Apple has a well earned reputation for innovation, and the new iOS 15 software only supports this – so what are some of our favourite new bells and whistles? 

When Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs began designing the world’s first iPhone all the way back in 2005, he had two choices – shrink the Macbook, or enlarge the iPod. By purposefully pitting both of those design teams against each other in an internal competition at Apple HQ, the result was iPhone Operating System, or iOS. 

The humble iPhone has a user interface built around a multi-touch screen. They connect to both cellular networks and Wi-Fi, and can make calls, browse the internet, take pictures and videos, play music, and send and receive text messages and emails. Since its initial release in 2007, the iPhone’s features have certainly come a long way. Improvements have been made to keep up with consumer demand, such as larger screen sizes, waterproofing, the ability to install third party apps, and many more accessibility features.

However, 2007 was a long time ago in the world of tech. As a result, iOS receives regular updates to ensure that Apple remains at the forefront of innovation, and its worldwide team of loyal users receive software refreshes, updates and new features even without purchasing a new device. 

Introducing Apple iOS 15 

The arrival of the new iOS 15 software doesn’t necessarily offer huge changes to iPhone users but instead introduces a range of smaller tweaks designed to make using the technology more efficient and streamlined in our day to day lives. Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, seemingly agrees.

“For many customers, the iPhone has become indispensable, and this year we’ve created even more ways it can enhance our daily lives. iOS 15 helps users stay connected while sharing experiences in real time, gives them new tools to help reduce distraction and find focus, uses intelligence to enhance the photos experience, and, with huge upgrades to Maps, brings new ways to explore the world. We can’t wait for customers to experience it.”

For users in Australia who are eager to get their hands on the update, just some of the more notable new features include the following. 

SharePlay – If you’re quite social and like to share music, videos, and your phone’s screen, SharePlay is a new way to communicate in lieu of screenshots. As an example, users can listen to an album on Apple Music together, or watch a Netflix show together while chatting in iMessage with the picture-in-picture mode. SharePlay will work across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Disney+, TikTok, Twitch and many others are integrating SharePlay into their apps, creating entirely new ways to digitally connect.

Notifications And Focus – On top of improvements to notifications to encourage a more modern and categorised interface, iOS 15 will also introduce changes to the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function and add the new ‘Focus’ mode. The former simply lets you set a DND status in Messages and iMessage will auto-reply to say that you’re busy or otherwise engaged. Focus lets you set up profiles like work and personal, that change depending on how you use the phone, letting you eliminate distractions while you’re working or taking some time for yourself.

Live Text – As we live in an increasingly visual world, it would seem that Apple has done the work to accommodate this. Similar to Google Lens, Apple will introduce Live Text to iOS 15. Users will be able to copy text from within a photo, screenshot, or web image. Apple has also added Lookup, which allows users to point the camera at something and look it up. It can recognise animals, nature, landmarks, art, and much more, and is designed to function in a similar fashion to using Google to search for an image instead of a text based search term. 

Maps – Apple has gone for the jugular in relation to maps and navigation superiority with Maps in iOS 15. It’ll now offer a globe similar to Google Earth, and add new details such as elevation, turn lanes, and bike lanes. It’ll also show you new road details and traffic conditions. Transit users will be able to pin their favourite public transport lines, with the new Maps even letting you know when it’s time to disembark. As Apple continues to head towards augmented reality, the new features are a means to take on Google Maps. 

Wallet – Wallet is getting some improvements, letting you add car keys (with supported car manufacturers such as BMW), corporate badges, hotel keys at participating venues, and even state IDs in participating regions in the United States. While the latter is unlikely to happen in Australia anytime soon, it’s an indication that the technology giant is acutely aware that the world is becoming increasingly digital. When the time comes for the rollout of digital identity cards, Apple already has the privacy and security technology ready to go. 

With new Apple products generally released every year, such as the rumoured Apple 13 allegedly hitting the shelves in September, it’s important for the Silicon Valley tech giants to provide users with the best possible software in order to make the most of the new models. However, navigating them by yourself isn’t always easy, so who can you turn to for assistance?

Sourcing Further Advice On Apple Products 

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.

SOS Phone Repairs are proud to announce its most recent store opening in the Northern New South Wales regional hub of Armidale, with the doors opening on Monday 5th July. 

Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones. With a population of almost 25,000 people and more or less the halfway point between Brisbane and Sydney, Armidale has long been on the radar of SOS Phone Repairs as a prospective service provider. Although in the pipeline for over a year, the ongoing effects of the pandemic temporarily put the brakes on the final touches – until now. 

