4 of the very best obscure iPhone options you are not utilizing

Apple touts many

iPhone
options from the hills, no matter how vital they’re in apply. Think about the

Camera Control
button on the

iPhone 16
, for instance — I largely solely use it for opening the Digicam app, taking a shot, and adjusting zoom, and a few folks do not use it in any respect. This form of factor is to be anticipated, although, because it’s within the nature of capitalism to assert any benefit you’ll be able to over the competitors.

Often, nevertheless, Apple does introduce options that obtain little if any advertising and marketing regardless of being genuinely helpful. That additionally is sensible in its personal method, as a result of a number of the issues that make a product higher aren’t essentially simple to promote by TV commercials and roadside billboards. These are a number of the extra obscure iPhone options I like — your personal listing could differ.

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1

Again Faucet

Like Double Faucet on your iPhone

Again Faucet is just like the Double Faucet gestures Apple launched with the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Extremely 2, letting you employ movement gestures to set off instructions as an alternative of clicking a button or utilizing a touchscreen. Arguably, it is higher — particularly since you’ll be able to assign your personal customized capabilities everytime you double- or triple-tap the again of your iPhone, equivalent to turning on the flashlight, taking a screenshot, or opening Management Middle.

Why have not you heard a lot — if something — about Double Faucet? For one, Again Faucet continues to be thought of an “accessibility” function, meant to simplify iPhone use for folks with bodily impairments. The opposite is that it’s a must to flip it on manually by going to Settings > Accessibility > Contact > Again Faucet. It is off by default, presumably as a result of it will be all too simple to set off instructions unintentionally if you happen to had been unaware of the function’s existence. How typically do you drum on one thing once you’re bored?

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2

ChatGPT integration into Siri

Lastly, Siri can really let you know in regards to the Mongols

Apple / Pocket-lint

Till iOS 18.2, Siri was notoriously dangerous at answering data questions. It might reply some apparent ones, equivalent to who the US President was or what the climate was going to be like, however too typically it will throw up its fingers or ask you to faucet on an internet hyperlink — even if you happen to had been speaking to a HomePod. In actual fact, that is nonetheless how questions work on Apple’s good audio system.

iOS 18.2 added ChatGPT integration for iPhones with Apple Intelligence, particularly the iPhone 16 sequence and the iPhone 15 Professional. So in the end, if you happen to ask a fancy query, Siri can produce a solution with out making you go someplace else for it. You’ll have to attend a second whereas Siri contacts OpenAI’s servers, however it nonetheless makes the assistant really feel much more highly effective. You may even make it generate pictures in some conditions, equivalent to Messages.

Apple does really promote this function just a little, however solely within the context of different Apple Intelligence choices. It is most likely none too desirous to shine the highlight on a product it is not liable for, and it is trying to recruit different AI companions too, equivalent to Google.

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3

Altering default apps

Use your most popular on a regular basis instruments

Apple would favor that you simply use its personal apps every time doable, however it additionally lives in the true world — different apps are generally extra fashionable, and antitrust lawsuits can (and do) preserve its conduct in verify. When you go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps, you’ll be able to select your personal preferences for issues like electronic mail, internet shopping, translation, and passwords. In some nations, at the least, you’ll be able to even select a substitute for Apple Pockets for dealing with NFC transactions.

The primary catch right here, aside from doable regional restrictions, is that some apps you’d suppose can be selectable merely aren’t. Google Translate cannot be chosen as a substitute for Apple Translate, for example, though it is undoubtedly extra widespread. Regulate this function — the gates could also be pressured all the way in which open by legislators sooner or later. You would not tolerate a Home windows PC that locked out Chrome and Firefox, in any case.

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4

Textual content Alternative

Create shortcuts and repair shortcomings

A variety of human communication entails the repetition of inventory expressions. That is not a judgment of the species — that is simply how language works. As a result of expressions like “see ya” and “on my method” are so commonplace, they’re loaded with which means, and we do not have to trouble formulating a brand new phrase every time we talk the identical basic idea. You’d suppose somebody was losing their time in the event that they stated “I stay up for seeing you once more once I return to work tomorrow morning” earlier than heading out to their automobile.

To avoid wasting much more time, when typing at the least, you’ll be able to go to Settings > Basic > Keyboard > Textual content Alternative and generate shortcuts that mechanically swap in your most used expressions. Utilizing “omw” to set off “on my method” is an apparent instance, however I might doubtlessly use “@rf” to insert one thing like my electronic mail tackle, telephone quantity, or Bluesky deal with. In an excellent world, I would be capable to share a whole contact card, however that is not right here simply but.

NameDrop
can do one thing related if each folks have an iPhone (and so they’re standing proper subsequent to one another).

An fascinating trick Apple helps is utilizing Textual content Alternative to power iOS to not substitute one thing, say if it is just a little overzealous about “correcting” product names, music names, or swear phrases. Within the Textual content Alternative menu, you merely enter a phrase or sentence into the Phrase subject, however go away Shortcut clean. In actual fact, that is one in every of my largest pet peeves about iOS, so I am reminded that I ought to sit down someday and enter a flurry of recent shortcuts. Someday, iOS will cease attempting to right me in regards to the obscure ambient and industrial bands I like from locations like England and Germany.

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