, THE
features come with a hefty price tag. Does the 2021 NEW MACBOOK PRO IS
MacBook Pro warrant the price? Is it a better idea to wait for FOR YOU.”
the refreshed MacBook Air that’s sure to arrive in a year or
less? So, who needs this much power? According to Apple, the
MacBook Pro is “designed for developers, photographers,
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY? filmmakers, 3D artists, scientists, music producers, and any-
one who wants the world’s best notebook.” Reading this, I
There are several factors to consider when deciding wheth- know that I’m not one of those people! The power of the M1
er or not to purchase a new MacBook Pro. Let’s get into what chip is more than enough to meet my work and recreational
Apple’s latest laptop has to offer, and whether you should buy needs, which mostly amount to Zoom meetings, multitasking
one now. with dozens of tabs and spreadsheets, and streaming a bit of
music and movies in the evenings.
THE M1 PRO & M1 MAX CHIPS
A RETURN TO FAVORITE FEATURES
The most outstanding feature of the latest MacBook Pro is
its two updated chip options, the powerful M1 Pro and even While my computer habits alone may not require the pow-
beefier M1 Max chip. These are upgrades from last year’s M1, er and speed of the new chips, it may be worth buying the
Apple’s first proprietary silicon chip for the Mac. But do you latest MacBook Pro for its return to favorite laptop features
really need all the processing power an M1 Pro has to offer, that Apple phased out for a time. The Touch Bar, a touchscreen
let alone an M1 Max? replacement for function keys usually present at the top of a
keyboard, is gone, and functional keyboard keys are back. The
According to Apple, the central processor in the M1 Pro
and M1 Max is up to 70 percent faster than the M1 and the
graphics processor is up to twice as fast, while M1 Max is up
to four times faster than the M1. This is amazing, considering
that less than a year ago, Apple boasted that the M1 offered
“the world’s fastest integrated graphics in a personal
computer” and “the world’s best CPU performance per watt.”
These features enable owners of M1-equipped devices to
quickly and smoothly edit high-resolution photos, build apps,
render 3D scenes, playback multiple 4K video streams, and
much more.

8 iPhone Life Spring 2022

MagSafe charging cable connector, a magnetically connecting demanding customers. But how many of these features can
charger cable that easily detaches if pulled, was phased out in we expect to find in the 2022 MacBook Air at a lower cost?
2016, but is back by popular demand! Battery life has also
improved, and fast charging has come to the Mac as well—up The 2020 MacBook Air is priced starting at $1,000 and tops
to 50 percent in just 30 minutes. Finally, in a major gain for out at $2,500 for the top-of-the-line model with pre-installed
those of us tired of hauling around adapters (everyone), a software. That’s a huge price difference when compared with
variety of ports are returning in the 2021 MacBook Pro, the spendy new MacBook Pro; a 2021 MacBook Pro will set
including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC you back anywhere from $2,000 to an eye-popping $6,500.
card slot, and a MagSafe 3 port.
The current MacBook Air is powered by the M1 chip, and
HIGH-POWERED AND COOL we’ll doubtless see an upgrade to at least an M1 Pro in the
2022 Air, but at a lower price. Beyond the upgraded chip,
The latest MacBook Pro’s advanced thermal system can Apple is likely to include many of the MacBook Pro’s structural
move up to 50 percent more air through the laptop than that features in the 2022 MacBook Air. A MagSafe charger
of the previous generation, resulting in a cooler and quieter and 1080p webcam are both strong possibilities for the new
user experience. What’s more, MacBook Pro buyers will enjoy Air. The edge-to-edge screen with a notch is also a feature
upgrades like an advanced 1080p camera, a six-speaker destined to be rolled out across the MacBook models. This
surround-sound system, an improved microphone array, and will mean a larger display, of course, though Apple may or
an edge-to-edge 14.2- or 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display may not choose to upgrade the quality beyond the current
that offers incredible brightness, contrast, and detail. Last, but Retina display with True Tone. It’s unknown at this time
not least, the latest MacBook Pro has a 120Hz refresh rate, whether Apple will upgrade the camera, microphone, speaker
just like the iPhone 13 line. The refresh rate is responsive, systems, and refresh rate, or reserve those improvements for
which helps preserve battery life, speeding up for smooth the MacBook Pro.
scrolling and transitions, and slowing down when users are
viewing static images. For many of our readers who are early adopters, price is
not a consideration when it comes to getting their hands on
COMPARE & CONTRAST – WHAT the latest and greatest piece of Apple tech. Others prefer to
DOES IT MEAN? hang back and wait for new features to become more afford-
able over time. If you need speed, power, convenience, and
If you have a career or hobbies that require a fast and connectivity, and you have the cash, the new MacBook Pro is
powerful laptop with great connectivity, you’ll want one with for you, preferably one with the high-end M1 Max chip. If your
Apple’s new M1 Max or M1 Pro chip. But does that mean you current laptop is mostly serving your needs, but you’re looking
need a new MacBook Pro? It certainly does if you want these for a budget-friendly upgrade, keep your eye out for the 2022
features within the next year. But, if you’re willing to wait, it’s MacBook Air, or wait for prices to drop on the current
rumored that there’s a new MacBook Air coming in 2022. The MacBook Pro when yet another new model is rolled out in
bottom line is this: the latest MacBook Pro includes powerful 2022. Ѷ
upgrades and convenient features sure to please Apple’s most
Leanne Hays is an SEO Content Strategist at iPhone Life. She loves reading and
blogging, and is never without a book in her backpack or an audiobook on her
phone. Short-term goals include finishing painting her house and starting an
aquaponics farm, long-term goals include a bike tour of Italy and writing a novel.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 9

IPHONE LIFE MARKETPLACE - SPONSORED PROMOTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS

INSIDER INSIGHT

Dear iPhone Life Readers,

Looking for live iPhone classes, printable iPad guides, and the ability to send any question to our team of experts?
Our iPhone Life Insider subscription is a treasure trove of dynamic Apple tips, guides, and courses, carefully curated
so that you can master your iPhone! You will even have someone checking in periodically to make sure that you
aren’t feeling overwhelmed and have everything you need to reach your goals. That’s my role as your Insider
Success Advocate!

In case you haven’t heard of our Insider program yet, here is a fun analogy—the magazine you are reading is like the
tip of an iceberg, and Insider is the rest of the iceberg. In other words, it is a huge digital resource filled with live
and recorded training, printable guides, and daily video tips. It is the one-stop-shop for all your questions about
Apple products.

To learn how to get access to these amazing Insider benefits, visit iPhoneLife.com/GetInsider. Here are some of our
latest offerings and upcoming releases you can expect when you sign up.

HAPPENING NOW

Guide Updates for iOS 15
We are hard at work updating all our guides for the latest operating system. This spring, we will be releasing
updates to the following guides: Photos, Reminders, Maps, Messages, FaceTime, and Notes.

RECENTLY RELEASED

MacOS Monterey Guide
Your Mac received some big updates, and we have an in-depth guide designed to be your one-stop
source of macOS information. This is our first dedicated guide for the Mac, and we are excited to be
providing ongoing macOS resources for Insiders!

COMING THIS SPRING

iPhone Pro Camera Guide
Get the most out of Apple’s triple-camera array and learn to use the latest cinematic videography features. Our
in-depth guides include video tutorials as well as a printable PDF so you can learn in whatever way you prefer.

Sincerely,

Austin Durr
Insider Success Advocate

Stakes/shutterstock

10 iPhone Life Spring 2022



HANDS ON WITH THE
IPHONE 13 PRO

MY FIRST PRO PHONE... EVER

BY AMY SPITZFADEN-BOTH

I ’ve never gotten a Pro iPhone before, because I never LOOKS AREN’T EVERYTHING
felt like I needed it. Yes, I’d enviously eye the remark-
able pictures my friends would post on social media I knew I’d be getting some kind of iPhone 13 before the
that they claimed to take on their Pro or Pro Max, but new line was announced, so I was disappointed when I saw
I’ve always been happy to stick to the budget models, the limited color options. Coming off of a string of years
and my wallet has been, too. This year, however, I got the where we saw colors like yellow, green, and lavender, the
opportunity to try out the iPhone 13 Pro. I went in with some muted metallics of this year underwhelmed me. I reluctantly
hesitation. After all, none of us at iPhone Life were too chose the gold, planning to pair it with a case I ultimately
enthused about the minimal upgrades to the Pro this time. didn’t end up getting, and upon unboxing it, I wasn’t in love. I
Now that I’ve tried it out, I can confidently say I like it, but I’m did end up finding a case that compliments it nicely, but I still
not sure I’m sold. Here is my first-ever Pro experience. can’t help looking wistfully back on color schemes gone by.