Nestled in the Northern Tablelands, Armidale has long been regarded as a city of culture and diversity that still pays homage to its rural roots. The University Of New England has played a notable role in both retaining and attracting a variety of sectors, such as medicine, science, agriculture and more recently, technology. With a high density of students and the median age of an Armidale resident being just 34 years old, SOS Phone Repairs co-owner Latiecha has long been aware of the city’s market gap when it comes to not only meeting the local demand in technology services, but to also deliver the SOS Phone Repairs customer experience. 

“Opening a store in Armidale has always been on the map for us, and the store owner Latiecha and her partner Jack are locals. They have strong links to the area – Jack was raised in Armidale studying at TAS & Uni, with the Wilkinson Family owning SOS stores in Dubbo, Tamworth, Inverell and Grafton. Its people just like Latiecha and Jack that are behind the expansion of SOS Phone Repairs to sixteen stores around Australia. 

Often tech repair stores in Australia are all knowledge but no service – instead, we get to know them, meet them where they’re at, and deliver a real world experience that they may not have been expecting. Our advice is always free, and we work hard to ensure our customers leave our stores with a smile on their face and their problems solved.” 

We, here at SOS Phone Repairs pride ourselves on being specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a warranty. 

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think – and it’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

With our newest store now open at 210 Beardy Street in Armidale, pop in and visit us or give us a call today to discuss how we can solve your tech dramas and get you back up and running in the digital world. 

From software rollouts, gadget drops and even the best new games released, here’s our quick round up of the latest July tech news that deserves your attention.

Technology sure is great, but in order for it to stay relevant, beneficial and glitch free, the double edge sword of this new world is the constant updates. After all, QR codes wouldn’t work so well with the humble Nokia 3315, right?

There is always a new way to streamline a process, eliminate a redundant task or even just a means to procrastinate with technology. In essence, new product drops and software updates are regularly released so that we can make the most of it – so what’s on offer this month in the realm of July tech news?

Five July Tech News And Updates 

With 2021 already at the halfway mark, tech giants around the globe are dropping new games, software and devices left right and centre, particularly as it’s the middle of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. For the savvy digital consumer, we’ve deemed the below to be the most noteworthy this month in regards to July tech news. 

Apple iOS 15 Release – In June, Apple announced all its fall operating system updates. The developers conference coincided with a release of beta versions meant only for registered developers, but Apple promised that a Public Beta will be released in July. The rollout is set to offer new features for FaceTime calls, tools to reduce distractions, a new notifications experience, added privacy features and no doubt, much more.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart – Dubbed “the best PlayStation exclusive since God Of War 4”, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is from Insomniac Games – the same studio that brought us the legendary Spyro dynasty. Although it’s the eleventh instalment in the Ratchet and Clank universe, users don’t need to have any prior experience playing its predecessors. Even if you’re not a big gamer, grab this for the visuals – it’s been described as an interactive Pixar movie. 

Samsung Galaxy Software Update – The July update for the Galaxy S20 FE is rolling out to the LTE variant, and sports firmware version G780FXXU4CUG1. While the firmware version tells us the update brings more than just security fixes, a changelog is not available at this time. As a result, nobody is quite sure what other inclusions users can expect apart from the updated security patch – so stay tuned. 

Vivo X60 Pro Release – If you love the gadgets, bells and whistles of the Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy but aren’t so eager to pay for it – behold, the Vivo X60 Pro presents an alternative. Dropping in Australia this month, this is now Vivo’s flagship photography-focused smartphone. The buzz is thanks to its exciting collaboration with the camera gods, ZEISS, who are renowned for producing some of the best optical glass lenses on the planet. 

Tokyo Olympics Video Game Delay – Much like its namesake, the official Tokyo Olympics video game was pushed back twelve months as the nation grappled with the pandemic. However, with the event just weeks away, the game has finally pole-vaulted onto Australian shelves. Players can compete in over eighteen different sporting games, and while featuring a mostly realistic tone, it does include some playful elements such as power-ups and costumes. 

Want To Talk July Tech News With The Professionals? 

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs. Any questions? Come in and see the team to discuss how we can help. 

If you’ve Googled “how to back up iPhone to iCloud” – you’re no doubt on the hunt for a means to keep your precious files, photos and contacts safe. 

While there’s no denying that we now live in a digital world, there are still certain precautions we need to take that act as somewhat of an insurance policy when it comes to protecting our data. While many of us have lost the contents of our phones thanks to accidentally dropping them in water, the same predicament can also happen when you get a new phone and forget to back up your old one first. 

