Along with the new Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro comes an interesting addition to the status bar – a silence mode icon next to the time. Fortunately, Apple has included a way to hide silent bell icon on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, here’s how.
The Action button sits in the same place as the side switch on previous iPhone models and works with a long press.
The default is set to turn silent mode on and off. But even if you customize the Action button to control something else, a new silent bell icon shows in the iPhone 15 Pro status bar right next to the time.
Spotted by MKBHD, the good news is there’s a quick fix in Settings to remove the silent mode icon.
PSA for everyone who leaves their phones on silent and is about to get an iPhone 15 Pro: You can turn off the annoying permanent silent indicator in settings. You’re welcome pic.twitter.com/FcOT8mnQMT
Open the Settings app on your iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max
Choose Sounds & Haptics near the top
Tap the second toggle down next to Show in Status Bar to hide silent bell
Here’s how it looks to hide the silent bell icon on iPhone 15 Pro:
And if you haven’t customized your Action button yet, navigate to Settings > Action button. Here are the options for the new button:
Silent mode (default)
Focus mode
Camera
Flashlight
Voice Memo
Shortcut
Accessibility features like magnifier and more
No Action
Translate will arrive with an update “later this year”
If you change the Action button to activate something other than silent mode, you can turn silent on/off from Control Center or Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
iOS 17 iPhone StandBy: How to use and customize the smart display feature
One of the headlining new features with iOS 17 is a smart landscape display mode for iPhone when it’s charging. Coming with different clock faces, widgets, access to photos, and more, here’s how to use and customize the iOS 17 iPhone Standby display.
iOS 17 comes with a number of changes across Messages, FaceTime, the Phone experience, and much more.
But one of the most attention-grabbing features will likely be the new iPhone StandBy view that turns the smartphone into a mini smart display.
Here’s how StandBy works.
iOS 17 iPhone StandBy: How to use and customize
Make sure you’re running iOS 17
With your iPhone screen locked, place it in landscape on an upright charger (the mode won’t work on flat or low-angle chargers or when your screen is unlocked – and it must be charging)
iPhone StandBy will automatically appear – the feature is enabled by default
StandBy works on any iPhone that can run iOS 17 but you’ll need to tap the screen to see the clock, widgets, photos, etc. – iPhone 14/15 Pro/Pro Max with always-on will always show the StandBy display
The classic analog clock plus calendar widget on the right is the default StandBy view, swipe up on either to change them
Press and hold on either one to add or remove widgets
On the first StandBy view, do a big swipe from right to left to change views
Press and hold on the other StandBy views to customize them
iOS 17 iPhone StandBy supports Live Activities, Siri, incoming calls, and larger notifications
StandBy remembers your “preferred view” and dims to red and night
You can tweak StandBy settings by heading to Settings > StandBy
Check out our round-up of the latest third-party apps to include StandBy widget support
Here’s how iOS 17 iPhone StandBy looks in use:
The first time you place your locked iPhone horizontally on an upright charger, you’ll see a welcome splash screen.
Now you’ll see this as the default StandBy view:
Swipe up on either the clock face or calendar to get more options (the calendar is a smart stack suggestion by default):
To customize this StandBy screen further, press and hold on the left or right widget. Now you can remove options or tap the + icon in the top left to add widgets:
From the first StandBy clock/widget view, you can swipe from right to left to get to the Photos StandBy view:
And swipe again to get different the last view that features different customizable clock faces:
iPhone StandBy on Nomad Stand One MagSafe Charger
Press and hold on any of these to customize their color schemes but you can’t add widgets to these clock faces.
But you can tap the “….” icon in the top center to access music at any time which presents a nice media UI:
And so it doesn’t disturb sleep, iPhone StandBy for those with always-on displays will automatically dim to red at night:
iPhone 15 Pro Max back glass cracks within seconds in new durability test
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature an all-new chassis design made out of what Apple says is grade 5 titanium. A drop test video yesterday raised early concerns about the durability of this new design, particularly as related to the new curved edges.
Now, JerryRigEverything has posted his annual durability test with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and he has some concerns…
Throughout the durability test, we can see the new grade 5 titanium put through scratch testing, heating testing, sandpaper, and more. As expected, the titanium does indeed scratch when you take a knife to it. The matte back glass, however, is far more scratch resistant.
The display also fares quite well during the scratch testing as well, as do the three camera covers on the back of the iPhone 15 Pro. But things get more interesting pretty quickly.
“It’s time to see if the new blended aluminum titanium grafted hybrid structure compromises the structural integrity of the iPhone 15 Pro Max,” JerryRigEverything says as he starts to put pressure on the device. Within just a few seconds, you hear a snap and the back glass has completely shattered.
“I did not see that one coming,” he says. “You’ve been watching me durability test smartphones for about 11 years now, and most phones do not break. iPhones especially do not break, like ever. And [the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s] snap was abnormally quick.”
Internally, the iPhone 15 Pro Max survives the test. The screen and frame of the device are also both unscathed. It’s just the back glass that succumbs to the pressure.
JerryRigEverything speculates that this could be due to the titanium having five times the amount of tensile strength as aluminum, leading to the glass back not being able to withstand even small amounts pressure and flex. On the bright side, Apple has made it far cheaper to replace the iPhone 15 Pro’s back glass this year.
You can check out the video below for the full details. It’s a fascinating look at the iPhone 15 Pro’s new design, but also with some interesting tidbits about titanium itself.