12 iPhone Life Spring 2022

PROMOTION IS POPPIN’ the amazing battery life.
My iPhone lasts all day! I thought as Apple expounded on
With all the hubbub around the lightning-fast refresh rate
feature dubbed ProMotion, I wondered if I would really notice the virtues of the Pro battery. How much more do I need? But
it. Tech is fast. Pages load quickly. I have never accused my then I ended up in a situation where my daughter had a
iPhone 11 of lagging, so what would ProMotion bring to the medical procedure and had to spend the next four hours flat
table? A lot, it turns out, and I’m still not sure if it’s good. The on her back. My daughter is two years old. The task seemed
new refresh rate was almost dizzyingly fast in comparison to impossible, until we realized she was content to lie on her
what I was used to. As I’ve continued to use it, I’ve gotten back if my husband or I held my phone directly above her
a bit more used to it, but I still think it’s a little too fast and a head and streamed endless Paw Patrol videos. So we did that
little too detailed. for three whole hours (even a toddler with TV has her limits)
and when we were done, my battery, which had already been
BETTER NIGHT MODE! MACRO! used to send constant updates to my family, was only down
to 66 percent. Three hours of video streaming hadn’t even
Now we’re getting to the good stuff. The two main things taken up a full third of my iPhone’s battery. That’s pretty
that made the Pro model interesting to me were the camera amazing.
features: Night Mode (introduced with the iPhone 11 but
greatly improved with the 13 Pro line) and new macro CONCLUSION
capabilities. I often struggle with justifying fancy features like
this compared to the cost of the device. Am I going to use PROS:
these features enough to make the fancier device worth it? In
a word, no. Night Mode and Macro are both very fun features, • Excellent battery life
and perhaps I’ll get so attached to them when the time rolls • Night Mode and Macro
around for me to get a new iPhone I won’t be able to imagine • Manageable size
life without them, but from where I’m standing they’re a • Greater storage capacity
luxury I could live without.
CONS:
Still, they’re really, really fun. My photo needs are not high.
I like taking pictures of my kid, my trips, and the books I’m • Higher price point
reading. I have an Instagram with a modest following, and no • Limited color options
real photography aspirations. However, Night Mode is fantas- • ProMotion is a bit jarring
tic for almost all low light situations. I don’t need to be taking
artsy pictures of the moon to display in an art show; Night THE FINAL VERDICT
Mode is perfect for selfies with my daughter in the low light
of evening lamps, or even just shooting a picture of the city Even though I’m not sure I’d go Pro next time, I’m glad I
outside my hotel room window when I feel like capturing my have my iPhone 13 Pro. It’s fun to see what I’m missing, and
view. Macro not only allows for some cool new angles and I have to admit, I’m proud to have such a good iPhone. I love
texture play, but it also just lets me zoom in close enough to a the pictures I’ve taken with it, and Night Mode and Macro,
subject to get the shot I was looking for, something that was while unessential, are super fun to play with. I don’t know if
lacking on my previous iPhone camera. So while both features I’d recommend a 13 Pro over the regular 13 to anyone who
offer some exciting options for those with an artistic vision to didn’t have specific photographic needs, considering the price
fulfill, those of us with more utilitarian needs also benefit from difference, but I’m definitely happy to have mine. I just wish it
these features. could have been purple… Ѷ

SAME SIZE, MORE STORAGE, Amy Spitzfaden-Both is the Managing Editor at iPhone Life, an award-winning
BIGGER BATTERY novelist, and an iPhone enthusiast. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband
and daughter. When she’s not writing or glued to her iPhone, she enjoys hiking,
Local storage of 64 gigabytes is nothing to sneeze at, traveling, and creating her own tea blends.
especially considering that’s double the storage of my old
iPhone 11. Still, it by itself wasn’t a selling point for me, as I
never ran out of my 32GB of storage. The deciding factor for
me to get the iPhone 13 Pro was the fact that the screen is
no bigger than my iPhone 11’s. The 13 Pro is a bit thicker and
heavier, but in a pleasant and somewhat powerful way. I don’t
want my iPhone to get any bigger than this, as I already
struggle with fitting it into my pockets and holding it in one
hand, so I appreciate I didn’t have to sacrifice any usability.
But even better than not having to deal with a larger size is

iPhone Life Spring 2022 13

WHY YOU SHOULD WAIT
FOR APPLE WATCH SERIES 8
(BUT WHY I DIDN’T!)

BY DONNA CLEVELAND

T he Apple Watch Series 7 isn’t the upgrade I’d been The larger display also allows for bigger buttons, improving
hoping for, but I bought it anyway. Let me explain. accuracy for entering your passcode and setting timers. I
Last spring, as Apple rumors began picking up, we thought we’d get a variety of Apple Watch faces that take
saw renders of a completely redesigned smart- advantage of the extra screen, but sadly we only got two.
watch. It was going to have sleek flat edges
reminiscent of the latest iPhones and iPads. It “THANKS TO THE

would house a blood glucose monitor, and, by some FULL-SCREEN KEYBOARD,

accounts, a sensor that measured stress levels. This was TEXTING ON THE APPLE

going to be a massive upgrade. But as September drew near, WATCH HAS NOW BECOME A

the forecast changed. Apple analysts broke it to us that we’d VIABLE WAY TO

have to wait a whole year to see any of these upgrades! COMMUNICATE.”

The watch we ended up getting in the Series 7 sported As a bonus, the watch is more durable than ever, with an
IP6X dust-proof and WR50 water resistance certification. This
incremental improvements, but I found myself wanting it makes me feel more secure wearing my watch in the shower
or out on a bike ride. A small but nice addition is a selection of
anyway. The slimmer display with rounded edges, full-screen new colors for the aluminum casing. I went with starlight, an
attractive combination of gold and silver that works with most
keyboard, extra durability, and quick charge capabilities jewelry and accessories.

combined with advancements from recent years made for a

compelling upgrade for those of us with older Apple Watches.

THE DESIGN

The gripe I’ve always had with the Apple Watch is that it
looks like what it is—a minicomputer strapped to my wrist.
While I maintain that Apple makes the best smartwatch on
the market, I’m envious of friends who have watches that
look more like a traditional timepiece, like the Garmin that
not only has a round display but also a longer battery life and
health monitoring that tracks things like hydration and stress.

Apple didn’t cater to my design aesthetic with the Series 7
(and likely never will), but they did make some notable
improvements. The display is slimmer with more rounded
corners, giving the watch a lower-profile look. Best of all, the
new display is bigger and spans edge to edge, making way for
the main selling point of the Series 7, the full-screen keyboard.

14 iPhone Life Spring 2022

FINALLY, A FULL-SCREEN KEYBOARD FEATURES FROM YEARS PAST

The main feature that sold me on the Series 7 is the full- When Apple came out with the always-on display a couple
screen keyboard. Up until now, texting options have been years ago that lights your watch face when not in use, I
limited. Voice dictation has been the best way to send wanted that feature but couldn’t justify the upgrade. I hated
messages on the watch, but I can’t use it during meetings or that my watch looked like a dark slab most of the time! And
dinner parties where you don’t want to be heard talking to your even when I flicked my wrist to see the time, it didn’t always
watch. Your other options were limited to canned responses, light up on the first try. I also wanted last year’s blood oxygen
which rarely fit the text you received or Scribble that forced sensor (an especially useful feature during the pandemic
you to trace out one letter at a time with your finger. when low blood oxygen could be an indicator of a COVID
infection). When I saw all these features plus the keyboard
The full QWERTY keyboard on the Series 7, on the wrapped together in the Series 7, I couldn’t resist.
other hand, works quite well. Using the Quick Path keyboard
to swipe takes a little practice, but I found it impressive at THE VERDICT:
guessing the correct words. Mistakes are also easy to
correct. Tapping the back arrow deletes whole words at a time PROS:
and scrolling back with the Digital Crown precisely places your
cursor so you can delete a single letter and not lose all your • Full-screen QWERTY Keyboard
hard typing work. I even tried texting exclusively on the Apple • Slimmer display & round edges for a low-profile look
Watch for two days and discovered it to be effective for brief • Fast charging
messages. Thanks to the full-screen keyboard, texting on the • New color options
Apple Watch has now become a viable way to communicate.
CONS:
SAME BATTERY, QUICKER CHARGE
• Battery life hasn’t improved
A longer battery life has been at the top of my list of • Would like more variety of full-screen watch faces
requests ever since Apple launched its first watch. While sadly • Fast charging only works with the new charging puck
we didn’t get a bigger battery, the Series 7 does come with that comes in the box (not backwards compatible)
fast charging. Fitness tracking is a notorious battery hog, and
now you can place your watch on its charger while you If you own the Series 4 or older, the Series 7 offers a solid
shower after a workout and get a significant boost in battery upgrade with features that’ll make a difference in your daily
life. There’s a catch, though: you must use the charger Apple use.
included in the box, an irritating reality for those of us who
have invested in charging docks with built-in pucks. Also, If you can stand to wait, though, I’d recommend holding
users who want to wear their watch all day and night still out for the Series 8. The next generation watch will likely see
must carve out at least a half hour morning and night for a significant makeover and come with new health sensors.
charging. If you’d like more than minor improvements before buying a
new watch, it’s still best to wait. Ѷ
NEW WORKOUTS IN FITNESS PLUS
Donna Schill Cleveland is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. After a short
I’ve been pleased with Apple’s fitness tracking features stint as a newspaper reporter, she became web editor at iPhone Life, where she
since I bought the OG Apple Watch. This year we didn’t see continues to pair her penchant for storytelling with her love of Apple products.
many changes aside from new workout types like Pilates and Donna holds a master’s degree from the University of Iowa School of Journalism &
Tai Chi, and new videos in Apple Fitness Plus, the workout Mass Communication.
video subscription for Apple Watch users. While I prefer to go
to the gym, Fitness Plus is my go-to when I only have a few
minutes to fit in a workout.