Thankfully, learning the process of how to back up an iPhone to iCloud can help to avoid such pickles – but where do you start?

How iCloud Storage Works 

The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by  Apple Inc, that use Apple’s iOS mobile operating system.  As of November 1 2018, more than 2.2 billion iPhones had been sold worldwide.

The humble iPhone has a user interface built around a multi-touch screen. They connect to both cellular networks and Wi-Fi, and can make calls, browse the internet, take pictures and videos, play music, and send and receive text messages and emails. Since it’s initial release in 2007, the iPhone’s features have certainly come a long way. Improvements have been made to keep up with consumer demand, such as larger screen sizes, waterproofing, the ability to install third party apps, and many more accessibility features. 

For iPhone users, it’s fair to say that some of the most important information about our day to day lives are stored in them. From passwords to photo albums, the thought of losing this information is inextricably linked to a sense of existential dread. Thankfully, the bigwigs at Apple had the foresight to anticipate this problem, and launched in October 2011 as a means to provide a digital back up plan. 

Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The term is generally used to describe data centres available to many users over the internet, and iCloud is the name of Apple’s in house cloud system purposefully designed for the users of its products. iCloud enables users to store data such as documents, photos, and music on remote servers in the “clouds”, for download to iOS, macOS or Windows devices, to share and send data to other users, and to manage their Apple devices if damaged, lost or stolen. As of 2018, the service had an estimated 850 million users, up from 782 million users in 2016.

How To Back Up iPhone To iCloud 

Apple automatically provides every user with 5GB of free iCloud storage. You can use this storage to back up apps, images, videos, or documents. However, 5GB doesn’t get you very far these days, so there are also a wide range of paid monthly subscription models available for those who exceed this limit. 

While users are able to back up their iPhones – or safely store a copy of their digital data somewhere – alternatives include manually plugging in your smartphone to a desktop computer, laptop or Macbook and actioning a backup via iTunes. 

For those who prefer the WiFi based technology used when learning how to back up an iPhone to iCloud, the process is very straightforward. 

1. Go to your iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2. Turn on iCloud Backup. iCloud automatically backs up your iPhone daily when the iPhone is connected to power, locked, and on Wi-Fi.
3. To perform a manual backup, tap Back Up Now.

To view your iCloud backups, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. To delete a backup, choose a backup from the list, then tap Delete Backup.

So long as you’ve nailed the initial set up and automation process, you’re all set!

Want To Talk Back Ups Or Storage With The Professionals?

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs. Any questions? Come in and see the team to discuss how we can help.

Love it or hate it, our lives are inextricably linked to the smartphones that live in our pockets. To make the most of this, what phone has the best camera?

Whether you need a means to capture your café brunches or simply can’t be bothered lugging around an “old fashioned” point and shoot option, the quality of the camera is often one of the major factors that determine which smartphone is right for you. Unfortunately, not all were made equally, so it’s important to do your research before you drop serious cash on a new device. 

Between the different lenses and performance variation between day and night, there’s a lot to weigh up, and your best fit may not be the same as the next person – so what do you need to consider before going phone shopping?

Our Top Five Phone Cameras For 2021 

Like it or not, some people are “ride or die ”Apple, while others prefer Androids. Oddly enough, there’s even those rare anomalies that are yet to pledge a brand allegiance. When hashing out what phone has the best camera, the process involves a lot more than just reading over a specs list. 

Industry titans such as Apple and Samsung know just how much consumers value the quality, performance, bells and whistles of their smartphone’s camera, and in turn have invested heavily into them – but that doesn’t mean that they all offer the same things, so what are some of the key points of difference in and amongst the best sellers?

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max – Apple have long dominated the smartphone arena, and with good reason. The photography capabilities of the latest release are a force to be reckoned with, and include an improved Deep Fusion system for capturing the finer details, plus Smart HDR 3 that delivers well balanced snaps in challenging lighting. Users can now even take portraits in night mode, and record photos in ProRAW for advanced editing. Be warned though, they don’t come cheap, which is why it’s not uncommon for consumers to look for an alternative. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – As with everything in the S21 Ultra, the camera is top notch, with a 108MP f/1.8 main snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one, and plus the ground-breaking addition of two telephoto cameras. These are both 10MP, but one has an f/2.4 aperture and allows for 3x optical zoom, while the other has an f/4.9 aperture and allows for a massive 10x optical zoom. Needless to say the results are as impressive as the numbers, and this model regularly features as number one when it comes to determining what phone has the best camera.

