iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

What Are Badges on iPhone?

By Rhett Intriago

What Are Badges on iPhone? Find the Answer Here

If you’ve ever messed with the notification settings on your iPhone, you’ve probably seen something about badges. So what are badges on iPhone? What is this mysterious setting and what does it mean? The answer might surprise you. In fact, you probably interact with badges every day without even realizing it.

While nearly all of the headphones I review for iPhone Life are wireless, there are those rare occasions when a product comes along that is so unique with lofty claims that warrant further investigation. Such a product is AIAIAI's TMA-2 HD wired modular headphones ($295). Just like vinyl records compared to CD's, wired headphones still offer an edge over their wireless counterparts in terms of audio fidelity since, unlike Bluetooth, there is no compression or manipulation of audio data to factor in wireless transmission data size or errors. And since all iPad models still include a headphone jack and there are people who don't want to deal with the hassles of maintaining a battery charge with their headsets just to quietly listen to music or watch a video, this review is mostly for them.

With the third installment in a series of fall announcements, Apple has finally delivered on Tim Cook's promise of Apple Silicon Macs, made during the June 2020 WWDC keynote. We saw the release of two updated MacBooks: a new 13-inch MacBook Air and a new 13-inch MacBook Pro. They, along with their desktop cousin, the Mac mini, are the first three Macs ever to utilize an Apple-made processing chip as opposed to the Intel chips the computers have used for many years. The M1 chip may be a game-changer. As expected, the the industry leader in personal technology has made eyebrow-raising claims of huge increases in speed, efficiency, security, and convenience. We'll review prices, availability, and tech specs for these new Mac models, and we'll compare them to their predecessors so that you can make an informed decision if you're considering making your first MacBook purchase, or upgrading your existing Mac laptop.

The new Mac mini has caught my attention. Announced at the November Mac event—the third Apple event this fall—and starting at $699, the Mac mini (2020) is currently the cheapest Mac desktop available. Since the Mac mini lacks the portability of a laptop and the processing power of a full desktop (even with all its boasted improvements over the older model), many may wonder what the point of this computer is. However, this is the first desktop Apple has produced that uses an ARM chip, which is a significant change as previously they were only used in iPhones and iPads. As I'm looking to purchase both a desktop and my first Mac computer, not only the price tag but also the compact nature of the Mac mini call out to me. I'm also intrigued by the M1 chip, which may bring more iOS functionality to the Macs. My processing needs aren't very high, and I'm looking to set up a more stable home office thanks to the shift toward working from home in 2020. For others, though, the Mac mini may not have much to offer. Let's take a look at what the Mac mini (2020) is promising us and what type of buyer might be the right fit.

During a brief, 45-minute virtual event presided over by Tim Cook, Apple introduced the first Macs to use its own M1 silicon chip and announced it would release Big Sur later this week. The new 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini represent the first step in Apple's transition from using Intel chips to using its new propietary chip in its computers. Here's everything you need to know about the new Macs, including what you should keep in mind about the M1 chip if you're considering upgrading.

People often wonder how to save battery life on their iPhone or iPad. Lots of tips and tricks to extend iPad and iPhone battery life stay the same for several iOS and iPadOS versions and Apple device generations. But, Apple is always working to develop its operating systems to include new features, and sometimes these new software features are responsible for draining battery life, and require new solutions. One useful new feature of iOS 14 and iPadOS are widgets, but unfortunately, widgets can also shorten your iPad or iPhone battery life. If you find yourself asking, "why is my iPhone battery draining so fast?" your iPadOS or iOS widgets might be causing the problem, and we have a solution for you! We've already gone over how to add widgets to your iPhone and iPad; now, read on to learn how one easy tip can act as a major battery saver and extend iPad and iPhone battery life. 

Apple App Clips: Your Complete Guide

By Amy Spitzfaden Both

This article will tell you how to use the new App Clips from Apple. App Clips are a new feature introduced with iOS 14 that enable you to use part of an app without downloading it. This is particularly helpful for things such as ordering food, paying for parking, or if you want to test out an app before you download it in full. As its a new feature, availability is currently limited, so we're going to go over how to find iOS 14 App Clips, as well as how to use them, and remove them once they're no longer needed. Let's dive in and learn all about this new feature.

This article will tell you how to delete a Translate app download from your iPhone. Downloaded languages for offline use is a helpful feature of the new Translate app on the iPhone. It enables you to use the feature while offline, which is particularly useful when you are in another country and might not have the same internet or data access you have while at home. However, languages do take up room on your iPhone, and you might not want a whole language database stored once you're back from the place you were traveling. It's easy to remove a downloaded language, and only takes a moment to do. Let's learn how. To learn more about how to get the most out of new iOS 14 features, check out or Tip of the Day.

It's official! The third fall 2020 Apple event will take place on Tuesday, November 10 at 10 a.m. PST. It's likely that Apple will announce the new features, specs, and release date of the first Macs powered by Apple's new silicon chip. It's also possible that Apple will finally reveal Tile-like Bluetooth trackers called AirTags, over-ear headphones called AirPods Studio, and maybe even a new Apple TV. We'll be offering commentary during the event in our Facebook group and in the special podcast episode we'll be recording right after. Here’s how you can watch Apple's iPhone reveal too.

Apple will hold a third fall event on November 10 at 10 a.m. PST, where we're expecting the first Macs powered by Apple's new silicon chip, as well as other possible devices such as AirPods Studio, AirTags, or even a new Apple TV. Our editorial team will be watching the Apple event livestream, and we'll host a conversation in our private Facebook group as the event happens; you're invited to join in, ask questions, and share your opinions. We'll tape a special podcast episode after the announcement, where we’ll discuss everything just announced. Read on to learn more about how to be a part of our event coverage. 

Apple event November 2020

Apple just announced its third fall event this year, taking place on November 10 at 10 a.m. PST. Aptly named One More Thing (a phrase regularly used by Steve Jobs to announce significant products), it is likely to focus on the first Apple Silicon Mac and the launch of macOS 11 Big Sur, but it may also cover AirPods Studio, AirTags, and a new Apple TV and Siri remote. Like the other fall events, this will be entirely virtual, streaming from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Let's take a closer look at the details of the event and what may be announced.

If you have favorite pages and sites that you visit frequently, it makes sense to add them to Favorites in the Safari browser. This way, you'll be able to go back to them with a few taps of a finger, rather than typing in the URL or searching the web every time you want to reference them. Let's learn how to save Favorites in Safari, as well as how to find your Safari Favorites.

How to Set Up the Apple Translate App

By Amy Spitzfaden Both

This article will tell you how to set up Apple Translate on your iPhone. Apple Translate is one of the many new and exciting features introduced with iOS 14. You can use it to translate a web page in Safari or translate text or spoken conversations in real time. The icon is added automatically to your Home Screen when you update to iOS 14, but how do you get the app up and running. Turns out, it's very quick and easy to do! Let's take a look at how to do it. For more tips on new iOS 14 functions and updates, be sure to check out our Tip of the Day.

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