In David Guetta’s hit song “Titanium” from 2011, Sia sang: “You shoot me down, but I won’t fall. I am titanium.” It looks like the same can’t be said for Apple’s version of titanium in the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Plus takes the crown in battery life test, beating all previous iPhone models
Following the iPhone 15 release on Friday, the first battery test results are coming in. Apple touted the efficiency of the 3nm A17 Pro chip, so anticipation was high for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max to take the top spot.
Indeed, the Pro Max outlasted all previous iPhones in Mrwhosetheboss’s test. But it was actually bested by the 15 Plus, which racked up more than 13 hours screen on time, and now holds the title of longest iPhone battery life on record.
Apple’s own tech specs page reports battery life in terms of longevity for continuous audio playback and video playback sessions. According to Apple’s numbers, the iPhone 15 Pro Max lasts the longest on streaming video playback with 25 hours compared to 20 hours for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Plus.
However, on audio playback, the Max is rated for 95 hours while the Plus hits triple digits at 100 hours. Apple’s numbers give a decent benchmark to compare across models, but it’s hard to deduce real-world battery life times from them, as day-to-day phone usage is usually more taxing than just watching video or playing music.
Mrwhosetheboss attempts to simulate a more realistic daily usage pattern, cycling through power draining activities like watching TikTok videos, Zoom video chat, recording video in the camera, and playing games. The phone screen stays on the entire time until the battery is depleted and it turns off.
The previous title holder was the iPhone 13 Pro Max, as battery life dipped a little with the 14 series. As seen in the video, all iPhone 15 models beat out their previous-generation counterpart.
Of the newest generation phones, the iPhone 15 Pro died first, followed by the iPhone 15. The 15 Pro lasted for 9 hours and 20 minutes. The base iPhone 15 endured another half an hour, clocking in at just under 10 hours of runtime.
The 15 Pro Max easily lapped the field, staying alive for another hour and a half of battery life, hitting 11 hours and 41 minutes. The 15 Plus almost beat the Max by the same margin though, achieving a staggering 13 hours and 19 minutes in the test.
The previous best performer, the 13 Pro Max, managed 11 hours and 19 minutes in contrast.
Apple has identified an iOS 17 bug which may affect the iPhone 15 upgrade experience today. During iPhone setup, the Transfer from another iPhone option may fail and leave your new iPhone in a state where it is stuck booting on the Apple logo black screen. Here’s what to do if that happens to you.
The bug affects iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro as these phones ship with iOS 17 preinstalled. However, it may also affect anyone switching phones that are running iOS 17 and use the transfer data option.
If you encounter the bug, during the transfer of apps and data, the new iPhone will get stuck in a boot loop on the Apple logo screen.
To resolve the issue, Apple says that you need to put the device into DFU mode and restore it using a computer.
To do this, connect your iPhone to a PC or Mac using a cable. Press the volume up, press the volume down, and then press and hold the side button. Keep holding the side button while iPhone reboots until it displays an icon on the screen that represents a computer and cable. It will look similar to this:
After you get the iPhone into DFU state, it will then show on your computer through the Finder, or through iTunes if you are connecting to a Windows PC (or older version of macOS). In Finder/iTunes, you will be able to Restore or Update; press the Restore button to reset the phone.
After the phone has been restored, you can start the setup process again. There may be an additional software update available.
Finally, you can try again. If you are upgrading to an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, you can set up using transfer data or iCloud backup. The aforementioned software update will have fixed the iOS 17 bug, so you can safely transfer data again and finish new iPhone setup.
However, if you are upgrading to an iPhone model earlier than the 15 series, a fix for the transfer data glitch is not yet available.
So, Apple recommends that you update using iCloud Backup instead. Make sure your previous iPhone has a recent iCloud backup complete (you can force this by going to Settings -> [your name] -> iCloud -> iCloud Backup -> Back Up Now). Then, on your new iPhone, start iPhone set up and choose the ‘From iCloud Backup’ option when it asks how you want to transfer your data to your new phone. Your iPhone should then finish setup successfully.
These steps are described in an Apple support document, which first revealed the existence of this iOS 17 glitch.
You can charge your Apple Watch or AirPods using the new iPhone 15’s USB-C port
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Proditch Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector in favor of USB-C, and that change has a few side effects. Perhaps most notably, you can now use the iPhone 15’s USB-C port to quickly add more juice to your Apple Watch or AirPods.
Apple made a brief mention of this during the “Wonderlust” keynote yesterday. In practice, the feature works exactly as you would expect it to. You can connect your AirPods or Apple Watch to the iPhone 15’s USB-C port, and they’ll instantly start to charge.
This works via a USB-C to Apple Watch charging puck, via a USB-C to USB-C cable for the new AirPods Pro, and via a USB-C to Lightning cable for older AirPods.
Apple has reportedly been working on reverse wireless charging for years, a feature that would let you charge up AirPods and Apple Watch by placing them on the back of your iPhone. This feature still hasn’t seen the light of day, but the support for power-out via the new USB-C port is a great interim solution.
There’s no word on the charging speed provided to AirPods or Apple Watch via the iPhone 15’s USB-C port. It’s important to note that this feature will only work with AirPods and Apple Watch, so you can’t just plug in any device to the USB-C port and expect your iPhone to charge it.
We’ll have to do more testing to see just how big of an impact using your iPhone to charge your AirPods or Apple Watch will have on battery life. AirPods and Apple Watch have smaller batteries in comparison to the iPhone.
Here’s what you can do with the iPhone 15 Pro Action button
After living its entire life with a side switch, the iPhone has evolved to feature a programmable Action button with the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. Here’s a look at all the ways you can customize the iPhone Action button.
Apple Watch Ultra received the Action button last year and this time around it’s the iPhone’s turn with the 15 Pro and Pro Max.