OnePlus 9 Pro – Previous OnePlus phones have usually been a step or two behind the rest of the best camera phones – but thanks to a partnership with camera specialist Hasselblad, that’s all changed. What this translates to is a dramatic improvement in the colours in photos taken with the OnePlus 9 Pro, as the post-processing system has received an enormous boost. It also features a powerful rear quad camera with a 48MP main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, an 8MP telephoto lens and a 2MP monochrome lens for better black and white shots.

Google Pixel 5 – Arguably the smartphone for users that hate smartphones, the Google Pixel 5 still provides technology and innovation without sacrificing reliability and usability. The rear dual camera unit on the Google Pixel 5 features a 12.2MP 27mm f/1.7 camera and a 16MP ultra wide f/2.2 camera, but it’s the software that really elevates this camera to excellence. It might not feature all of the bells and whistles of more expensive competitors, but the image quality, water resistance, wireless charging and attractive price tag still makes it a worthy alternative. 

Huawei Mate 40 Pro – The Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s camera system features a 50MP main camera, a 12MP 125mm telephoto periscope camera and a 20MP ultra wide camera. With PDAF, OIS and a 5x optical zoom, users can expect a fantastic experience when capturing both photos and video. If you fancy experimenting with manual controls, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro also features manual ISO of up to 6400, a manual shutter of up to 30 seconds and shooting modes including Slow-mo, Panorama, Monochrome, Light Painting and more. 

More often than not, what phone has the best camera often boils down to your budget, what type of photos you would like to capture, and what other demands your smartphone needs to be able to meet. Thankfully, there are a vast plethora of options when it comes to sourcing the perfect fit, so just be sure to do your research prior to purchasing. 

Want To Talk Smartphones With The Professionals? 

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs.

Any questions? Come in and see the team to discuss how we can help.

While there’s quite a bit of information to wade through when it comes to separating fact from fiction – what is 5G, and how does it work with smartphones? 

It’s no secret that we live in the digital age, and our appetite for faster and stronger internet and mobile data is only growing. Like most technology, the infrastructure and functionality behind our phone networks regularly receive upgrades and tweaks to make them work more efficiently, the latest being the 5G network – so what’s changed?

What Is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of global wireless technology used for mobile and internet services, building on the progress and expectations already established via 4G, 3G, 2G and 1G. Like the earlier generations, it is made up of radio waves rather than physical matter so it is not something you can touch or feel, unlike the equipment that supports it.

5G has been designed to be more efficient, consume less energy from our mobile phone batteries, and provide more advanced capabilities when compared to previous generations of mobile technology. Much like it’s predecessor 4G, the latest release focuses on mobile data coverage, with the primary updates and associated benefits including:

Faster Network Speeds – 5G networks will be capable of download speeds as fast as 20Gbps. However, the exact speeds an individual user will get will depend on how the network has been configured, the number of devices on the network, and the device in their hands. The 5G specification states that users should see a minimum download speed of 100Mbps.

Lower Latency: In simple terms, latency is best described as the time it takes information to get from your phone to the wider internet and back again. While the standard latency for the current 4G network is around 60 milliseconds, 5G could decrease this to as low as 1 millisecond. This massive decrease will be vital for future technology such as self-driving cars.

More Connections: 5G will allow more devices to connect to the network at the same time, without experiencing a lag or slowdown. While smartphone usage continues to grow, this is especially important as 5G is set to facilitate new developments in revolutionary rollouts such as  autonomous cars and connected machinery. 

How Does 5G Work?

While 5G will ultimately succeed 4G, it will not replace it – for now. Both 4G and 5G networks will exist simultaneously, and Australian telecommunications providers intend to keep the older 3G networks around until at least 2021.

Like previous generations, 5G is not a single product. Instead, it is an industry standard against which telecommunications companies (known as carriers) roll out 5G technology with equipment that uses radio waves.

5G networks have higher bandwidths, and are as such more reliable than other mobile networks. 5G will use large scale MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas that have very large numbers of antenna elements or connections in order to send and receive more data simultaneously. What this means is that 5G can be used for a new range of applications that need a lot of data, such as remote health services.

Australian 5G networks are being switched on right now, and the big players in the market like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have now been selling device plans for over a year. However, as Optus and Telstra networks are still being rolled out, you may not get connectivity where you live and work right away, which is why the older networks will remain active. 

Quite simply, 5G is an extension, upgrade and improvement on existing networks. While 5G is the way of the future, we might have to wait a little while longer to see exactly how the rollout and it’s associated impacts has on our day to day lives. 

Want To Talk 5G With The Professionals?

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, we dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs.

If you have any questions, come in and see the team and we can help you out!