HEALTH UPDATES WE WANT TO SEE

It would’ve been cool to get a blood glucose monitor, but
that isn’t a metric I currently need to track closely. The feature
I’d have loved to see is a stress monitor that lets me know if I
need to slow down and relax. As I mentioned earlier, competi-
tors like Garmin already include stress tracking. Here’s hoping
Apple includes that in the Series 8.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 15

IPHONE LIFE MARKETPLACE - SPONSORED PROMOTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS

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16 iPhone Life Spring 2022

IPHONE LIFE MARKETPLACE - SPONSORED PROMOTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS

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iPhone Life Spring 2022 17

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20 iPhone Life Spring 2022

iOS 15 GUIDE

A new operating system is as daunting as it is exciting, but we’re here to make it easy. Here are all the best things you
can do with iOS 15 to make your iPhone experience more useful and enjoyable. From Focus modes to the redesigned
Safari browser to camera tricks, this is your complete guide.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Photos & Memories Focus & Notifications Safari
iOS 15 brought many exciting chang- Your iPhone wants you to focus, and Big changes have come to Safari!
es to your Camera and Photos apps, we’ve compiled the best tips to help They may seem a little intimidating
from Live Text, to the ability to correct you do just that (page 22). We’ll teach when you open your app and every-
misidentified people, to customizable you how to bundle your notifications thing has changed around, but our
Memory mixes. Learn all your new into one delivery, let your family and tips (page 23) will help you navigate
options (page 24), and maybe you’ll friends know if you’re busy, and them to the point where you may
find a favorite! train your Focus mode to know your even prefer the new layout.
schedule.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 21

iOS 15 GUIDE

FOCUS & DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE
NOTIFICATIONS
Customize Your Home Screen
FEWER DISTRACTIONS, MORE Your Home screen can be a big
PRODUCTIVITY
distraction. Notification badges
CUT OUT DISTRACTIONS can catch your eye and pull you
off track. Luckily, Focus takes that
Stay on Track with Focus Modes into account. Just open your Focus
Focus is the new feature that settings by accessing your Control
Center, tapping Focus, then the
prevents unwanted notifications More button next to the filter of
from popping up and disrupting your choice, and then tap Settings
your workflow. Each of the preset > Home Screen. Toggle on Hide
Focus modes can be set to your Notification Badges to keep your
preferences, or you can create your iPhone from showing just that or
own! Open the Control Center and Custom Pages to decide which
tap on Focus, then select which Home screen pages stay visible
filter you want to enable. The first when you’re in that Focus mode.
time you use any of the preset
modes, you’ll be guided through Summarize Your Notifications
setup. If you’d like to set the filter Notifications can range from
to turn off in one hour, until you
leave your location, or for another distracting to overwhelming. With
suggested timeframe, tap the more some apps, I want to receive
icon next to the name of the Focus mode, then select one of notifications but not throughout the
the options. To disable Focus, simply tap to turn it off. day while I’m doing other things.
Now, you can create a Notification
Schedule Focus by Time or Summary that bundles your
Location notifications and delivers them to
you once a day! Just tap Settings >
With Focus, you can set up a Notifications > Scheduled
location- or time-based schedule Summary. If this is the first time
for each mode. Open the Control you’ve used Notification
Center, tap Focus, then on the filter Summary, follow the on-screen
you want to schedule. Tap Settings prompts to select which apps you
> Add Schedule or Automation. For want to include in your summary
a time-based schedule, tap on Time. and what time of day you want it
Set your times and select days of delivered. If you want to receive
the week, then tap Done. For additional summaries, tap Add Summary and choose a new
location-based schedules, tap notification time (such as 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day).
Location. Search for your location,
or select a suggested location, such Sync Focus Across Your Devices
as your home or work, then tap Want to make sure that when
Done. As a bonus, you can even
use the menu to set a Focus mode you’re using a Focus mode on your
to turn on when you are using a iPhone, you also don’t get notifica-
specific app or set up Smart Activation to automatically enable tions on your Apple Watch, iPad,
a Focus filter based on your activity, like working out. or Mac? There’s a setting for that!
Open the Settings app. Scroll down
22 iPhone Life Spring 2022 if needed and tap on Focus. Make
sure the Share Across Devices
toggle is green, which indicates it’s
enabled. If it’s gray instead, tap the
toggle to enable it. Simple as that!
Now when you enable a Focus
mode filter (or one is automatically
enabled based on a set time or
location), the notification settings
of that Focus filter will be synced
across all your iCloud linked Apple
devices.

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iOS 15 GUIDE

SAFARI & TAB Create a Custom Start Page
GROUPS Mac users have had an option

NAVIGATE THE NEW BROWSER for a while to customize their Safari
LAYOUT WITH EASE start page, letting them include
pictures of their loved ones, a hand-
Switch Tabs with a Swipe picked selection of tabs and
Apple moved the Safari address Favorites, and more when they
open Safari. You can now do this on
bar to the bottom of the page. your iPhone! Open Safari, tap the
While many find confusing, Apple tabs icon in the lower right, then
made up for this twist by offering a tap the plus icon in the lower left to
simple navigation option. To switch open the Safari start page. Scroll all
between tabs, all you have to do is the way to the bottom and tap Edit.
swipe left or right on the address Toggle off any sections you don’t
bar. You can even create a new tab want to see and drag selections to
by swiping left until you get to your change their order. If you want to
last open tab and then swiping left set a Safari background wallpaper,
again and you’ll be taken to your make sure the Background Image
Safari start page. Simple! To view toggle is on, then choose a preset wallpaper or one from your
your open tabs, just swipe up on camera roll. Now you’ll see it with every new tab!
the address bar.
Group Your Tabs
ORGANIZATION STATION Having a million tabs open can

Rearrange Your Open Tabs be frustrating when you’re trying
Prior to iOS 15, Safari displayed to find what you need, but you
also may not want to close them
tabs in a stacked layout, which when you’re researching a trip or
made it difficult to see what was setting aside gift ideas. A new iOS
on each tab. Thankfully, the new 15 feature called tab groups solves
Safari design includes a grid layout this problem by allowing you to sort
in your tab overview screen! This tabs into categories. To create a
layout shows you small thumbnails tab group, just open Safari, tap the
of each tab so that you can open, tab icon, then tap where it either
close, or rearrange each one as you says start page or the number of
see fit. To see it, just hit the Tab tabs you already have open at the
icon or swipe up on the address bottom center. Tap New Empty Tab
bar. Then drag and drop your tabs Group, and a new start page will
as desired or long press on one of open up, from which you can add
them to choose from Safari’s as many tabs as you want and not
preset sort options, including have to search through all the others you have open.
Arrange Tabs by Title and Arrange
Tabs by Website. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS

Switch Back to the Old Layout
Any time Apple makes massive

changes to the way you navigate
an app or feature, it throws your
habits and organization into chaos.
If after giving the new Safari layout
a fair chance you’re still not a fan,
you can certainly change it! Apple
included an option in Settings to
switch back to the top-of-screen
address bar. Just go to Settings >
Safari and under Tabs select Single
Tab instead of Tab Bar. This will
switch the address bar back to the
top of your screen, just like it was
pre-iOS 15. While I’m a fan of the
new layout, it’s always good to know I can change back!

Login/Shutterstock.com

iPhone Life Spring 2022 23

iOS 15 GUIDE

PHOTOS & Edit and Enjoy Memory Mixes
MEMORIES Along with the other iOS 15

YOUR PHOTO LIBRARY JUST GOT updates to the Photos app came
SMARTER many changes to the way you can
view and even edit Memories in
the For You tab of the Photos app.
Updates include more ways to
personalize your Memory Mixes,
including adding music from your
own library. Just tap on the Mem-
ory Mix you want to customize,
and tap the edit button on the top
right. Then choose your photos,
title, and length, and even share it
over AirPlay! Tap the music icon at
the bottom to change the music or
the grid icon to view the photos in
gallery view.

Grab Live Text from a Photo NEW SEARCH CAPABILITIES
Live Text is one of the highlights
Identify Objects in Your Photos
of iOS 15. It enables you to copy, Your iPhone is learning! We’ve
paste, search for, and even trans-
late text in a photo. It can even grab been familiar with its spotty ability
phone numbers and lets you call to identify faces for a while, but
them. To select text from a photo in iOS 15 bring new accuracy, and the
your camera roll, press the Live Text ability to search people or objects
button that should appear in the in your photos. Just swipe up on a
lower right corner of your photo, photo to view the information card,
then long press on the word or which includes things like date and
words you want to select. Choose location it was taken. If your iPhone
from the menu that pops up on recognizes something, you’ll see
top, and adjust your selected area, a search suggestion at the top,
as you do normally. If the Live Text with a simple phrase like “cat” or
button isn’t showing up, try long “plant.” Tap on that and your iPhone
pressing on the text. will open a Siri search. It’s not yet
fully accurate, but still, exciting!
BEST NEW FEATURE
Correct Misidentified People
Use Live Text in Your Camera App Despite Apple developers’ best
Fortunately, you don’t have to
intentions and efforts, sometimes
worry about taking a photo and artificial intelligence on your iPhone
saving it to your camera roll to gets things wrong. In the Photos
use Live Text. You can also use it app, the most common issue is
straight in your Camera app. Just that names in the People album are
open your Camera app and point incorrect, resulting in misidentified
it at text. Press the Live Text icon, people in photos and albums. iOS
then choose from the menu of 15 makes it possible to correct
options that appear. If it’s not work- these mistakes! To fix a case of
ing, I recommend readjusting the mistaken identity: Open the People
frame. Try flattening out any paper album in your Photos app. Tap the
or fabric that has text on it, or move person you want to edit or correct.
your camera to better capture the Tap the more icon in the upper-right
text. You can always take a photo corner of the screen, then Review
for later, too! Confirmed Photos. Uncheck any
photos that don’t contain the
person in question. You can also swipe up on a photo that
person is in, tap the icon of a face and tap Rename This
Person.