The Action button sits in the same place as the side switch on previous iPhones and is used with a long press.
Apple notes that when you change the Action button to something other than controlling Silent mode, you can head to Control Center or use Focus modes to change your ringer.
Customize the iPhone Action button
In iOS 17, head to Settings > Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and you can set the Action button to launch:
Silent mode (default)
Focus mode
Camera
Flashlight
Voice Memo
Magnifier and other Accessibility features
Shortcut
Translate (arriving with an update “later this year”)
While there are eight main features the Action button can control, being able to set it to control Accessibility shortcuts or run a custom shortcut from the Shortcuts app is huge. That means the possibilities are pretty much endless.
Some features make use of the Action button once you’re in an app too. For example, if you launch the Camera with the Action button, you can press it again to take pictures. If you launch a Voice Memo recording, you can use the Action button to stop the recording, etc.
PSA: Apple Card financing not available for carrier-free iPhone 15 orders
Last month, Apple discontinued Apple Card financing for iPhones purchased without a carrier connection. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, that change applies to the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.
What this means is that in order to use Apple Card Monthly Installments to buy an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, you must connect that phone to AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.
Previously, Apple allowed buyers to purchase an iPhone with the “Connect to a carrier later” option. This option means users are free to use the iPhone without a cellular connection or via any carrier of their choosing. For instance, you could connect an iPhone purchased with this option to a carrier such as Mint Mobile or Google Fi.
That “Connect to a carrier later” option is no longer available for iPhones purchased with Apple Card Monthly Installments. Instead, your new iPhone 15 Pro will require you to connect to AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon at the time of setup. Note that the iPhones will still be unlocked, but the carrier connection will be required at the time of setup.
Apple points out this new requirement on the purchase page for iPhone 15. “Carrier connection with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon is required to purchase with Apple Card Monthly Installments,” the company explains. “An iPhone purchased with ACMI is always unlocked, so you can switch carriers at any time.”
As said when first wrote about this change in June, it’s a huge bummer for Apple Card users. The ability to finance Apple hardware purchases is one of the biggest selling points of the Apple Card, and this change puts a big restriction on the most popular Apple hardware purchase.
iPhone 15 Pro’s new design, Action button, and more
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are now official, and I had the chance to go hands-on with them inside Steve Jobs Theater. The flagship iPhone 15 Pro models pack a new titanium design, upgraded camera hardware, and more. Here are some quick first impressions…
Right off the bat, I was struck by how light the iPhone 15 Pro Max feels due to its new titanium chassis. Here’s how the numbers breakdown on paper:
iPhone 15 Pro – 187 grams (down from 206 grams)
iPhone 15 Pro Max – 221 grams (down from 240 grams)
That’s a pretty big difference on paper, and it’s an even bigger difference in real life. I’ve been using the iPhone 14 Pro Max for the last year, so I’ve grown pretty familiar with its weight. I found the iPhone 15 Pro Max to be significantly lighter and more comfortable to hold. I think this is due to both the reduction in weight as well as the new contoured edges.
The titanium design also means that the iPhone 15 Pro models have a texturized matte finish rather than the previous glossy stainless steel finish. I only spent around 15 minutes with the iPhone 15 Pro today, but I have a feeling this is going to be a very nice change in terms of durability.
The Action button is another standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro. The interface to customize what the Action button is linked to is in the Settings app, and it’s beautifully designed. The button can be assigned to the following things:
Silent Mode
Focus Mode
Camera
Flashlight
Voice Memos
Accessibility features like Magnifier
Shortcuts
One thing that I didn’t realize until I tried the Action button is that a press and hold is required to trigger the action. You can’t just quickly press the button. This is likely an effort to prevent false triggers, so it makes sense, but it does mean there’s an added step required each time.
I think my primary use of the Action button will be for the camera. You can press and hold to open the Camera app, then press the Action Button again to use it as a shutter in the Camera app. You can see that demoed in my video above.
Speaking of the camera, the iPhone 15 Pro Max also features an upgraded Telephoto lens with up to 5x optical zoom. I’ll have to reserve full judgment on this until I get my hands on an iPhone 15 Pro Max for an extended period of time, but the quick demos I got at Steve Jobs Theater today align with my expectations. The new telephoto lens also enables 25x digital zoom as well.
Other tidbits:
Yes, there’s a USB-C port. Apple wasn’t lying.
The colors look much better than I expected, but they are still pretty boring and there’s not a whole lot of variety.
The smaller bezels are noticeable, but not as noticeable as I thought they would be. At a certain point I suppose you just get used to the black border being there, regardless of its size.
I only got a brief minute with the new FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15 Pro, but I really liked the material and how it felt in my hands. I’m 100% in support of Apple’s move away from leather.
I’ll have much more to say about the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max once I get to spend some more time with them. My first impressions are pretty positive, especially when it comes to the new titanium design and the benefits provided by that change.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus in every color
In addition to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple also unveiled the entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus during its “Wonderlust” event today. I got to check them out at Steve Jobs Theater after the keynote today, and I honestly wish I had more to say…
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are great phones. They take the iPhone 14 and do exactly what Apple does: gradually trickle down what were once Pro-exclusive features to the non-Pro phones. The other big change here, of course, is the USB-C port.
The camera changes shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly the new 48MP Main camera that’s moved downstream to the non-Pro phones after first being introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro last year. What’s most notable about this, in my opinion, is that it enables a 2x zoom option in the Camera app. This is done by Apple cropping the 48MP camera down to 24MP, enabling a 2x zoom without having a dedicated Telephoto lens.
