iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

How to Turn Off SharePlay on iPhone

SharePlay is a feature that allows you to enjoy movies, music, and more with others. You can use SharePlay to watch movies with your friends over FaceTime or share an Apple Music listening session while riding in the car. However, if you are not interested in using SharePlay, you can disable it. Here’s how to turn off SharePlay.

In every issue of iPhone Life magazine, we feature the iPhone Home screens of people from different walks of life, so our readers can see how they use iPhone apps to meet a variety of needs. In our Summer 2020 issue, we featured multimedia artist Matt Wyatt from Rochester, New Hampshire. Matt's work includes abstract expressionism, collage, and photography. In 2011, he cofounded the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts and has served as a member of Rochester’s Commission for Arts & Culture since 2013.

Over the past dozen or so years, I have reviewed hundreds if not thousands of products. One of my favorite aspects of this is when a product I previously reviewed gets better and I get a chance to cover the newer version. I also appreciate multi-function devices. I have so many gadgets already so the more functions a single device can perform, the better, as long as there are no compromises. This is the case with Pitaka's Air Omni (starting at $119). While it is available on Kickstarter, and I hesitate to recommend crowdfunded projects because of the uncertainty, Pitaka is a well-established, longtime Apple accessory maker and this product is real, as Pitaka sent me a review unit to try.

With the continued success of YouTube, Twitch, and other user-generated-content video-streaming services, an opportunity for anyone with a captivating presence and good communication skills is available. But just like the days of the California Gold Rush, those with better tools often (but not always) have a better chance to strike it rich. In today's internet streaming boom, those better tools equate to the high-quality camera optics, noise-free audio recording, and exceptional lighting necessary to capture those captivating mobile moments. Joby has assembled a package equivalent to the prospector's mule, shovel, and pan. Will the compilation of equipment the company assembled into a single kit, aptly called the Joby GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit ($199.95), help deliver vlogging gold? Read on to find out.

A billboard outside Las Vegas declares, “What Happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone,” as part of a massive push by Apple to define the brand as one that stands up for your privacy. You may have noticed the advertising. A TV spot from Apple declares: “There is more private information on your phone than in your home. . . Your location, your messages, your heart rate after a run; these are private things, personal things, and they should belong to you.” As emotive music swells over those last lines, I’m not left inspired. Instead, I feel a sense of dystopia at living in a world where an elite brand like Apple sells you your own privacy as if it were a luxury commodity. Surely nothing should be more obviously a private possession than the right to possess privacy. Yet, there is money to be made in selling privacy, and that is a sure sign that we do not own it by rights. But what exactly is Apple selling? I’d like to discuss a few of the more common fears and annoyances associated with privacy, as well as what Apple is doing and what you can do to protect yourself.

Steve Jobs had a singular vision for his company, his computer, and even his customers. His leadership led Apple to become the company it is today, and his successor, Tim Cook, has leveraged his supply chain expertise to usher in an even more profitable and successful Apple. Each was a CEO for his time. Cook would be the first to tell you he stood on the shoulders of a giant.

I'm always looking for the perfect wireless charging accessory, and with so many gadgets to charge, one thing I look for is the smallest footprint possible. Fortunately, Moshi sent me the SnapTo Magnetic Wireless Charger $49.95) to try, and it offers something impressive, no footprint. That's because it uses a combination of magnets to keep your phone in contact with the rubberized charging pad, plus an optional swiveling wall-mount that attaches via the included 3M adhesive strips.

Using folders is a great way to add applications to the Dock on your iPhone. If you’ve ever wished you could have more than four apps in your iPhone dock, this tip will teach you how to add a folder to an iPhone Dock and have way more than four apps! By using folders in the Dock, you can increase your productivity. No more scrolling between Home screens looking for your favorite app. Let’s get going with how to add extra apps to your iPhone’s Dock.

As Apple has made advancements in waterproofing the Apple Watch, one thing was holding it back. Leather bands are not meant to be used in the water. Finally, Nomad, the makers of numerous high-quality leather accessories for Apple devices (and others), has developed a leather watch band that's up to the task. I picked up an Active Strap for Apple Watch ($69.96) at the recent Consumer Electronics Show just in time for a trip to Florida and the Bahamas. Ordinarily, I would have left the Apple Watch at home, but not this time.

I know the latest iPhones are water-resistant thanks to their IP68 rating, but I don't trust them. Besides, if you're on the lake or ocean and your phone ends up in the water, it won't float! Fortunately, I found the H2O Proof Floating Phone Holder (starting at $9.99) from WOW Watersports. These are the same folks who made the waterproof floating speaker I reviewed.

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I met up with the inventor of the SpiiderGriip Phone Grip ($19.99) and had a chance to try the company's alternative to a PopSocket. There are several advantages the SpiiderGriip has that make it much more robust and reliable for active users than the PopSocket, such as a pop-out handle to insert one or two fingers in. The video demonstration shows rock climbers and weight lifters taking selfies with ease while running through their activities. 

Sometimes, you need to respond quickly to multiple texts. Unread messages can pile up fast, and it sure would be nice to reply to conversations without having to type out every single reply. Luckily, Apple put a hidden feature on the iPhone that lets you respond to texts fast using automatic replies. With this tip, you’ll be able to send replies like “Okay” and “See you soon,” just by pressing a couple of prompts. Let’s dive in with the fastest way to respond to text messages on an iPhone.

In the 134th episode, David and Donna discuss who should buy Apple's new $399 iPhone SE. They also start a new series—content for quarantine! Find out the best movies, TV, and podcasts they're enjoying while social distancing, and stick around to hear David's stepson share his favorite iPhone apps he's using while stuck inside.

Scrolling the iPhone can be tedious, but it turns out that we’ve been scrolling the wrong way the whole time! This tip will help you quickly master the art of iPhone scrolling. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering if there was a better way to use the scroll bar, then this is the tip for you! Let’s get started with how to quickly scroll on your iPhone.

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