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24 iPhone Life Spring 2022



iOS 15 GUIDE

FAVORITE See What’s Been Shared with You
FEATURES One of the biggest changes

OPTIMIZE THE UPDATE WITH in Messages is Shared with You,
THESE HIGHLIGHTS which helps you see all the content
sent to you via text. That way if you
TICKETS PLEASE! don’t have time to look at shared
content right away, you’ll know
Add More to Your Apple Wallet exactly where to find it later! Just
iOS 15 brings a lot of upgrades to look for shared content in apps like
the For You tab in Photos, Podcasts,
the Apple Wallet! In addition to add- Safari, Music, and News. You can
ing cards, tickets, and passes, you also interact with that shared
can also add keys to your Wallet content in convenient new ways,
app. As long as the lock and key are like pinning content sent to you in
HomeKit compatible and accepted a message by pressing and holding
by the office building or hotel room, on it and selecting Pin. Then, if
you can use your iPhone and Apple you tap on the sender icon while
Watch instead of a physical key to reviewing the shared content, you’ll
enter the building. There is also a be taken to the message they sent so you can continue the
separate list for expired boarding conversation.
passes and tickets so that you can
still view them, but they won’t get Talk to Siri Offline
in the way of your relevant cards For iPhones with the A12 chip or
and passes. Finally, a new feature
allows you to add multiple passes simultaneously using later, Siri now includes offline
Safari, saving you the headache of manual entry. support for faster response times
and higher security. Offline Siri tasks
Customize Your iPhone to Your include setting and disabling alarms
Needs and timers, controlling audio play-
back, launching apps, and changing
There are many accessibility settings. Siri can also now maintain
improvements with iOS 15. The context better than ever before.
first big one is VoiceOver’s ability to On-screen items such as websites,
explore images of people, objects, photos, music, and Maps locations
text, and tables in more detail. can be shared with your contacts
Navigation of nutrition label values with voice commands. Siri will also
is now possible in a more logical remember recent questions, so if
order that is easier to understand. you ask about the weather following
Plus, you can learn more about a a location inquiry, Siri will connect
person’s position relative to the the dots. These updates plus the
other objects by moving your finger addition of new languages make Siri even more helpful!
over an image. Other improvements
include Markup, allowing you to add RAIN CHECK
image descriptions that can be read
by VoiceOver, the ability to control View Full-Screen Weather Maps
your iPhone with simple sounds Planning for the weather can
instead of buttons, and customizing text size by app. Go to
Settings > Accessibility and find what’s right for you. make or break any outdoor activity,
so it’s nice that the Weather app has
26 iPhone Life Spring 2022 new features to improve user
experience. View full-screen maps
that show the temperature, air
quality, and precipitation based on
your location, plus animated storm
paths and rain and snow intensities
that help you better understand
what to expect. Those who need to
keep a closer eye on the forecast
can opt in for next-hour precipitation
notifications. If rain, snow, hail, or
sleet are coming your way, you’ll get
an hour’s head start. The Weather app also got a facelift with
new animated backgrounds and more user-friendly layouts.

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iOS 15 GUIDE

FACETIME & Add a FaceTime to Your Calendar
SHAREPLAY You can now schedule a

STEP UP YOUR VIDEO CHAT GAME FaceTime invite in your Calendar
app. Open the Calendar app, tap
Play Games & More on FaceTime the + icon in the upper-right corner,
with SharePlay and fill out the date, time, and title
of your FaceTime call. Next, tap
FaceTime’s biggest iOS 15 on Location or Video Call. Tap on
update is the addition of SharePlay, FaceTime. To add people to the
a feature that lets you share invitation, tap Invitees and enter
media, play games, and even share the contacts you wish to include.
your screen with the people you’re Once you’re done entering details,
talking to. While on a FaceTime tap Add in the upper-right corner. If
call, you can tap the SharePlay you added invitees, the invitation
icon, which looks like a person with will be emailed to them. If not—or
curved lines behind them, to share if you want to share with more con-
your screen. To share media, just tacts—you can find a link to the call
open a compatible app like Apple TV in the calendar event when you tap
Plus or Apple Music while on a call. the share icon. You can also share the link from the Upcoming
Now tap the SharePlay icon to share section of the FaceTime app’s main screen.
the show or song! There are plenty
of apps that let you do other things SMILE FOR THE CAMERA
too, like play a group game. See
what you can find! Look Your Best with Portrait
Mode
FaceTime Your Non-Apple Friends
Apple has made it possible to FaceTime now includes more
features to help you look and sound
FaceTime with Windows and your best, including Portrait mode.
Android users! You can easily invite Want to hide background clutter or
one or more Apple, Android, or blur out your home on a business
Windows users to join by sending call? This trick is for you. When
them a quick text from the Face- you’re about to join a FaceTime call,
Time app. Open the FaceTime app, look at the bottom of your screen.
tap New FaceTime and enter a See that tiny photo icon? Tap it for
contact name or number. Tap the Portrait mode. A white icon means
green button that says Invite with the setting is enabled, while a black
Messages. You’ll be brought to icon means it’s disabled. If you’re
Messages, where you’ll need to tap already on the call and want to
the Send arrow to send the invite. enable Portrait mode, tap on your
As soon as you send the message, picture near the bottom of the screen, then tap the Portrait
you’ll be brought directly into your Mode icon in the upper-left corner of your
new group message thread to wait picture.
for whoever you invited to join! You
can also tap Create Link instead and Enjoy Clean Sound with Voice
send that to your non-Apple friends. Isolation

With Voice Isolation, your iPhone
will isolate your voice from the
competing sounds around you,
reducing the background noise to a
manageable hum. To enable
FaceTime Voice Isolation, open
FaceTime, then open Control Center
and tap on Mic Mode. Select Voice
Isolation. You’ll also see Wide
Spectrum, which amplifies back-
ground sounds (perfect for recitals
or concerts). If you need to turn
either of these settings off, you can
simply repeat the steps above and
select Standard instead.

Login/Shutterstock.com

28 iPhone Life Spring 2022

iOS 15 GUIDE

ICLOUD & STAY ANONYMOUS
PRIVACY
Enjoy Enhanced iCloud Privacy
SECURE THE LOCKS ON YOUR iCloud Private Relay is a new
ONLINE DATA
privacy feature that anonymizes
WHAT IS ICLOUD PLUS? your browsing activity and helps
prevent websites from collecting
iOS 15 has brought to us a rebranded version of iCloud your private data. It’s a quick, built-
called iCloud Plus. Here’s how it works—if you’re paying in way to hide your IP address and
for an iCloud storage plan of any tier, you automatically gain take other steps to protect your
access to a handful of extra security settings that make your browsing and personal data. It is
iPhone use safer and more private. For most of us, it’s a good enabled by default, so it takes
idea to pay for an iCloud plan to store all your photos, texts, almost no effort to use. You can
videos, podcasts, and files. So now you get some extra bonus manually control whether iCloud
features thrown in with your cloud storage! Private Relay is enabled in Settings.
Just tap on your Apple ID profile at
Hide Your IP Address from the top, then tap iCloud > Private
Trackers Relay and toggle Private Relay on
or off. Confirm by tapping Turn Off Private Relay.
Safari got more than a visual
makeover—there are hidden Hide Your Email from Websites
changes that make your Safari You now have an option in Safari
browser use even more secure and
private. Intelligent Tracking Preven- to hide your true email address
tion is a great Safari privacy feature from any untrusted websites. Hide
and was designed to make it harder My Email doesn’t stop you from
for websites to track your habits getting emails, wanted or
via your IP address (usually done to unwanted, it simply sets up a shell
collect data for ads). The iOS 15 up- account to keep online entities
grade to this existing feature now from knowing your true email
allows you to block your IP address address. Emails to the Hide My
entirely! To hide your IP address Email shell account will still be
from web-based trackers in Safari, forwarded to your actual email
open the Settings app, scroll down address. If you choose to use this
and tap on Safari. Then, scroll down feature for untrusted sites, tap Hide
and tap on Hide IP Address. Select Trackers and Websites. My Email above the keyboard when
Now your IP address will be protected against web tracking. it pops up in Safari.

Login/Shutterstock.com If you’re an iCloud storage plan
subscriber, you’ll have free access
to all iCloud Plus features, including Hide My Email.

KEEP YOUR DATA SAFE

Protect Your Mail Privacy
Mail Privacy Protection prevents

activity tracking in Apple Mail,
wrapping your emailing activity in
multiple layers of privacy
protection. It’s not a setting that’s
enabled by default, so you’ll need
to go into settings to enable it.
Keep in mind, this feature only
works when you use the Apple
Mail app for email accounts. In
Settings, scroll down and tap on
Mail > Privacy Protection and
toggle on Protect Mail Activity to
enable the feature. The toggles
below this feature disappear once
it’s enabled, because the feature automatically includes those
other options. Now when you interact with any emails via the
Mail app you’ll be protected by this new setting.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 29

iOS 15 GUIDE

HEALTH & Add Your Medical Records to Your
RECORDS Health App

USE YOUR IPHONE TO MANAGE Medical records are of vital
YOUR HEALTH importance, and now you can add
them to your Health app. Just
GET THE BIG PICTURE open your Health app, tap Health
Records, then tap Get Started.
Receive Guidance on Your Lab You’ll have the option to add your
Results hospital, lab processing center, and
other healthcare facilities. Then you
Lab results have been accessible can log in to connect your account.
via the Health app before, but never Each provider may have different
in so much detail. Thanks to iOS 15, instructions, so be sure to follow
you’ll now see clearer information them step by step as they come
to help you understand your results up. Not every hospital or medical
and what they mean. Of course, facility is available though, so your
you’ll still need to check with your options might currently be limited.
doctor for guidance based on your
lab results! But this can help you SAFETY FIRST
get started. To access your lab
results, make sure you’ve linked Check Your Walking Steadiness
your lab to the Health app, then A new Walking Steadiness score
open the app and go to the Browse
tab. Scroll down to the Health and an accompanying notification
Records section and tap Lab Results. Here you’ll see your lab is now available to warn you if the
results in chronological order starting with the newest. way you’re moving may indicate an
impending fall. You can also share
Analyze Your Health Trends this metric with caretakers or con-
With iOS 15, the Trends feature cerned family members. First, set
up Walking Steadiness by tapping
has been greatly expanded to help on the Summary tab > Walking
you get an on-demand snapshot Steadiness Notifications > Set Up.
of your health whenever you need If you want notifications about low
it. To find your trends, open the or very low walking steadiness
Health app and tap Summary, then levels, tap Turn On to allow notifi-
View Health Trends. This screen will cations. On the Walking Steadiness
show you simple charts and graphs summary page, where you’ll find
of your progress, and you can tap your recent results and several other resources, including
on any of the charts to see more Understanding Walking Steadiness (a guide to the metrics and
information. For many users these analysis used by the feature) and a mobility article called Exer-
trends may merely satisfy their cises That May Improve Walking Steadiness.
curiosity and record progress
toward a goal, but for others, Share Your Health Data
Trends offers an automatic way to Want to share your Health app
keep track of information doctors
want. Tired of trying to remember data with another person who has
every single detail? Trends is a great place to find what you’re an iPhone? Here’s how to share
looking for. exactly what you want to share. In
the Health app, tap the blue Share
30 iPhone Life Spring 2022 with Someone button or Add
Another Person. Enter the name of
the contact and select them from
the list. Tap See Suggested Topics
for guided setup or choose Set Up
Manually. Toggle on each item you
want to share with the recipient.
At the end you’ll see a summary of
what you’ve chosen to share. Make
changes as desired or tap Share at
the bottom to confirm. You’ll see a
confirmation that the invitation has
been sent. Your Health data recipient will now see your shared
data and any alerts you’ve opted to share!