The Dynamic Island also now finds itself on the non-Pro models of the iPhone 15 this year. It’s the same Dynamic Island we’ve come to know, just inside a more affordable product.
Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot to say about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The design is about the same as before, aside from the slightly contoured edges. The backs of the phones now feature a matte finish instead of glossy. They are available in five new colors: pink, yellow, blue, green, and black.
I think the pink iPhone 15 is going to sell like hotcakes. And it looks fantastic in real life. It stands out among what are otherwise relatively mundane colors.
Do Not Disturb mode lets you work or have fun without distractions from your iPhone.
When you want to work or watch a movie without distractions, turn on Do Not Disturb on your iPhone. A new Apple video shows how to activate this mode.
The activation process is simple enough that this Apple Support video mostly serves as a reminder that Do Not Disturb is available.
How to turn on Do Not Disturb with a couple of taps
Our iPhones keep us in constant contact with the world, but sometimes what we need from our handsets is peace and quiet. Whether it’s because you’re in a meeting, napping or having a heart-to-heart with a loved one turn on Do Not Disturb mode to hush your iPhone.
Activating it takes only a couple of steps. The button you need is in the Control Center, so start by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen on iPhone (or iPad).
Open the Control Center and then a couple of taps is all it takes.
Once the Control Center is open, tap on the Focus button, then tap the Do Not Disturb button, which features a moon, to activate the feature immediately.
When you’re finished with your meeting or movie, reopen the Control Center and you’ll see the Focus button has been replaced by the Do Not Disturb button. Tap this to deactivate the mode.
With Do Not Disturb active, all audible alarms are silenced, and your handset won‘t vibrate. Also, the screen won’t come on whenever a notification comes in. Your iPhone is saving all these up for when the mode is deactivated.
Put your iPhone into Do Not Disturb mode and all your other Apple computers switch themselves to the same mode.
Tap on the section with three dots on the Do Not Disturb button to display options for automatically turning the mode off. It can be active for an hour, until evening or — perhaps most usefully — until you leave your current location.
Use Do Not Disturb with Focus on your iPhone or iPad
With Focus in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, you can use Do Not Disturb to silence calls, alerts, and notifications that you get while your device is locked. You can also schedule Do Not Disturb and allow calls from certain people.
When you have Do Not Disturb turned on, a crescent moon icon appears in the status bar and on your Lock Screen.
Turn on Do Not Disturb
Go to Settings > Focus.
Tap Do Not Disturb.
Under Turn on Automatically, set Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at a certain time, location, or while using a certain app.
If you don’t want to be disturbed at a certain time, you can set a schedule and change other Do Not Disturb features to help you concentrate.
Go to Settings > Focus.
Tap Do Not Disturb.
You can select allowed or silenced notifications from people and apps, connect your Lock Screen or Home Screen, have this Focus turn on automatically, and add Focus filters.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
One of the new privacy improvements with iOS 17 is a new embedded Photos picker for third-party apps plus alerts about which apps have full access to your photo library. Follow along for how to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17.
While Apple includes the ability to limit third-party photo and video access to selected content with iOS 16, there are several upgrades to improve awareness and privacy in this area with iOS 17.
Along with the new Photos picker and alerts about apps with full access to your iPhone camera roll, Apple says when apps ask for Photos app privileges in iOS 17, users will “be shown more information about what they’ll be sharing…”
That includes reminding users that apps may be able to see location data and image captions, explaining why an app wants Photos app access, and the current amount of photos and videos in your library.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta. Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
After installing iOS 17 on your iPhone, look out for automatic alerts about apps that have had full access to your Photos app library and decide if you want to continue to allow it
You can choose between Limited Access, Allow Full Access, or Don’t Allow
You will also see the alert when an app asks for Photos app permissions for the first time
To limit iPhone Photos app access at any time, head to Settings > swipe down and find the app you want to restrict > choose Photos > tap None or Limited Access
Here’s how it looks to limit iPhone Photos app access when you open iOS 17 Settings > pick a third-party app:
After you switch an app’s access from full to limited, you’ll see the iOS 17 Photos picker. You can use the Photos or Albums toggle at the top, use the search bar, or just swipe and select.
Tap Done in the top right corner when you’re finished.
After you set up limited Photos app access for an app, you can revisit to change it at any point by heading back to Settings > app > Photos > Edit Selected Photos.
Note: There is a lower level of Photos app access in iOS 17 that some apps use. In Settings, just two options will appear: “None” and “Add Photos Only” with the latter being where you manually select content to use/send with the app.
iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17 protects your eyes, here’s how it works
One of the new health features for iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 can help prevent eye strain for everyone, as well as lower the risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in kids. Here’s how to use iPhone Screen Distance and how it works.
Apple highlights that it’s best to keep devices at least 12 inches away from your eyes. But of course, it’s easy to be in the habit of using them closer than that.
So with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, there’s a handy new feature called Screen Distance that makes it easy to build the habit of using your iPhone and iPad at a healthy distance. For kids that reduces the risk of myopia and for everyone helps reduce or prevent eye strain.
Here’s how Apple describes how it works:
“Screen Distance works by measuring the distance between the screen and your eyes. The camera is not capturing images or video, and the data collected remains on the device and is not shared with Apple.”
How to use iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta.Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
On your iPhone or iPad with Face ID running iOS 17, open the Settings app
Choose Screen Time now look below and tap Screen Distance
Now tap Continue, then Turn On Screen Distance
Here’s how it looks to use iPhone Screen Distance:
After you tap “Turn On Screen Distance,” you’re all set up.
