July Tech News In The Digital World

July Tech News 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. 

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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. 

How To Back Up iPhone To iCloud

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.

What Phone Has The Best Camera In 2021?

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.

How to Factory Reset an iPhone or iPad

Factory reset or hard reset is essential if you want to sell your phone. Basically, the process will completely wipe the contents and custom settings from your phone and return it to its factory settings. Furthermore, a factory reset can help to fix certain errors or issues. Below is a quick guide on how to perform a ‘hard reset’.

Erase Data on iPhone

Wait! Before you erase your data, make sure you have an up-to-date backup. You can do this via iTunes or iCloud. Additionally, turn off ‘Find My Phone’ by going Settings – iCloud – Find My Phone and switch to Off.

Backup iPhone with iTunes

First, connect your phone to iTunes. Next, ensure Summary is selected in the left-hand column. Now, choose ‘This Computer’ and to be safe, select ‘Encrypt iPhone Backup’, this way passwords can also be backed up securely.

Backup iPhone with iCloud

Most iPhones will already be backing up to the cloud automatically. To check, go to Settings – iCloud – Backup. To be sure, you can select ‘Backup now’.

Now that your precious data is backed up, you can choose to factory reset your iPhone via iTunes or directly from the phone settings.

Factory Reset with iTunes or with iPhone Settings

To reset your phone using iTunes, simply connect as before and opt for ‘Restore’. Again, make sure you’ve turned off Find My Phone first. Your computer will erase all data and install the latest iOS. To erase and reset your iPhone using the phone settings go to Settings – General – Reset.

Help! I can’t restore iPhone to Factory Settings

If you’re having problems with a reset or restore, you have a couple of options. Either contact Apple Support for further help or call us at SOS Phone Repairs for expert and friendly advice.

What Is 5G And Is It Worth Having?

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. 

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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!

Why Buy A Refurbished Phone Over New?

Whilst there are some lower-priced brands available, the big players like Apple, Samsung, Google, and Huawei are still able to charge a small fortune for their products. So, if you want quality, and the kudos, of owning the best phones, be prepared to shell out. The two main ways to do this are signing up for a contract or buying the handset outright. Understandably, two-thirds of us go for the contract option. That’s not to say mobile contracts are cheap, but it’s a way of spreading the cost over a one, two, or three year period. But there are cost penalties. So, why not consider a refurbished phone?

Not surprisingly then, some customers realise they can potentially save hundreds of dollars by opting to buy the phone outright and getting on a SIM-only deal. Just one thing, the top 5 brand phones are damn expensive! So, let’s have a look at the advantages of opting for a refurbished mobile phone.

A Refurbished Phone Can Be Like Brand New

Buying a refurbished phone isn’t the same as buying a used phone from a mate or eBay. Rest assured, a refurbished phone has been put through strict testing and quality control measures. Moreover, only phones that are 100% working are re-sold. Once the phone is thoroughly tested, they are graded depending on the external wear and general physical appearance. And, you can expect a decent warranty. The result for the customer is an ‘as new’ condition phone at a fraction of the usual price tag.

Finally, A Bargain!

Given that brand new phones depreciate rapidly after launch, a refurbished mobile looks like an even bigger bargain. In fact, recent research indicates that new smartphones can lose as much as 70% of their value in the first year.

No Inflated Contract Fees

The fact is, if you start a contract, the lion’s share of the cost will be going towards paying off the phone. The remainder, the tariff part, is a small fraction of the overall monthly bill. So, a SIM-only contract will save you heaps each and every month.

Chat to us at SOS Phone Repairs today about buying a first-class, big brand refurbished phone and save heaps!

Five Apps To Help You Sleep Better

If counting sheep just isn’t doing it for you anymore, your smartphone might hold the key via a huge range of apps to help you sleep and get some shut eye.

Along with a good diet and exercise, sleep is one of the key ingredients that we need in order for our bodies to properly function. However, it’s been proven that we are sleeping less than we used to, and the quality of our sleep is also decreasing. When we drift off, our body gets a chance to reset itself and hovers in a reduced state of consciousness. Without it, our natural healing mechanisms are depleted. 