Login/Shutterstock.com



SMART SPEAKER
SHOWDOWN

SIRI, GOOGLE ASSISTANT,
OR ALEXA—WHICH IS THE BEST?

BY NICHOLAS NAIOTI

I n October of 2021, Apple unveiled the new HomePod response is stronger than expected, and the computational
mini, a thoughtful update on the cult favorite HomePod, audio makes the most of whatever space you put it in. Even
now discontinued. The HomePod mini boasts quality at loud volumes, the sound quality is cleaner and crisper than
sound, Siri functionality, and smart home integration, all the competition, plus you can pair two minis in stereo
for a hundred dollars. But how does the HomePod stack configuration to double the sound quality and volume. The
up to the competition at the same price point? I’ll break design is just as smart and stylish as we’ve come to expect
down the advantages and drawbacks of the HomePod mini from Apple, and features a variety of modern colors. The
compared to the Google Nest Audio and the fourth- speaker’s top has a nebulous glow with touchscreen function-
Generation Amazon Echo. Which of these speakers is the best ality to invoke Siri, adjust the volume, and skip tracks. Though
use of your $99? the physical controls have a slight learning curve, it’s intuitive
and works the way you’d expect. One drawback to the design
HomePod Mini ($99) is the power cable; it’s hardwired to the speaker and can’t be
Sound Quality removed. The HomePod mini comes with full Siri capability,
Design amplifying its usefulness dramatically if you’re an iPhone user.
Virtual Assistant In my testing, I found that Siri had the fastest response time
Smart Home Control to questions and commands, and the responses tended to be
Connectivity more relevant to my request. You can place calls, send text
messages, manage your reminders and edit calendar dates,
The HomePod mini comes out on top in terms of sound all via Siri. There’s even an intercom function for
quality. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from the small, communicating with different parts of the house. As a smart
canvas-covered globe as I unpacked it and set it up. The bass home controller, the HomePod mini is the worst of the three
due to limited compatibility. The HomePod mini only works
with HomeKit accessories, meaning if you buy non-
HomeKit devices or you happen to have an Android user in
your household, the process of setting up and using your
smart home will be severely limited. On the topic of
compatibility issues, the HomePod mini doesn’t play well
with most music services outside of Apple Music. You can’t
set Spotify as your default music service and Siri won’t allow
you to verbally request songs on any service other than Apple
Music or Apple Podcasts. This is a convenience barrier that I
found especially annoying as a Spotify subscriber. By far, my
favorite function is that you can start music playing on your
iPhone and move it over to the HomePod mini just by holding
your phone close to it—so awesome!

32 iPhone Life Spring 2022

Amazon Echo (Fourth Generation) ($99) Design
Virtual Assistant
Sound Quality Smart Home Control
Design Connectivity
Virtual Assistant
Smart Home Control While I wouldn’t say that the Google Nest Audio sounds
Connectivity bad, it decidedly has the worst audio quality of these three
smart speakers. This speaker is the loudest of the bunch, but
The fourth-generation Amazon Echo has been pleasantly the bass response is weaker than I prefer, and the audio often
redesigned from previous models to a globe-like shape with sounds compressed and distorted. That said, you can adjust
LEDs along the base instead of the top. While this speaker the bass and treble to your taste using the Google Home app.
has a nice bass response for its size, the treble feels tinny One unique and more traditional trait is that this speaker is
and abrasive at higher volumes. Unlike the HomePod mini, directional, meaning it doesn’t offer 360-degree sound like its
the EQ can be adjusted via the Amazon Alexa app, allowing competition. This is arguably preferable in situations where
you to tweak the sound to your taste. The voice control largely you want the speaker placed against a wall. I found the virtual
works as you’d expect, but I find Alexa the worst of the virtual assistant to be easy to use, though it did struggle to play one
assistants despite the fact that it technically has more skills. of my Spotify playlists. One area where Google outperforms
Frequently I find myself angrily shouting my requests over and the competition is smart home control. The Google Nest
over with slight changes to the syntax in the hopes that she’ll Audio works easily with smart home devices and has the
understand me. Asking Alexa to play a song rarely works as it best compatibility with accessories of the bunch. I did find
should, and my questions frequently beget hilariously incoher- the physical volume controls to be very frustrating; there’s no
ent responses with little or no relation to the topic. As far as I symbol on the speaker’s exterior to demarcate volume up and
can tell, Alexa cannot shuffle a playlist via a verbal command. down. You have to wave your hand in front of the device, and
Assuming Alexa can understand you, the Echo should serve then two LEDs illuminate, telling you where to tap to adjust
as a decent smart home controller with wider compatibility for the volume. While I appreciate the clean, minimal look, it’s not
accessories than the HomePod mini. Additionally, the Echo is apparent which is volume up and which is down, and it
the only speaker of the three that includes an auxiliary input, bothers me when you can’t tell that something is a button.
allowing you to connect a device physically or use the Echo as One thing I do admire about the design is the physical switch
an add-on to a sound system. It’s worth noting that the Echo that disables the microphone. If you have privacy concerns
does not work with AirPlay, which is a non-starter if you’re with an active microphone in your space, this switch is a
hoping for multi-room playback from your iPhone. thoughtful choice by Google.

In conclusion, all three of these speakers have good quality
sound for the cost, and each speaker is good for a specific
demographic. If everyone in your family has an iPhone, you
can’t do better than the HomePod mini. The sound quality and
integration with Siri are unparalleled. If there’s an Android user
in your home, it’s worth considering a different option,
especially if you’re interested in smart home control. I was
frustrated by the fact that Apple deliberately makes it
inconvenient to use any services other than Apple Music and
Apple Podcasts with the HomePod mini. Comparatively, it was
surprising to see how easy it was to link outside services with
Amazon and Google’s speakers. If Apple chose to allow more
third-party support for the HomePod mini, it would be the
unconditional winner of this showdown! Ѷ

In addition to being an ad specialist & video editor for iPhone Life, Nicholas Naioti is
a musician and audio/video editor. Nicholas has toured the country extensively and
currently resides in a cabin in the Iowa woods.

Google Nest Audio ($99)
Sound Quality

iPhone Life Spring 2022 33

Top MagSafe Gear
of the Year

The Most Stylish, Useful & Powerful Accessories
for Your iPhone

by david averbach

I n 2020 Apple introduced MagSafe technology into its line Nomad Modern Leather Case
of iPhones. MagSafe is a ring of magnets inside the ($59.95)
iPhone that allows you to magnetically connect your
iPhone to accessories. MagSafe also allows you to You will need a compatible
charge your iPhone wirelessly with compatible docks and case to get the most out of
chargers. Charging with MagSafe accessories has a few MagSafe. Most brands have
advantages over traditional wireless charging: 1) MagSafe can MagSafe-compatible cases, but
charge at 15 watts, whereas the traditional Qi wireless tops make sure you check before
out at 7.5 watts when charging iPhones. This allows you to making your purchase. My
charge much faster, going from 0 to 50 percent in about an favorite option is the Nomad
hour. 2) It can be surprisingly tricky to get your phone aligned Modern Leather case. I’ve used
properly to begin charging with traditional wireless mats. this case for years and have
With MagSafe chargers, the magnets are easier to align, and found it to be the right balance
you don’t run the risk of accidentally leaving your phone on between protective and slim.
a charger all night only to find you accidentally didn’t charge The leather exterior looks much
it. 3) When Apple introduced MagSafe, there were very few classier than the standard
compatible accessories available. Over the last year, many plastic candy shell. Many
more compatible accessories have hit the market, which has MagSafe cases have a visual
made MagSafe significantly more useful. Here are my favorite indicator to show you where
MagSafe compatible accessories: the magnetic ring is, and while
this is convenient for docking,
34 iPhone Life Spring 2022

I’m not a fan of how it looks. I like that Nomad skipped the Team favorite
ring in lieu of a solid leather back.
Sandmarc Active
Belkin Wireless Car Mount
BOOSTCHARGE ($59.99)
PRO 3-in-1
Wireless Charger “Sandmarc’s Active
with MagSafe Wireless Car Mount
($149.99) attaches easily yet
securely and has a truly
In my opinion, powerful magnet. My
everyone needs a iPhone stays safe even
nice dock for their on the bumpiest roads
Apple products. and gets charged along
It helps eliminate the way. The car mount
the mess of is small and portable, so
cables we all have I bring it with me when I
in our houses travel for stress-free
and makes your navigation in rented cars
nightstand or desk without CarPlay. Plus, it is great if you like to vlog
look much tidier. while driving or film some carpool karaoke.”
The Belkin BOOSTCHARGE PRO 3-in-1 charges your iPhone, Olena Kagui, iPhone Life Feature Writer
Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. The dock uses
MagSafe to charge the Apple Watch (Series 6 and later) and
the iPhone while the AirPods charge at the base. The BOOST-
CHARGE looks sleek with a stainless steel stand and a matte
black base (also available in white). My favorite feature is that
the MagSafe puck holds the iPhone vertically so you can still
see notifications while it’s charging. If you do not own an
Apple Watch, Belkin also makes a 2-in-1 charger for just the
AirPods and iPhone.