Shown in the middle and right screenshot below, here’s what it looks like when iPhone or iPad detects you’ve been holding your device too close.
After you pull it away from your face, tap “Continue” to exit the Screen Distance pop-up.
In my time with Screen Distance so far, I’ve realized I tend to use my iPhone too close in the evening. And the feature has been really helpful in changing that habit.
Apple doesn’t give an exact time that’s too long to hold iPhone and iPad less than 12 inches but I’ve seen the Screen Shield pop up in about five minutes.
iPhone Live Voicemail: How to use and turn off/on in iOS 17
iPhone Live Voicemail is a new feature arriving with iOS 17 that will help with the growing problem of spam calls as well as deciding when you want/need to answer from callers you do know. Follow along for how to use and turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail.
Here’s how Apple describes the new iOS 17 feature:
“Live Voicemail gives users the ability to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Calls identified as spam by carriers won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined. With the power of the Neural Engine, Live Voicemail transcription is handled on-device and remains entirely private.”
Since 100% of spam calls on iPhone are not blocked by carriers, it’s possible some may make it through to iPhone Live Voicemail. Fortunately, there’s a block button built into the feature so you can take care of those quickly.
How to turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail and how it works
iOS 17 is currently in beta.
iPhone Live Voicemail is turned on by default with iOS 17
Head to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail to turn it off
When you receive a call and let it go or send it to voicemail, you’ll see the phone and recording icon in the Dynamic Island or at the top of your iPhone
Tap the phone icon to jump to the Live Voicemail transcription
Now you can block the caller, answer the call, or let them finish leaving a voicemail – and you can swipe up from the bottom to leave Live Voicemail at any time
Here’s how iPhone Live Voice Mail looks in action:
Here’s how to restore an old iPhone to a new iPhone, recover data from a backup, or go back to an older version of iOS by wiping your iPhone and restoring from a backup.
When you move to a new iPhone you don’t want to spend ages setting everything up from scratch to get the apps, data and settings just the way you like them. That’s why restoring from a backup is so convenient: one quick tap, a bit of a wait, and you’re good to go.
The same is true if a phone malfunctions badly, or is bricked. Knowing you can wipe the iPhone and recover your photos, documents and data easily from an iCloud or a computer backup is reassuring.
A backup is also an insurance that, should your iPhone be lost or stolen, you won’t lose everything on it. It’s easier to replace the device than the memories and other data stored on it.
Yes, backups are an essential part of the modern digital life. But knowing how to restore an iPhone from that backup is just as important.
Step 1: Find your iPhone backup
First things first: make sure you’ve got a backup that you can restore from. Crucially, this backup needs to be recent enough to include the apps and data you want to keep, and/or sufficiently old that it happened before the technical problem if you are trying to fix a faulty iPhone.
There are two places you may find a backup, as long as you are making backups. One is iCloud, to which you may need to subscribe to get enough space. The other method depends on whether you are using a Mac or a PC: on a Mac iPhone backups are made via the Finder (in macOS Catalina and later) and on a PC (and older versions of macOS) they are made via iTunes.
To see iCloud backups follow these steps:
Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap your name/face at the top.
Now tap iCloud.
Tap Manage Account Storage.
Tap Backups.
Tap a backup to see when it happened.
Computer backups
To see backups made on a Mac follow these steps:
Plug in your iPhone.
Open the Finder.
Click on your device in the sidebar.
In the General tab click Manage Backups.
If there are any backups you will see them here. (You’ll also see if iCloud backups are being made).
The process is similar in iTunes:
Open iTunes.
Click iTunes in the top bar and select Preferences.
Select the tab labelled Devices. The date and time of each backup is listed.
Should I back up first?
If you are wanting to make a backup that you can recover to a new iPhone, and you’re not sure you’ve got a sufficiently recent backup, play it safe by doing another backup of the old device right now.
If you are hoping to solve an issue with your iPhone that started recently and you have an old iPhone backup you can recover don’t back up your iPhone, the old backup may be your best bet in getting your iPhone working again. This applies if you want to recover your iPhone to a time before you installed a beta version of iOS or even if you want to recover an older version of iOS after experiencing problems with the latest version.
Step 2: Wipe your iPhone
If you are just recovering the backup to a brand-new iPhone, or one that has already been wiped you can skip this step.
However, if you are trying to troubleshoot an issue with your iPhone, want to remove a beta, or if you want to wipe the iPhone you have to pass it on to a new owner, you’ll need to wipe it first. YOu can’t restore an iCloud backup to an iPhone without erasing the contents first.
This process is easier if you are recovering an old back to an iPhone that is running the same version of iOS that you intend to run. It gets a lot harder if you are trying to restore an older version of iOS, especially if you are running a beta version of iOS–in which case you may need to plug it into a Mac, force the iPhone into recovery mode and restore it that way. We discuss cover this here: How to remove an iOS beta from your iPhone.
Normally resetting your iPhone so that you can recover a recent backup is a simple process and hopefully one of these two options will work:
On an iPhone:
Open Settings.
General.
Transfer or Reset iPhone. Erase All Content and Settings.
Erase and then work through the various steps.
Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.
On a Mac:
A second option is to plug your iPhone into your Mac and restore it from the Finder.
Open the Finder.
Click on your iPhone in the left-hand column.
Click on Restore iPhone.
Click on Don’t Back Up.
Click on Restore.
Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.
On a Mac using Recovery Mode:
Here’s how to put your iPhone into recovery mode so you can wipe it (if the above options don’t work):
Plug your iPhone into your Mac.
Open the Finder.
You may see a message that indicates you need to download an update to access the iPhone, in our experience the said software was unavailable from the software update server, so don’t worry about this.