A “good night’s sleep” is usually defined as seven to nine hours for adults, and significantly more for teenagers and children. This is a non-negotiable for our bodies, as sleep allows us to: 

  • Stay alert
  • Stimulates creativity 
  • Boost our memory
  • Fight infections
  • Restore energy levels to stay active
  • Replenish injuries

However, access to a good night’s sleep is getting harder to come by, particularly as distractions via technology creep further and further into our bedrooms – but what if we could harness that technology for good? 

Our Top Five Apps To Help You Sleep

While it might seem somewhat counterintuitive, our smartphones might actually be the answer to improving the quality of our sleep, how much sleep we’re getting, getting to sleep and staying asleep.

Whether you want to meditate before bed, track your sleep cycle, or drift off to scientifically proven sounds that help to calm and relax your mind, there are a wide variety of sleep friendly apps out there that can help you to catch all forty winks. 

Headspace – Listen to a wind down that guides you through falling back asleep, deep breathing exercises, or sleep music instead. If listening to tunes isn’t your thing, Headspace have even created sleep packages that include “sleep casts” which are around forty five minutes per story, and can range between tales about cats at a marina, to descriptions of a stormy night.  

Pillow – One of the best iPhone apps to help you sleep that monitors your overall nightly rest – simply set up next to your bed and head off to dreamland. In the morning, users get a full report on how long they slept, along with a breakdown of time in each sleep phase. You can also track the impacts of different pre-sleep activities, such as reading or eating before bed. 

Calm – The free version of Calm will give users access to a number of soundscapes, timed meditation options, and certain sleep stories. Meditation is a solid way to destress before bed so you can actually sleep through the night, making Calm a great means to avoid taking any anxiety with you to bed and to improve your overall sleep patterns. 

SnoreLab – Snoring, whether it’s you or your significant other, can be a major factor when it comes to getting subpar sleep. SnoreLab records snoring during the night, and gives you a detailed report in the morning. You can link this data to different factors like alcohol or certain foods, and track different remedies so you can find what works for you as a solution. 

Sleep Cycle – Oddly enough, this sleep app is all about waking up. The concept behind Sleep Cycle is that instead of setting an alarm every day, the app monitors your sleep with sound analysis, and gently wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, or when you’ll wake feeling most rested. Users can still set an approximate time though, so there’s no being late for work. 

If we don’t get enough sleep – the night before or gradually over time – unfortunately, it does have repercussions. Not only is your body missing out on the key benefits above, but it’s also exposed to a range of other dangers that can stem from sleep deprivation

If you’re really struggling to regulate your sleep, it may be time to speak to a doctor to find out if there’s any underlying issues, but if you’re just curious or would like to experiment with new techniques, then apps to help you sleep might just be worth a try.

Sourcing Further Advice With Smartphones 

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!

How to Easily Transfer Data from Samsung to Samsung with Samsung Smart Switch

A few years ago, transferring data to a new phone was a complex and time-consuming headache. In fact, the process was just as tedious for both Apple and Android users. Thankfully, Samsung now uses a simple app called Smart Switch. Apple on the other hand uses Quick Start for direct data transfer. Both utilise wireless technology to transfer phone data directly from your old phone to your new one. Alternatively, you can backup your device to Samsung Cloud and transfer to your new phone from there. So, let’s have a look at exactly how Smart Switch works.

Transferring Data to your New Phone is Easy

You can transfer contacts, messages, photos, apps and more from an old Samsung phone to a new Samsung Galaxy phone quickly and easily. Basically, once you’ve downloaded the app onto both devices, position them close together, allow permissions when prompted, choose to send wirelessly or via a USB cable, and choose what to transfer. Finally, once the process is complete, just disconnect and you’re done. It’s that simple.

Transferring Data to Samsung Phone Via PC or Mac

First, you have to make a fresh backup copy of your old phone’s data. So, after installing the latest Smart Switch app to your PC or Mac, connect to your phone using a USB. Next, allow access to the software and select ‘encrypt backup data’. Now, hit confirm and make a PIN for the encrypted data and let the backup process finish. You’re now ready to transfer or restore your data to your new Samsung phone. Simply connect your new phone via USB and follow the same steps as above but for the ‘Restore’ process.

Can I Transfer Data if my Phone is Broken?