Apple Leather Wallet with Belkin BOOSTCHARGE Magnetic Portable Wireless
MagSafe Charger 10K
($59) ($59.99)

When Apple introduced We can all relate to that feeling of being out for the day
MagSafe for the iPhone, it also and having your phone die while you were relying on it. Not
released its own line of only is it frustrating, losing access to your phone can be a
MagSafe-compatible real safety concern. That’s why I recommend everyone own
accessories. As you might a portable power bank. Traditional power banks require you
expect, Apple’s line of to connect to your iPhone with a Lightning cable, but Belkin’s
accessories looks sleek and portable wireless charger attaches to the back of your phone
works great with the iPhone. via MagSafe. This means you don’t need to carry any cables
Also unsurprisingly, the in your pocket when you’re on the go. In addition, MagSafe
accessories tend to be more will charge faster than the Lightning cable typically used. The
expensive than third-party Belkin BOOSTCHARGE Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger
options. Apple’s leather wallet 10K has enough power to fully charge your iPhone twice, so it
is worth the splurge, though. makes a great travel accessory. Ѷ
This wallet isn’t for everyone,
as it only holds three cards and can’t hold cash. But for times David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life magazine. David has an
when you’re trying to travel light, it’s pretty great to be able to obsession with all things Apple. He grew up on Macs and now has a MacBook Pro,
leave your wallet behind. I took the leap and have used this as iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and an Apple Watch. David enjoys traveling and Ultimate
my primary wallet for about a month now. I just carry my ID Frisbee. He has been to over 20 countries. To contact David, email him at David@
and a credit card, and so far, it hasn’t been an issue. I’ve been iphonelife.com.
shocked at how rarely I miss having cash. My favorite feature
is that the most recent wallet model includes Find My tech-
nology. Whenever your wallet disconnects from your phone,
you get a notification from your Find My app that tells you the
location where it separated.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 35

iPhone 13 Going on
58(mm)

Pro-Level Gear to Upgrade Your Phone 13 Photography

by Olena Kagui

T he iPhone 13 lineup boasts some of the best the Drop-in-Lens Mount ($4.99) into the case, you can attach
smartphone cameras on the market with the new the lens where needed. The mount prevents vignetting, which
Cinematic Mode and Macro capabilities that take is the darkening of an image around the corners, while
your camera to new heights. However, you can get ensuring perfect optical alignment.

even better results with the help of third-party lenses, filters, I use both the Tele 58mm and the Wide 18mm M-series
Lens ($129.99) to emphasize the subtle details that allow for
and rigs. I’ll even throw in a waterproof case and portable my photograph to evoke the emotion I wish it to. I recom-
mend wiping the iPhone and Moment lenses carefully with
charger so that you can capture videos and photos from a microfiber lens cleaning cloth before each session for best
results. You can use Moment lenses with older iPhone
anywhere for as long as you want! models and Android phones too.

Moment Tele 58mm SANDMARC Motion Variable
M-series Lens by Moment Filter
($129.99) ($99.99)

The Tele 58mm Lens can The Motion Variable Filter is
as much as double the an ND filter, which stands for
iPhone 13 Pro and Pro natural density. In simple terms,
Max’s native 3x optical it controls how much light
zoom, making it possible to enters the camera’s sensor,
shoot faraway subjects and which the iPhone can’t do on its
zoomed-in landscapes with- own. The SANDMARC’s Motion
out compromising quality. Variable ND Filter makes it
The Tele 58mm lens helps possible to film in any
maintain sharpness across environment. It is easy to use
the image while creating and perfect for long exposure
a shallow depth of field, which makes the image look less photography and cinematic
flat and more alive. The results look virtually indistinguishable motion blur, creating dramatic
from a photograph taken by an expert with a professional images of moving objects.
DSRL camera.
You need a compatible iPhone case to use Moment lenses. Every filter by SANDMARC
The Moment Case for iPhone 13 ($49.99) works with comes with a phone clip mount
Moment’s extensive selection of MagSafe-compatible
mounts, including the Tripod Mount ($39.99). When you snap

36 iPhone Life Spring 2022

that clamps reliably to most phones and phone cases. I like Total Protection Case
using the clips when switching between the Motion Variable by Catalyst
Filter and the Drama Polarized Filter ($69.99), which essen- ($89.99)
tially acts like sunglasses for your iPhone: darkening skies,
suppressing glare, and managing reflections. The Total Protection
Case by Catalyst will
For a more secure attachment, you can purchase one of protect your phone from
their Pro cases (starting at $29.99) and a Step-Up Ring a 6.6-foot drop and is
($14.99) that functions as a filter case mount. Some SAND- waterproof up to 33 feet.
MARC filters can also be screwed onto compatible lenses. Not only can you feel
The Motion Variable Filter fits SANDMARC’s Anamorphic safe taking your iPhone
($129.99), Telephoto ($99.99), and Wide lenses ($99.99). almost everywhere you
go, but it is designed to
ProCam 8 App record clear sound
($7.99) despite the extra
padding.
Using the right software is key to making
the most of Moment, SANDMARC, and other The Total Protection
phone camera accessories. ProCam 8 gives Case is the perfect underwater photography accessory. With
you more control over your camera settings and lets you pick it, your iPhone can take macro photographs of coral and
which built-in lens or combination of lenses you wish to use. patient sea creatures or Cinematic videos of scuba divers
This third-party app can help you achieve the best optics that among schools of fish. You can also use it while skiing, riding
the native Camera app on your iPhone doesn’t offer. camels in the desert, or climbing a mountain because it is
snow-, dust-, dirt-, and sand-proof.
DREAMGRIP Evolution 2MOJO Universal Modular Rig
($189.99) The case comes with a wrist lanyard that you can attach at
two different points. It also has an over-sized lightning port to
There are so many components involved in professional fit most cables and is MagSafe compatible. Catalyst also sells
photography and videography. DREAMGRIP creates kits that other waterproof and rugged cases for your Apple Watch,
include all the tools you need, making them portable, AirPods, Airtags, and even non-Apple products for that extra
customizable, and easy to use. The Evolution 2 MOJO Rig is peace of mind.
an all-in-one solution, providing you with a microphone,
lighting, filters, and other elements that can enhance your CHAMP Portable Charger by
photos and videos. Nimble
($49.95)
The rig is constructed using sturdy aluminum tracks,
molded grips, clamp holders, and an Optical Module with Taking such high-quality photos
threaded connectors—universally compatible with most and videos can drain your phone
smartphones. Everything fits together securely and is easy to battery fast. My go-to power bank
hold with one hand or two, perfect for taking smooth and is the CHAMP Portable Charger
stable shots. Once you adjust every piece to your liking, you built by Nimble, an eco-conscious
can easily slip your phone in and out to use the Evolution 2 company that uses environmentally
MOJO Rig whenever and wherever you need it. friendly and recycled materials to
create chargers, cases, and more.
The Evolution 2 MOJO Rig comes with a gun mic, a wind-
shield, and two dimmable LED lights. But it is also possible to The CHAMP Portable Charger is
replace these or add your own gear. DREAMGRIP even sells smaller than a deck of cards, yet it can charge your iPhone 13
a Bayonet Adapter ($18.99) that makes their rigs compatible Pro up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes and keep it charged
with Moment and SANDMARC lenses. for up to three days. Their larger chargers are even more
powerful and can keep you snapping away for an entire week.
Plus, Nimble will recycle one pound of e-waste for every
product it sells, so your purchase will help protect the planet
that you can capture so beautifully with your iPhone 13 Pro
camera. Ѷ

Olena Kagui is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life who lives in Hawaii and is obsessed
with her Apple Watch. Despite having a BA in International relations from AAU,
her passion is writing. When she’s not typing, testing the latest tech, studying
SEO, crafting, foraging for wild mushrooms, or loving on her dog, she is traveling
the world while occasionally visiting her home countries Ukraine and the Czech
Republic.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 37

GROW
YOUR
OWN!

START SEEDS
SUCCESSFULLY WITH
THESE HELPFUL APPS

BY LEANNE HAYS

W hether you enjoy growing flowers, herbs, fruit, herbs, and fruit, tailored to your location and gardening zone.
vegetables, or all of the above, seed starting is The Critters tab offers an A-Z rundown of both pest and
an important skill to master. Growing plants from beneficial animals, including insects, birds, and mammals, and
seed won’t save you money the first season. how to encourage or discourage each of them. The Weather tab
After all, you’ll need trays, lights, and even shelves if you’re keeps you posted on current conditions and alerts, and there’s
starting more than a few flats. But in subsequent seasons, even a selection of videos and articles to guide you through just
you’ll reap the financial rewards, germinating dozens of starts about any gardening question you can think of.
for the cost of a single seedling from a greenhouse.
Register for a Garden+ free preview, and you’ll enjoy seed
Growing seedlings at home also allows you to fill your gar- sprouting estimates, a plant tracking feature, harvest
den with plant varieties not generally found on the market. estimates, an archive where you can store details from
You’ll have literally thousands of options readily available from gardens past, and the notes feature.
seed catalogs.
Planter: Garden Planner
Here are three seed-starting apps that will help you through (Free/$9.99 lifetime subscription)
the intricate and rewarding process of germinating seeds and
growing starts indoors or directly in the garden. Planter is a helpful app for general garden
planning and advice, but also offers clear,
Gardenate concise seed-starting recommendations. The
($1.99) Calendar tab allows users to set their frost dates, the last and
first frosts of winters, which determine the length of the
This is the gardening app I’ve been waiting gardening season and vary by region. Once this is done, plant-
for! I was unable to find this type of app for the ing timelines for 60+ fruits, vegetables, and herbs appear,
gardening article I wrote last year, but someone with days marked for indoor seed starting, transplanting, and
finally developed the comprehensive seed-starting app of my outdoor sowing.
dreams. An entry for each item in the Plants tab includes growing
All users need do is enter their region and climate zone, preferences, pests, diseases, and advice on fertilizing,
and Gardenate generates planting recommendations for seed harvesting, and storage.
trays and direct seeding for each month. You can use this I hope you’ve found a seed-starting app that meets your
advice to add planting reminders to your calendar and record needs from among these three options. Let me know how
data about chosen varieties, planting date, method, location, these apps have helped you on our Facebook page and be
germination rates, and days to harvest. sure to include a photo or two! Ѷ
Add notes throughout the growing season, including issues
with pests, yield, and anything else you want to keep in mind Leanne Hays is an SEO Content Strategist at iPhone Life. She loves reading and
for the future. There’s also a Wish List tab to keep track of blogging, and is never without a book in her backpack or an audiobook on her
seeds you’ve had your eye on, and a diary for additional notes. phone. Short-term goals include finishing painting her house and starting an
aquaponics farm, long-term goals include a bike tour of Italy and writing a novel.
From Seed to Spoon Gardening
(Free)

This app offers indoor and outdoor seed-
starting windows for more than 100 vegetables,

38 iPhone Life Spring 2022



NEW YEAR,
NEW YOU!