Shut down your iPhone by pressing volume up, volume down, and then press and hold the side button. Unlike a usual restart keep pressing and holding the side button while the phone shuts down and starts up again. If you are successful eventually you will see an image of a Mac and a lightning connector on your iPhone that indicates it is in recovery mode.
On your Mac you should now see a message indicating that there is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored. Click on Restore.
You will see a warning: “Are you sure you want to restore the iPhone…” Click on Restore and Update.
Click Agree on the next screen that details the license agreement.
Just note that there’s only about 15 minutes before your iPhone will exit recovery mode, at which point you will have to enter recovery mode again.
Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.
Step 3: Restore your iPhone from a backup
Now you have wiped your iPhone you can get on with the process of recovering it from your backup. Or, if you have a brand new iPhone, you can follow these steps to set it up as a clone of your old iPhone with all your data just as you left it.
How to recover from an iCloud backup
We’ll start off with how to recover from an iCloud backup:
Swipe up from the Welcome screen.
Tap on English (or your language) and select your country or region.
Click on Set Up Manually.
Work through the various steps until you get to the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen and tap on From iCloud Backup. Check the date to make sure it’s the backup you want.
Log into your Apple ID and wait while your device signs in.
Now choose an iCloud backup from before you downloaded the beta. Click on Show more backups to find an older one if you don’t see it.
Wait while the Restore from iCloud takes place, which could take a while.
The device will need to be connected to Wi-Fi throughout the process, and it can take a while, depending on how much data needs to be restored. It’s also likely that you’ll be asked to log in again so that any purchased items from the App Store or iTunes Music can be downloaded.
When the core elements of the backup are finished you’ll be able to use the handset again, but you might notice that apps and other data continue to install in the background. This is perfectly normal.
How to recover from a Finder/iTunes backup
Whether you are using the Finder on a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes on an older macOS or PC, the process for recovering the iPhone backup is similar.
You need to plug it into a Mac or PC.
If you’ve not connected the device to this particular computer before, you’ll see the ‘Welcome to Your New iPhone’ page.
Click continue and then agree to sync your iPhone.
With this completed, you’ll be taken to the device summary page in the Finder/iTunes, which includes various options for backing up and restoring your device.
In the Backups section you’ll see a button marked Restore Backup (as long as you have one). Click this.
If Find My is switched on then you’ll see a message telling you that it needs to be turned off before you can proceed. To do this, open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name/face at the top of the screen, then tap iCloud. Scroll down until you see Find My, tap it, move the toggle switch to off, enter your password to confirm, then return to iTunes on your Mac or PC.
After clicking Restore Backup a popup should appear with the current iterations available. Select the one you want, then click the Restore button.
Now your iPhone will run through its automated restoration process. iTunes will let you know when the update is complete, then you can disconnect the iPhone and go about your business with your data safely on board.
With WWDC now behind us, the next thing on Apple’s schedule for the year is the announcement and release of the iPhone 15 lineup. As of right now, the expectation is that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineups will come out around the same time as iPhones do every year…
When will the iPhone 15 come out?
Apple is expected to have an all-new lineup of iPhones this year, including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. As you can see below, the iPhone release schedule over the past seven years has been incredibly consistent. The iPhone X is a notable outlier in 2017, as is the iPhone 12 lineup, which was impacted by COVID-19 delays.
Here is a timeline of the latest iPhone release dates:
iPhone 14 Plus: October 7, 2022
iPhone 14: September 16, 2022
iPhone 13: September 23, 2021
iPhone 12: October 23, 2020
iPhone 11: September 20, 2019
iPhone XS: September 21, 2018
iPhone X: November 3, 2017
iPhone 8: September 22, 2017
iPhone 7: September 16, 2016
As we’ve seen in past years, the iPhone is Apple’s most important product release every year. This means the company will prioritize iPhone 15 production over all of its other products. If any supply chain challenges or hiccups were to emerge, Apple would delay other products before it would delay the iPhone 15 release date.
What’s new with iPhone 15?
As a quick refresher, we’re expecting a number of different changes with the iPhone 15 lineup this year. Here’s a brief rundown:
USB-C for charging on all models.
Slimmer bezels across the entire lineup.
The Dynamic Island will expand to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
A new titanium finish on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to use a new A17 Bionic chip made using the 3nm production process. This will be the first time Apple has used 3nm production for chips, resulting in improved performance and improved efficiency.
iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a periscope lens for improved optical zoom for the rear-facing camera.
iPhone 15 is coming, and these features will be worth the wait
Summer can be an awkward time to buy a new iPhone. Apple will release a new iPhone in the fall, but you’re ready to upgrade now. There’s really no bad time to buy an iPhone, but anyone who cares about having the best camera should consider what’s coming this year.
Apple usually unveils new iPhones in early September. There’s nothing wrong with buying in June through August, but try to take advantage of a good carrier promotion if you can.
Another thing to consider is how much of an early adopter you are. If you like iPhone 14 Pro features but prefer the iPhone 14 price, you could get the best of both worlds with the iPhone 15.
Apple is expected to bring Dynamic Island to non-Pro phones this year. iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus might even see the 48 MP camera upgrade that the main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro picked up last fall.
If you care about having the best camera in your pocket, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, in particular, might be especially appealing. After years of rumors, Apple’s most expensive iPhone is expected to adopt a periscope-style lens system for greater optical zoom. I can never get enough optical zoom on my iPhone, so this rumor is my favorite.
Last year, Apple released its most affordable big-screen phone, the iPhone 14 Plus, which also happens to be the lightest big-screen iPhone.
But iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could see a reduction in weight thanks to a change in materials. Apple’s Pro line is expected to switch from stainless steel bands to titanium ones. The lighter material could make Pro phones more appealing to people who care most about the iPhone not feeling heavy.
This year’s key feature for the Pro line is expected to be a change to the mute switch, which could be quite interesting. We expect the existing mute toggle to be replaced with a button that will probably be customizable.
I care a lot about using my iPhone as a camera, so the potential to have a button that can launch the Camera app is high on my list of things to optimistically expect.
There’s one difference that might affect your decision to buy now or hold out. That’s the port situation. The iPhone has used Apple’s Lightning port since 2012. The iPhone 15 line is expected to replace the Lightning port with a USB-C port. That’s great news if you’re already charging every other device with USB-C, but it could be a factor in your buying decision if you prefer Lightning.
And one last thing to note: there’s a chance the iPhone 15 Pro will cost more than the iPhone 14 Pro. This gets rumored every year, but it could happen. Apple will likely discontinue the iPhone 14 Pro once the iPhone 15 Pro is announced, so that’s one more thing to consider. Bang for the buck.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 lineup in early September.
USB-C iPhone 15: The latest rumors and what to expect
A USB-C iPhone may have once seemed impossible, but the latest rumors suggest it’s actually coming sooner than you may think. Amid regulatory pushback and limitations of the Lightning connector, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are expected to switch to USB-C this fall. Head below for the latest details on what we know so far.
Regulatory pressure forces Apple’s hand
There are a number of reasons why Apple seems to have shifted its tune on releasing a USB-C iPhone. One thing that’s hard to overlook, however, is looming legislation around the world.
After multiple years of back and forth, the European Union officially reached an agreement for a “common charging port” standard. Starting in 2024, all smartphones sold within the 27 countries of the EU will be required to use USB-C for charging. This includes the iPhone and even peripheral accessories like AirPods.
Apple has pushed back against legislation that would make a USB-C iPhone mandatory. The company argues that such laws stifle innovation and actually lead to more environmental waste.
After the EU agreed on its legislation, lawmakers in the United States voiced their support. Many called on the US to pass something similar. Senator Elizabeth Warren has echoed this call in a post on Twitter, saying:
Consumers shouldn’t have to keep buying new chargers all the time for different devices. We can clear things up with uniform standards—for less expense, less hassle, and less waste.
Consumers shouldn’t have to keep buying new chargers all the time for different devices. We can clear things up with uniform standards—for less expense, less hassle, and less waste.https://t.co/rbxLleahIj
In early October, the legislation in the EU was formally adopted following a full vote of the European Parliament. The law was passed with an overwhelming majority, with 602 votes in favor, 13 against, and 8 abstentions. Under the law, there are exemptions for products that are too small to offer a USB-C port.
Finally, to complete the process, the USB-C law was officially recorded and went into effect on December 27, 2022. Under the law, companies have until December 28, 2024, to comply with the mandate with new smart introductions.
This could technically give Apple until 2025 to formally comply with the USB-C regulations, but the expectation is that it will do so earlier than that.
Will the iPhone 15 use USB-C?
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first predicted in 2019 that Apple would release a port-less iPhone as soon as 2021, but that didn’t come to fruition. It’s easy to see why – wireless technologies simply aren’t reliable or powerful enough to completely replace a connector like Lightning or USB-C. Charging speeds aren’t as fast, data transfer is slow and unreliable, and consumer adoption just isn’t there yet.
A port-less iPhone is still in the works and is something being internally tested at Apple, but we wouldn’t expect to see it launch to the public this year or next year.
The Lightning connector is also starting to show its age. When it was first unveiled in 2012 with the iPhone 5, Apple’s Phil Schiller touted that it would be the “modern connector for the next decade.” It’s been a decade since that announcement, and it’s clear that Lightning is falling behind USB-C in things like charging speeds and data transfer speeds.
So that leads us to where we are today. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last May that the iPhone 15, coming this year, will feature a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. This report was eventually corroborated by Bloomberg, which also said that the iPhone 15 may switch to a USB-C port next year.
In an interview, Apple marketing exec Greg Joswiak even went as far as to say Apple will have no choice but to comply with the EU legislation, effectively confirming that iPhone with USB-C is coming sooner rather than later.
Finally, 9to5Mac has exclusively obtained CAD files of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, confirming that the devices do have a USB-C port instead of Lightning. This has also been corroborated by other iPhone 15 images leaked on Twitter.
But wait…
Interestingly, several reports have said that Apple is looking into ways it could still retain some amount of control over the iPhone’s accessory ecosystem. One report suggested the iPhone 15’s USB-C port could have certain features limited to Apple-certified cables.
In March, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the switch to USB-C will enable faster charging speeds for the iPhone 15. These faster charging speeds, however, will reportedly limited to USB-C cables certified by Apple. Currently, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 support up to 20W of maximum charging speed, while Pro models support up to 27W.
The European Union, however, is already pushing back at Apple’s rumored plans to limit the iPhone 15’s USB-C port for non-MFi cables. In response to the rumors, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote a warning to Apple saying that it would be “inadmissible to restrict the interaction with chargers.”
When will the USB-C iPhone 15 be available?
Apple is expected to release the iPhone 15 with USB-C later this fall. As of right now, Apple’s release plans seem to be on schedule. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineups are expected to be announced and released in September.
USB-C iPhone 15: Wrap up
A USB-C iPhone is sure to make many consumers happy, particularly those who already own an iPad or Mac that also uses USB-C. That being said, with the sheer number of iPhone users, Apple will undoubtedly face criticism for changing the iPhone’s charging connector — even if a switch to USB-C is ultimately the right decision and is long overdue.