Even if your screen is shattered and can’t be used, you can still restore your data to a new phone from your Samsung Cloud account. Obviously, you can only access data that’s been uploaded so as a matter of best practice, make sure your cloud backup services are fully activated.

If you’re having trouble transferring or restoring your data to a new phone, call our friendly team at SOS Phone Repairs on 1800PHONE today.

Twelve Tips For iPhone 12 Users

Although released in October 2020, Apple’s latest model still has some users perplexed  – so what are tips for iPhone 12 users to make the most of the device? 

For those eager to start connecting to 5G or capture footage with the most up-to-date Apple camera technology, then the iPhone 12 is definitely worth the purchase price. Even if you’re not the type to jump at the annual models released by the tech giant, tips for iPhone 12 users can surprise both new converts and seasoned professionals when it comes to making the most of the smartphone. 

Twelve Tips On Making The Most Of The iPhone 12 

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. 

In August 2011, Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs resigned as CEO due to health complications. Jobs died just two months later, marking the end of an era for the company. However, under new CEO Tim Cook’s command, Apple shifted the release dates for iPhones to an annual September event, and is now considered to be somewhat of a yearly launch party. Starting in 2020, we are beginning to see two iPhone announcements each year.

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As a result, each iPhone model generally has slight tweaks and improvements on the previous release. However, it can be all too easy to miss these changes, which is why we’ll outline our top twelve tips for iPhone 12 users while we wait for the next “batch” to hit the market. 

Don’t Forget To Back Up – Before you even think about tinkering with your new smartphone, one of the often forgotten tips for iPhone 12 users is to ensure that they have first backed up their previous model in iTunes, in order to transfer all the files and information over. 

Understand 5G – By incorporating the new 5G network, expect incredible download and upload speeds of up to 4.0bbps and 200mbps on new iPhone 12 models. However, with that comes three different status icons that you may want to keep an eye out on – 5G, 5G+, and 5GUW.

Manage Your Data – While 5G is a gamechanger, it can drain battery life and increase the cost of your data plan. Thankfully, users can manage this in their settings via Smart Data Mode, a functionality that switches between 5G and 4G depending on network activity.

Use MagSafe – New iPhone 12 models also include MagSafe, which consists of an array of magnets on the back of the phone that allows users to “snap” on a host of accessories such as wireless chargers, wallets, and smart cases. 

Upgrade Power Adapters – While iPhone 12’s do still come with a charging cable, the adapter is no longer included. This is because they are now capable of charging at 20W ratings or higher, which is quite the upgrade from the older 5-10W adapters of previous releases. 

Image Privacy – There’s nothing worse than accidentally opening a “private” photo in front of someone you didn’t want to. Apple has taken steps to reduce this faux paux via the new “hidden” photo album, which allows users to stash specific photos away without losing them. 

Enable HD FaceTime – For the first time on an iPhone, you can perform FaceTime video calls in 1080p HD. Go to Settings > Cellular > Data Mode and select “Allow More Data” on 5G  to FaceTime in HD over 5G or WiFi. 

Turn On Eye Contact – In the era of Zoom meetings, you can go to Settings > FaceTime and enable the “Eye Contact” option. This new feature lets your iPhone 12 detect where your eyes are, and in turn makes it appear as though you’re looking directly into the camera.

Try Low Light Photography – The one thing many of us love about the new releases are the cameras. The larger f/1.6 aperture on the wide camera can capture 27% more light, allowing for photos that look noticeably better in quality when compared to the older iPhones. 

Shoot In 60fps – According to Apple, the iPhone 12 Pro is the very first smartphone that is capable of capturing Dolby Vision HDR, along with the ability to record 4K 10-bit HDR video up to 60fps. What’s more, you can edit the captured footage directly on the phone itself. 

Tweak Your Home Screen – With iOS 14, users can completely customize the home screen on their iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro by adding and modifying Home screen widgets, removing unwanted apps, and even hiding entire home screen pages. 

Change Your Default Browser – Not a fan of being forced to use Safari to surf the internet? Good news, as the iPhone 12 now lets users select their default browser of choice, such as Firefox or Chrome instead. 

Sourcing Further Advice And Tips For iPhone 12 Users 

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!