GET HEALTHY, GAIN SKILLS &
CRUSH YOUR GOALS

BY ASHLEIGH PAGE

FOR THE ASPIRING CHEF tapping on a recipe takes you directly to the ingredient list
and instructions, you can avoid scrolling through monstrous
Kitchen Stories amounts of unrelated content. While premium versions are
(Free) offered for those who want to use the app as a comprehen-
sive meal planner, you can get access to all the recipes with
I’m as wild about this beautiful cooking and the free version.
baking app as I am about the website. With recipes ranging
from five-ingredient dinner ideas to elaborate concoctions FOR THE HEALTH ORIENTED
perfect for a culinary-themed date night, Kitchen Stories offers
hundreds of delicacies from a variety of cuisines. You can add Feel Better | Deliciously Ella
ingredients to your shopping list with a single tap and view ($1.49/Month)
how-to videos for each recipe, which are especially helpful for
visual learners and those tackling complex creations. Because This app takes a holistic approach to health

40 iPhone Life Spring 2022

by rolling recipes, exercise, meditation, and mindfulness into FOR THE LANGUAGE LEARNER
one app. Their goal: to make wellbeing as simple and
accessible as possible. And they’ve succeeded, as the Duolingo
quality and variety of content offered on this app make it well (Free)
worth the few dollars per month. With Feel Better, you’ll have
access to over 700 plant-based recipes, yoga and workout Another common New Year’s resolution is to
routines at varying levels of difficulty, guided meditations, and become more fluent in a foreign language, and this
other mindfulness techniques. A standout feature of this app immensely popular language learning app is one of the
is that it includes techniques you often don’t see in other well- highest-quality free options available. Courses are set up
ness apps, such as sound baths, reflexology, and massage. in a game-like fashion where completing one level unlocks
the next. With a combination of fill-in-the-blank, verbal, and
FOR SELF CARE short-answer exercises, the brief lessons in Duolingo make
it an excellent choice for beginners and casual learners who
Ten Percent Happier only have a few minutes a day to spare. However, if you’re
($9.99/month) an advanced learner looking to fine-tune your conversational
grammar, this language app may not be for you. It focuses
Created by Dan Harris, author of the #1 New more on proficiency, pronunciation, sentence structure, and
York Times bestseller 10% Happier, this app offers guided even punctuation, with less emphasis on fluidity than other
meditations, talks on mental and emotional health, sleep apps.
stories, and more. What sets this app apart is its science-
backed approach, explaining how and why these exercises FOR DAILY INSPIRATION
and techniques are effective at helping you to create a more
regular sleep schedule, reduce anxiety, and establish better Motivation
habits. With more than 500 videos on topics such as (Free)
overcoming addiction, sleeping better, and gaining stronger
focus, you’re sure to find content suiting your specific needs, Far more than just a collection of moving
interests, and goals. quotes, Motivation is designed to offer tailored inspiration to
help you reach specific goals. Want to wake up early? Break
FOR FITNESS IN A CRUNCH an addiction? Reduce anxiety? Motivate helps you to set goals
for any area of life, and then allows you to customize what
7 Minute Workout types of content (video and/or text) would be most beneficial
(Free) and when you’d like to receive those notifications. This app
excels in that it completely avoids tired and cliche sayings
Want to get fit but find hour-long workouts often seen on inspiration-based apps and instead offers
nearly impossible to keep up with? I’m mildly obsessed with high-quality content crafted to meet your set needs and goals.
this HIIT-based workout app geared towards parents, busy
professionals, and anyone who wants to get in shape in only FOR THE ADVENTURER
seven minutes a day. With options focusing on a specific area
to full body, these simple daily workouts require no equip- TripIt
ment and are easy to schedule in wherever you are. Free (Free)
workout plans help you to reach set goals, and each exercise
has a video and text description to help ensure your form is For those hoping to do some globetrotting in
on point. While in-app purchases provide custom workouts or the coming year, TripIt is one of the best-ranked travel
additional routines, the free version offers more than is planners out there. With TripIt, you’ll never again have to
needed to crush those 2022 fitness goals. frantically search through your inbox for your flight departure
time or your hotel confirmation number. TripIt combines all
FOR BUILDING GOOD HABITS this information in one master itinerary, so you can access all
your travel plan details in one place (even offline). What sets
Strides this app apart is that while many apps require you to manually
(Free) enter your trip info, TripIt simply asks you to forward the
reservation email to [email protected]. From there, the
Got a skill you want to build in the coming information will be automatically added to your itinerary. While
year? Or maybe a habit you’d like to break? Strides makes the a Pro version is offered with an annual subscription, the free
list because it is the most comprehensive goal and habit option offers all the needed functionality (plus some!) to
tracker I’ve come across. With far more customization options organize your vacations and the occasional business trip. Ѷ
than is usually offered by habit tracking apps, you’ll be able
to tailor your goals and notifications to fit your exact needs. Ashleigh Page is a Feature Writer for iPhone Life. With a background in computer
Many apps are geared toward one type of goal, such as science and creative writing, she loves blending aspects of the technical and
improving your finances. With Strides, you can track goals for creative. An avid technology enthusiast, she adores Apple products and keeping up
all areas of life in one place. Even with the array of customi- with the latest innovations. When she’s not working, Ashleigh is often found
zation options, the app is easy to use and simple to navigate. crafting whimsical short stories, hiking, and playing sand volleyball.
The app is free for all habit and goal tracking, and if you want
to use it for advanced project planning you can upgrade to the
premium version for $4.99/month.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 41

Digital
)nqXc
Cleaning!

Declutter Your Device
ð `PBc wu uWP fJPJš

J¡ Ęb¡ )nXuŠĜBNPcÕ fuW

W hen springtime comes, we all love to throw open our windows, grab a cloth and some cleaner, and make our
living spaces sparkle. So, why not do this with our devices? So much can accumulate in our digital lives that
we might not be aware of that can hinder us when we’re trying to find the app or photo we want or slow down
our device and even make it crash. Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, so here are some quick tips you can
follow to clear our your digital space and make room for that which actually serves you.

Organize Your Home Screen 1. Create app folders.
Creating folders helps by
Your Home screen is an important place to start the
process of digital decluttering. Too many apps can not only cutting down on what you see on
lose you time when you’re endlessly swiping to find the right your Home screen, and allowing
one, it can also cause distraction and make you lose any you to group your apps in ways
train of thought or momentum. Just yesterday, I was swiping that make sense to you, so you
through my multitude of Home screen pages, trying to find know where to look when trying
an app that would actually help me focus, only to be derailed to find something. All you have
by messages, social media apps, and games I’d forgotten to do to create an app folder is
about. Here are three great ways you can organize your Home drag one app icon onto another
screen so you can find what you’re looking for. on your Home screen. You can
add to that folder by dragging
and dropping additional app icons
onto it.

tunejadez/Shutterstock.com

42 iPhone Life Spring 2022

2. Hide Home screen pages. 1. Delete photos and music
If you feel like you have too you don’t need.

many Home screen pages to Music especially takes up a
swipe through, you can hide lot of space if you have a decent
them without removing the collection, and if you have a
app icons. Just long press on a music streaming subscrition
blank part of any Home screen such as Apple Music or
page, tap the bar with the dots Spotify, there’s no need to keep
toward the bottom of the screen, everything downloaded on your
and tap on any page you want phone. If you have Apple Music,
to hide. You can repeat this to consider removing downloads
reverse it and show the Home but keeping the song in your My
screen pages again. Music collection. You’ll get the
best of both worlds: extra
3.Move app icons to the App storage and lots of music.
Library. Photos also take up space. Do a
quick check of photos and delete
Still want an app but don’t any you don’t want to keep.
want it on your Home screen?
Just press and hold the app icon, 2. Offload unused apps.
tap Remove App, then tap Offloading unused apps means
Remove From Home Screen.
You’ll still have the app down- they get uninstalled from your
loaded and available, but only device, but the icon stays on
through your App Library, so the your Home Screen for easy
icon won’t show up on your re-download options. I use this
regular Home screen pages. for things like Uber, which I only
use when I’m traveling. Just go
Clear Out Your Storage into Settings > App Store and
toggle on Offload Unused Apps
Having too much taking up your storage space poses all to enable this feature to happen
sorts of problems. Your device can slow down, your iCloud automatically.
can fill up and stop offering backups, and your apps can start
crashing for apparently no reason. Here are some easy ways 3. Clear your browser cache.
to clear up storage. To provide faster load times,