Australia’s prime minister has echoed the advice of cybersecurity professionals, in recommending that you turn off your iPhone for five minutes every night.
No, it’s not so you can reduce your daily Screen Time to 23 hours and 55 minutes, but to stop any spyware that may be running in the background on your device …
The idea that you should periodically force-quit apps in order to improve the performance of your iPhone has been one of the persistent myths among non-techies, but rebooting your phone is different. By closing all background processes, it can offer at least some degree of privacy protection against spyware.
The Guardian reports that Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, offered the advice while announcing a new security appointment.
Albanese, has told residents they should turn their smartphones off and on again once a day as a cybersecurity measure – and tech experts agree.
Albanese said the country needed to be proactive to thwart cyber risks, as he announced the appointment of Australia’s inaugural national cybersecurity coordinator […]
“We all have a responsibility. Simple things, turn your phone off every night for five minutes. For people watching this, do that every 24 hours, do it while you’re brushing your teeth or whatever you’re doing.”
The US National Security Agency (NSA) endorses this advice. It has previously recommended hard-rebooting smartphones at least once a week, for the same reason.
In the case of highly sophisticated spyware like NSO’s Pegasus, it may achieve little: A lot of work is put into exploiting vulnerabilities that allow the malware to relaunch after reboots. But security experts say that it can be worthwhile even then.
Dr Priyadarsi Nanda is a senior lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney who specialises in cybersecurity development.
He said rebooting a phone regularly could minimise risk because it forcibly closes any applications and processes running in the background that could maliciously be monitoring users or collecting data […]
“If there’s a process running from the adversarial side, turning off the phone breaks the chain, even if it’s only for the time the phone is off, it certainly frustrates the potential hacker.
“It may not fully protect you, but [rebooting] can make things more difficult” for hackers, Nanda said.
New South Wales cybersecurity lecturer Dr. Arash Shaghaghi agrees, saying that it puts one additional hurdle in the way of attackers.
Shaghaghi said that with so-called zero click exploits – sophisticated attacks that don’t require an action from a user to give an adversary access – rebooting a smartphone “may challenge the attackers as they may need to find alternative means to exploit the device once powered back on”.
Just last month, Apple alerted Pegasus victims in the first known case of the spyware being used during a military conflict.
Apple alerted Pegasus spyware victims during first known use in a military conflict
Security researchers have documented the first known case of NSO’s Pegasus spyware being used in a military conflict. The hacks relate to the long-running military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, over a region claimed by both countries.
The victims – who included a United Nations official, journalists, human rights advocates, and a former government minister – received alerts from Apple that their iPhones had been hacked …
Pegasus spyware
NSO Group makes spyware called Pegasus, which is sold to government and law enforcement agencies. The company purchases so-called zero-day vulnerabilities (ones that are unknown to Apple) from hackers, and its software is capable of mounting zero-click exploits – where no user interaction is required by the target.
In particular, simply receiving a particular iMessage – without opening it or interacting with it in any way – can allow an iPhone to be compromised, with personal data exposed.
NSO sells Pegasus only to governments, but its customers include countries with extremely poor human rights records – with political opponents and others targeted.
Apple alerts
By the nature of zero-click attacks, it’s only possible to identify and patch the vulnerability after it has already been exploited. However, Apple has come up with ways to spot signs of a compromised iPhone, and it now sends alerts to devices it believes have fallen victim to a Pegasus attack.
Apple has sent these alerts to a range of people, including pro-democracy protestors in Thailand, senior European Union officials, a Polish prosecutor, and US State Department staff.
At least a dozen hacks in Armenia/Azerbaijan conflict
The Guardian reports that at least a dozen people had their iPhones hacked by Pegasus spyware.
Researchers have documented the first known case of NSO Group’s spyware being used in a military conflict after they discovered that journalists, human rights advocates, a United Nations official, and members of civil society in Armenia were hacked by a government using the spyware.
The hacking campaign, which targeted at least a dozen victims from October 2020 to December 2022, appears closely linked to events in the long running military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Apple detected that the devices had been compromised, and sent alerts to victims. These included Anna Naghdalyan, who was an Armenian foreign office spokesperson at the time. Her phone was hacked at least 27 times, according to the report.
Researchers said the timing of the attacks put her “squarely in the most sensitive conversations and negotiations related to the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis”, including the ceasefire mediation attempts by France, Russia, and the US and official visits to Moscow and Karabakh.
Naghdalyan told Access Now that she had “all the information about the developments during the war on [her] phone” at the time of her hacking
All the evidence points to Azerbaijan government
While researchers say that they cannot absolutely determine who carried out the spyware attacks, there is “substantial evidence” that Azerbaijan has a Pegasus contract.
Additionally, the victims selected for the hacks would also point to the Azerbaijan government. Neither government responded to a request for comment.
Pegasus threat remains
The US government banning the use of Pegasus by its own agencies had a severe impact on NSO’s finances, and the fact that Apple is now able to alert victims makes the spyware significantly less useful. Apple also offers a Lockdown Mode, allowing high-risk individuals to harden their iPhones against Pegasus, but at the cost of a great deal of functionality.
However, NSO’s financial struggles potentially make it more dangerous, as it reportedly planned to sell its software to red-flagged countries.
Privacy is a growing concern in today’s world. Follow along with all our coverage related to privacy, security, what Apple and other companies are doing to keep your information safe, and what steps you can take to keep your information private.
appears in the status bar and on your Lock Screen.
