iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

What Is Stolen Device Protection & Is It Better Than FindMy?

Stolen Device Protection was released with iOS 17.3, and it helps protect your phone from iPhone passcode thieves who might get access to your passcode or Apple ID password. This Apple security update requires biometric data to access or change any sensitive iPhone settings. It also forces you to wait an hour to make changes to your Apple ID if you are at a location other than work or home.

While planning your next family vacation or tropical getaway, you might find yourself wondering how some people grab those great group selfies without losing their iPhone over a waterfall. If you’ve ever found yourself fumbling for the shutter button while trying to take a perfectly framed self-portrait, then it might be time to consider a selfie stick. Read on to learn about the different types of selfie sticks and how to incorporate one into your next group selfie.

It seems unfair that the times we're able to play games on our iPhones are the exact times that there's unreliable, unsecured, or no Wi-Fi connection at all. If you've been wishing for a few fun offline games for those long flights, waits at the DMV, or road trips to the back of beyond, I've collected a sampling of no Wi-Fi games just for you. Whether you enjoy offline racing games, strategy games, puzzle games, or even RPG games, there's something in this games without Wi-Fi roundup for everybody. Let me know which of these iPhone games is your go-to when there's no internet available, and if you have any to recommend that I've missed. Let's get started!

Establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is important for keeping your personal information safe, especially when on public Wi-Fi. We often think about using a VPN on our computers, but it's worth getting on for iPhone as well. With TunnelBear VPN on iPhone, you can browse the web securely at home and in public. Each month you can use 500 MB of data completely free, and TunnelBear offers affordable options thereafter. With super strong encryption and security that’s been verified by a third-party company, TunnelBear has positioned itself as a VPN to trust. Learn more on what TunnelBear does and why we love it below.

How to Update HomePod to the Latest Version of iOS (2023)

After you've downloaded the latest version of iOS to your iPhone or iPad, you'll need to make sure that your HomePod gets a software update, too. The HomePod automatically updates software, but sometimes there's a bit of lag time. Let's learn how to check if your HomePod has completed the download, ​and how to update the HomePod's software if an automatic update hasn't occurred. 

Whether you are looking a messenger bag for your laptop or iPad that's all professional style or a briefcase or backpack that can transition from work bag to carry-on or hiking accessory, you need a bag that can carry all your essential tech from one activity to another. We've rounded up five great options for packing and carrying everything you need to get through your busy day.

This is the episode every Apple fanboy and fangirl should listen to in preparation for Apple's fall event! Members of the iPhone Life team will cover all the latest product rumors leading up to September. Find out what Apple will call the next generation of iPhones following the iPhone X and iPhone 8, get the details on new iPad Pros with Face ID, and learn why the Series 4 Apple Watch models will likely sport larger displays. The team will also discuss AirPod, AirPower, and Mac rumors as well as likely release dates and prices.

AirPlay 2, the upgraded version of AirPlay, allows multiple HomePods to wirelessly connect, sync, and stream content from Apple devices, including iPads, iPhones, Apple TVs, other smart TVs, and the sixth-generation iPod Touch. AirPlay 2 makes multi-room streaming possible, whether it's the same content to each room in the house or a different playlist for each. There are a few different ways to access and engage AirPlay 2, and one of the easiest is from the Control Center. Let's get started learning how to use AirPlay 2 from the Control Center on your iPhone. 

This is 2018; geeks and nerds are cool now. You’re quirky, weird, and smart—that’s nothing to be ashamed of! Write that fanfiction, go to that convention, wear that cosplay. Geeks change the world with their passions, most often making it a better place. There are many different kinds of geeks and nerds, and this roundup will feature a little nerd and geek shopping for everyone. Whether you nerd out over audio, appreciate modernized remnants of the past, enjoy 3D printing the future, or just want to show off your fandom with geek gear, I think you’ll be happy with the gear you find below. So please, go create. Let your passions lead you; the world needs that genius.

iOS 11.4 has made it possible to AirPlay audio content to multiple Apple devices and third-party AirPlay compatible speakers at once, including HomePods and Apple TVs. A really cool outcome of this upgrade, called AirPlay 2, is the ability to set up two HomePods in the same room, sync them, and have them work together to create stereo sound. If you'd like to utilize this new iOS 11.4 AirPlay 2 feature, you'll need to set your HomePods up as a stereo pair. Let's get started learning how to set your HomePods up as a stereo pair right from your iPhone, so you can start enjoying amazing, upgraded audio right away. 

I'm just now diving into the world of Spotify, and one of my favorite features is, of course, the Spotify playlist! After using Spotify for at least two weeks, a new Spotify playlist appears; it's called the Spotify Discover Weekly playlist. Discover Weekly is a batch of song recommendations that are based on the music you've played and liked over the course of the week. The frustrating thing about this list, though, is that it disappears and is replaced every Monday. It's great to get the new recommendations, but what if you'd like to save the old playlist? Let's get started learning how to save or download your Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, so you can save the playlists you really love and listen to them whenever you want. 

You’ve just bought a used iPhone off Craigslist and are trying to transfer your iPhone SIM card. You boot up your phone and discover that it's Restricted; the device you bought is locked into a specific network provider. Now, here’s the good news; it’s possible to unlock a locked phone. Here’s even more good news; if you bought a new phone directly from Apple then your phone is already unlocked and available for any carrier you choose. How can you tell whether or not a used phone is locked? Of course, if you've already purchased a locked device, you'll be wondering how to unlock an iPhone. Also, what if you want to check if your current phone is locked? Whether you have a newer model like an iPhone 7, or an older version like the iPhone 6s, 6, or 5, we’ll answer all your questions in this article.

Apple didn’t invent the personal computer. Nor did it create the first smartphone or tablet. Throughout the tech company’s history, from its origins with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak tinkering in a garage all the way to the present, the key to its success has been in taking emerging technologies and making them user-friendly for the masses. One of Jobs’ catchphrases when introducing a new product was, “It just works.” He said it so frequently it might as well have been Apple’s motto. Apple’s ability to create user-friendly products has not only allowed it to sell products to the masses, but also to charge a premium in the process. Today there are countless Android phones and tablets on the market that cost a fraction of what Apple sells its products for. For example, you can buy a brand-new Kindle Fire for $80 whereas an iPad costs anywhere from $329 for an entry-level model to $1,279 for a fully loaded iPad Pro. It’s no exaggeration to say that Apple’s reputation for making easy-to-use products is its most valuable asset. In the past year, Apple has struggled to meet its own standard. With iOS 12, Apple is attempting to repair the damage incurred by iOS 11 and reclaim its mantra of “It just works.”

If you have the Facebook app on your iPhone, you've agreed to allow Facebook access to all your phone's contacts. If you don't remember giving that permission, neither do I; but apparently, it's part and parcel of the terms of service. Don't worry, though; there's an easy way to change this sharing setting and make the names and numbers in your Contacts app private again. Let's get started learning how to stop Facebook from accessing your Contacts on iPhone. 

When you set out to learn coding, it can be overwhelming. There is a lot to learn, and the best way to learn something big is to break it down into manageable sections. For this reason, I was immediately drawn to Mimo. I tested competing code-learning apps and quickly felt like what I didn't know was pilling up around me. But with Mimo, I chose my goal (ie. build an app, make a website, etc.). Then the app set me up on a Track starting with the absolute basics. Plus, at the end of each course, Mimo has a section for practicing what you’ve learned. I’ll go over more on what the Mimo app does and why we love it below.

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