Safari collects information on
websites you often visit and
saves data in the cache. But if
you need some extra storage,
this is an easy thing to clear.
Open your Settings, and tap
Safari. Then select Clear History
and Website Data. This will
remove history, cookies, and
other browsing data.

iPhone Life Spring 2022 43

PPn wu +cBcuPN wPrur 3. Silence Unknown Callers.
Unknown callers make our
Privacy and security are two major parts of your digital
safety, but they’re ones we can easily let slip. From forgetting digital lives messy in more ways
who we gave our credit card numbers to, to not changing our than one. At minimum, they
passwords enough, there are many mistakes even seasoned disturb our flow and bother us
iPhone users make. As part of your digital spring cleaning, go when we’re trying to do some-
around and check your locks to make sure you’re still safe and thing else. At worst, they can
secure. scam us. Go to Settings > Phone
> Silence Unknown Callers and
1. Review Security toggle Silence Unknown Callers
Recommendations. on. If it’s important, they’ll leave
a message!
Sometimes our passwords
are bad and we don’t know it. X~P 7fwq
P~XKP B B_Pf~Pq
Luckily, our iPhone does. Go
into Settings > Passwords, and Part of spring cleaning is the aesthetic! We’d be remiss not
tap Security Recommendations. to mention this part. Here are some ideas to put the last shiny
There will be a list of passwords touches on your digital spring cleaning.
you reused, passwords that
are easily guessed, weak pass- 1. Wash your case and disinfect your device.
words, and even compromised These things get dirty! I won’t give you any stats about
ones. Change all of those to
keep your data safe. iPhones and public toilets, just know that these bad boys
carry a lot of bacteria. So take your case off your device, and
2. Update your device and clean both of them, but make sure to do it safely with
apps. approved methods.

Updates often have crucial 2. Change your wallpaper and
security patches, so it’s lock screen.
important to stay on top of them.
Go into Settings > General > Sometimes when we look at
Software Update to see if there’s the same image over and over
a system update available. In again we stop seeing it. Try
Settings go to App Store and updating your background with
under Automatic Downloads seasonal pictures, recent photos,
toggle on App Updates. or just a different color to give
you that little kick of excitement
when you look at your device.

Happy cleaning! Ѷ

Amy Spitzfaden-Both is the Managing Editor at iPhone Life, an award-winning
novelist, and an iPhone enthusiast. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband
and daughter. When she’s not writing or glued to her iPhone, she enjoys hiking,
traveling, and creating her own tea blends.

44 iPhone Life Spring 2022



GS FU NW ITH A
IRTA
46 iPhone Life Spring 2022

6 UNORTHODOX USES FOR
APPLE’S MOST UTILITARIAN
DEVICE

BY ELISABETH GARRY

I f you have AirTags, Apple’s new(ish) tracking device, agent returns to the spot later to collect the drop. It all sounds
you probably already know all about the standard ways very exciting, doesn’t it? Well, with an AirTag and a friend,
you can use them: to keep track of your keys, your you can be a spy, too. Leave an AirTag in a secret spot, then
bag, your bike, or even the ever-elusive remote. But activate Lost Mode. This will let you leave your phone number
what else can you do with AirTags? Of course, you or email and a message for whomever finds the AirTag. Your
don’t have to do anything else with them. Unlike most partner can scan the AirTag and read the secret message
other Apple devices, AirTags have a single purpose. when they find it.
They exist to keep you from losing your valuable possessions,
and that’s it. But you can do some fun and unexpected things Find Your Parked Car
with your AirTags, too. Maybe you bought a four-pack, but
only have three things you need to keep track of. It would be a 4 Have you ever seen that episode of Seinfeld
shame to let that extra AirTag go to waste. Well, we’re here to that takes place entirely in a parking garage
offer you a solution to this ultimate first-world problem. Here while the gang searches for their car? Don’t
are six fun and (mostly) functional ways you can use that extra
AirTag. let that happen to you. If you’re going to a big

mall, concert, or amusement park, leave an AirTag in your

car, and you won’t have to worry about remembering which

color, level, letter, or whatever section you parked in. This tip

Attach an AirTag to Your Pet is especially great for older cars that don’t support tracking via

1 Our pets are some of our most valuable CarPlay or Bluetooth.
possessions—if you can even consider a pet a
possession. While Apple does not recommend Make a DIY Shipping Tracker
using an AirTag to track a living creature, that
hasn’t stopped companies from producing a plenitude of 5 Are you ever frustrated by tracking numbers
AirTag-compatible collars. You might not want to rely on an you get from shipping companies? With an
AirTag to keep your dog or cat safe, but you could use one to AirTag, you can track your package yourself.
see where they’re hanging out in the house or check where
they’re going when they’re out with the dog walker or another Of course, this only works for packages you’re
family member. If you’re anxious about an escape-artist pet,
you can also check that they’re safely in your home or back shipping, not packages you’re receiving (unless you get the
yard when you’re out.
shipper to drop in an AirTag on their end). You can see where

the package you sent off into the world is at every step of its

journey and even watch it get dropped off at its destination.

Create a Treasure Hunt

Attach an AirTag to a Toy 6 This, like the dead drop tip above, is great
for kids, but I won’t judge if you want to make
2 While AirTags might not be a recommend- a treasure hunt as an adult, too. Use an AirTag
ed way to track your actual children or pets,
they’re a perfectly fine way to track your as a beacon to find clues along your treasure

children’s and pets’ possessions. If your dog is hunt and bring some magic to your everyday devices. Hide

always burying her favorite squeaky toy or your grandson is an AirTag with some buried treasure and make your phone

forever misplacing his beloved stuffy, you can attach AirTags the map that leads to it. When the treasure seekers get close

to them (sewing one inside is a great option for plush toys) enough, they can use the haptic feature in the Find My app

and be the hero of playtime. like a dowsing rod. This could be a great climax to a

pirate-themed birthday party. Ѷ

Play Spy: Use Your AirTag as a Dead Drop

3 This one may require some explanation. A Elisabeth Garry is a Feature Web Writer for iPhone Life. Formerly of Gartner, she has
“dead drop” is a term used in espionage that four years’experience writing about technology. As a former college writing instruc-
describes a method of passing information tor, she is passionate about accessible communication, which is perhaps why she
loves helping people make the best use of the strongest communication tools they
between two agents. A hidden spot is picked, have available: their iPhones. She has a degree in Russian from Reed College.

one agent leaves a message or “drop” there, and the second

iPhone Life Spring 2022 47

iVIEW

Augmented Reality & Your Pool Game

I recently purchased a home billiards table. Hoping to Illustration by Mikaila Maidment, mikailamaidment.com
improve my play, I stumbled on a remarkable app that
portends exciting possibilities for using the iPhone for for DrillRoom’s professional billiards player to confirm the ball
sports training and other activities that require learning phys- placements.
ical skills. Augmented reality is opening the door to a whole
new category of apps that can give you real-world, real-time Immediately following a shot, the voice provided encour-
guidance. As this technology improves, we could see virtual agement, pool advice, or trash talk. After the drill, I watched
trainers in a variety of realms, moving past games and into videos of my shots, often in slow motion, noting the stroke on
design, engineering, athletics, and even health and my misses. I also looked at the stats, feedback about shots
rehabilitation. Pool training is just the beginning. made, ball speed, shot angle, and ball path.

The DrillRoom app has billiards drills suitable for all skill I began by using drills to practice short-range and longer-
levels—about a dozen free drills or $5/month for 70 drills and range shots at different angles. Then I tried an exercise where
challenges, grouped in categories with 10 practice shots per I sank a simple shot and attempted to land the cue ball at the
session. Subscribers can watch videos of each of the shots table’s center. Later, I endeavored to consecutively sink four
and study stats for each drill. balls after, as instructed, positioning them near the corner
pockets. It didn’t take long to confirm that I am not a very
For the setup, I placed my iPhone 13 Pro Max (the better good pool player. However, with a little practice, I was sinking
the camera the better the results) in landscape mode on a nine short-range shots out of ten rather than the initial four.
tripod five feet high and four feet from the table. In settings, I
entered the table size and selected the language of my I listened to a podcast interview of Gabriel Lopez, Drill-
billiards coach from English, German, and Spanish options. Room’s creator. Lopez noticed that baseball, hockey, and
The app assisted me in finding the best spot for the tripod in soccer have skill-training apps. At home during the pandemic,
terms of lighting and table framing. he began developing a similar app for billiards to get an edge
over his buddies. He reports that in future versions of the
To start a session, I selected a drill from a graphic menu. A app, it will be more robust in different environments. There
screen described the drill’s goal and displayed stats from my will be user-created drills and eight-ball and nine-ball drills for
previous attempts. Tapping Start opened the camera with rack-breaking and running the table.
augmented reality-generated circles on the pool table that
marked where I should place the cue and object balls. Often, While the DrillRoom app isn’t perfect yet, using the app
the circles resided on the intersections of the diamonds on gives me a glimpse into a future where AI-powered apps like
the side railings. The app puts checks in the circles after I this open up a world of physical skills training. Think, for
correctly placed the balls on the table. example, of drills for learning carpentry, welding, pottery,
painting, dancing, singing, piano, violin, exercising, tennis, and
To check on placement, I could either walk to the tripod to swimming. The possibilities are endless. Ѷ
view the iPhone screen or use the less accurate front-facing
camera. Ideally, I would use an Apple TV to mirror the iPhone Hal Goldstein founded iPhone Life’s original publishing company, Thaddeus
screen. Without the TV, I remembered where I should place Computing, in 1985. You can contact him by email at [email protected] or
the balls from the drill illustration and, using AirPods, waited @halgoldstein on Twitter. You can find the print, digital, and audio versions of his
book Meditating Entrepreneurs- Creating Success from the Stillness Within at Amazon.

48 iPhone Life Spring 2022