iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

Apple covered a lot of ground in its preview of iOS 15, watchOS 8, macOS 12, and iPadOS 15 during the second virtual WWDC keynote. The announcement was a bit scattered, as presenters covered an unwieldy range of topics from exciting FaceTime improvements, a contextual way to manage notifications and Do Not Disturb called Focus, and beefed-up privacy protections for everything from iCloud and Health to Siri and Safari. Some of the changes were expected, such as widgets for the iPad Home screen, while others, such as the ability to FaceTime with Android users, were not. Here's everything Apple announced today.

Apple has written the word Privacy on a flag, tied its brand to that flag, and charged with it into new territory. The June 7 keynote address at Apple’s 2021 developers conference wove privacy and security updates into every app and service, but there are a few stand-out features. Here are the most exciting privacy features coming soon with iOS 15 and the rest of Apple's new operating systems.

Apple previewed iOS 15 at the June 7 WWDC Keynote; the latest iPhone software update will integrate apps, features, and services, both new and familiar, more seamlessly than ever before. The iOS 15 beta is available for those who want to try the new features now, while more cautious users can update to iOS 15 in September when the finished version is released. These improvements will help iPhone users connect with friends and family, reclaim their time, and get more from apps that we've all grown comfortable and familiar with, like Photos, Wallet, and Maps. Let's go over everything we have to look forward to in the fall, including FaceTime updates, the new Focus feature and redesigned Notifications, the revamped Safari app, and much, much more. 

Apple's WWDC 2021 keynote highlighted an important and oft-missed point about the health care industry: whether you're caring for yourself or for family members, health monitoring can be a hassle, and it's difficult to remember health history and details by the time you're in the doctor's office. With improvements set to roll out with the fall 2021 release of iOS 15, Apple is aiming to change that. 

What is spatial audio

In today's WWDC 2021 keynote presentation, Apple announced upcoming features and software updates for AirPods and Apple Music that will focus on an overall improvement to your listening experience. For AirPods, Spatial Audio and beamforming reigned supreme, while Apple Music made some serious upgrades in audio quality—at no additional cost—through the incorporation of Lossless Audio tiers and Spatial Audio. We'll discuss these fun new updates, along with some very practical upgrades to AirPods, such as the ability to locate these tiny devices with the Find My app.

Expect macOS Monterey to further blur the line between your Mac and your iPad. A new Universal Control feature Apple announced at its WWDC keynote allows you to control a Mac and iPad simultaneously using the same keyboard and mouse and drag and drop files easily between devices. Aside from opening up this hybrid work option, macOS includes new iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 features, like media sharing in FaceTime and notification controls tailored for different activities. Other macOS updates include redesigned tabs in Safari and an organization option called Tab Groups, which lets you sort your tabs into—you guessed it—groups that you can revisit later. And let's not forget that your Mac is now an AirPlay destination!  The macOS Monterey beta is available for those who want to try the new features now, while more cautious users can update to macOS Monterey in September when the finished version is released. 

iPadOS 15

Though Apple's latest iPad Pro has an M1 chip and all the power to perform like an iMac, iPadOS is still no macOS. Apple announced new iPadOS 15 features at its WWDC keynote, including multitasking upgrades, widgets, an iPad App Library, improvements to the Notes app (including the new Quick Note), the Translate app on iPad, and updates to Swift Playgrounds. The iPadOS 15 beta is available for those who want to try the new features now, while more cautious users can update to iPadOS 15 in September when the finished version is released. 

WatchOS 8 is coming to an Apple Watch near you this fall! This much-anticipated software update, announced at Apple's WWDC keynote event, was met with sighs at the focus on revamping the Breathe app. While the improved Health features come with exciting possibilities, the spattering of minor core features, including more flexible text writing, AirTags on the watch's Find My app, and a new Portrait watch face raise more questions than whoops of excitement.  The watchOS 8 beta is available for those who want to try the new features now, while more cautious users can update to watchOS 8 in September when the finished version is released. 

Anticipation is building for the WWDC keynote on June 7, when Apple will kick off its developers conference by introducing the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS. Our editorial team will be watching the WWDC 2021 keynote livestream and hosting a conversation in our private Facebook group as the event happens. And you're invited to join in, ask questions, and share your opinions! After the keynote, watch or listen to the iPhone Life Podcast, where we’ll discuss everything just announced. Read on to learn more about how to be a part of our event coverage. 

A good house cleaning app can be a lifesaver when you're trying to keep your home organized. Not only can it remind you to clean those spots you keep forgetting, but it can also help break down what can seem like insurmountable tasks into bite-sized pieces. Better yet, many can be shared with other household members so that the app can pester them to do their chores and save you the trouble. Here are the best cleaning apps we've found to keep your household running smoothly.

The Apple Watch Activity rings reflect your daily burned active calories, minutes exercised, and hours in which you stood and moved around for at least one minute. You can also use the Fitness app on your iPhone and the Activity app on your watch to see your averages over time. I will help answer all your questions about Fitness Trends and Apple Fitness Challenges!

AirPlay 2 support is now included in the Apple Fitness Plus app, so you’ll be able to stream your workout from your iPhone to any AirPlay 2-compatible TV. This means that, for the first time ever, you don’t need an Apple TV set-top box to project your workout to your television! We'll show you how, and discuss which features will be limited.

As of the update to iOS 14.5, Siri can now learn and remember which music service app you prefer to use when you ask it to play music on your Apple device! We'll show you how to activate Siri so that the virtual assistant will ask which music service to use, and then how to set your preference for later.

How to Update Apple TV

By Erin MacPherson

Each Apple TV update brings bug fixes, better functionality, and a generally better tvOS software experience. We recommend keeping your Apple TV updated to the latest software, and to do that you'll either need to perform a manual Apple TV software update or set the latest Apple TV update to occur automatically whenever a new tvOS version is available. We'll show you how to do both!

How to Delete Messages on Apple Watch in Bulk (watchOS 10)

Ultimately, you can't delete multiple messages at a time from your Apple Watch. Additionally, when you delete messages from your Apple Watch, they won't always delete on your iPhone and vice versa. This is super important to know if you are trying to protect your privacy or maintain a surprise. However, you can still delete messages en masse from your iPhone, and individuals from your Apple Watch. Let's get into it.

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