New to iPhone/Apple

[statsman]

My DW and I recently purchased new iPhone 13s. Coming from Android smartphones and never owning an Apple product before, it's taken a bit of time to come up to speed on iOS. For the most part, we either have figured it out on our own, or I watch a video or two on YouTube for features and settings we need more information about and pass that knowledge on to my DW.

There is one feature for the life of me I can't find information about. When entering the phone and landing on the main home screen, there is a screen to the left of it (seen from swiping right on the main home screen). What is this screen, and why is it there? Does it actually have a name? I've scoured the YouTube videos and performed numerous searches, but I am drawing blanks here.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I’m not sure it has a name. But think of it as added space for widgets, which are displays of data without needing to open the full app. You should see an edit button at the very bottom of that page which will then list available widgets to add to that screen. You can also move the widgets around. The available widgets will vary depending on the apps you have installed. Not all apps will provide a widget. Widgets will vary in size.

Edited to add: It looks like it’s called the “Today View” screen.
https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/add-widgets-to-the-home-screen-iphb8f1bf206/ios

 

[audreyh1]

Right, those are called widgets - short cuts to favorite apps and some apps give live updates. It’s configurable. There is an edit button at the bottom. You can move the widgets around, add apps, delete, etc.

 

[statsman]

Thank you for the "Today View" screen name. That helped with a couple of quick searches. One difference having a widget on this screen is the ability to view that screen from lock screen mode (which it appears can be disabled).

 

[audreyh1]

I guess you figured out swiping from the right when iPhone is locked brings up the camera?

 

[statsman]

I guess you figured out swiping from the right when iPhone is locked brings up the camera?

Yeah, I noticed that too. Could be annoying since I will be placing my phone in pants pocket, meaning I might accidentally activate the camera.

 

[cbo111]

I've had iPhones for many years, starting with the iPhone 4. They all worked very well with the exception of a few of them having an early battery problem.
I still learn new things about my 12 even after owning it for about four years. Usually somebody else tells me about it. Good luck as you explore all the useful and a few odd features. Once you move to Apple, you usually don't go back.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have found the iPhone to be so much more intuitive and easier to use than android.

 

[audreyh1]

Unbelievably more functionality compared to 8 years ago.

 

[bmcgonig]

I’m using iPhone now but former user of android. Make sure you download Google photos and Google Maps if you used them on Android. I find Google photos much better than apple photos, and the maps are both good but they’re quite different in some respects.

 

[statsman]

I’m using iPhone now but former user of android. Make sure you download Google photos and Google Maps if you used them on Android. I find Google photos much better than apple photos, and the maps are both good but they’re quite different in some respects.

Several of the iPhone tutorial videos on YouTube shows users with Google Maps installed on their iPhones. Not sure if it's personal preference or, as you say, because the mapping apps have different advantages to them.

 

[COcheesehead]

If your car has Apple Car Play, it’s a joy to plug your phone into it.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

If your car has Apple Car Play, it’s a joy to plug your phone into it.

It's even better with wireless Car Play. My car didn't come with wireless but I bought a dongle for about $100 and it was money well spent! While not perfect, I find the dongle more reliable than finicky cables too.

 

[statsman]

If your car has Apple Car Play, it’s a joy to plug your phone into it.

The vehicle I mainly drive, a 2015 Buick Enclave, is considered ancient in the tech world. Oh sure, it has Bluetooth audio and the ability to use USB thumb drives for music, but the audio software sucks in that vehicle. Don't get me started with its huge issue with volume levels for Bluetooth/USB music files.

I also don't think it plays well (or at all) with Apple Car Play. I have yet to try my iPhone 13, but when I attempted my daughter's iPhone a couple of years ago, the Buick refused to do anything other than sync up via standard Bluetooth. Regardless, the volume level issues makes it unlikely I will use my iPhone in the Enclave except for hands free calling via Bluetooth.

Hugely frustrating, and believe me, Buick and GM have gotten an earful about their poorly written Infotainment software from me and others.

EDIT: An online check confirms the Enclave model didn't get Apple Car Play (and I believe Android Auto) until their 2018 model. Unreal.

 

[COcheesehead]

It's even better with wireless Car Play. My car didn't come with wireless but I bought a dongle for about $100 and it was money well spent! While not perfect, I find the dongle more reliable than finicky cables too.

My cable tucks into the armrest so it’s mostly hidden and my Rubicon has a nice slot the phone fits into perfectly. I have had too many issues with Bluetooth connections so the cable works good for me.

 

[odie42]

If you haven’t already found it, check out the iPhone app Tips. It has a lot of helpful tips and also has the iPhone user guide.

 

[bmcgonig]

It's even better with wireless Car Play. My car didn't come with wireless but I bought a dongle for about $100 and it was money well spent! While not perfect, I find the dongle more reliable than finicky cables too.

What dongle are you referring to? I find that sometimes when I plug the cable between car and iPhone it doesn’t register and it’s just normal Bluetooth. Then I have to turn the car off and on again, sometimes more than once to make it work.

 

[COcheesehead]

What dongle are you referring to? I find that sometimes when I plug the cable between car and iPhone it doesn’t register and it’s just normal Bluetooth. Then I have to turn the car off and on again, sometimes more than once to make it work.

Try unplugging the phone from the cable. I also have facial recognition on the phone so I sometimes have to activate that first.

 

[Richard4444]

I guess you figured out swiping from the right when iPhone is locked brings up the camera?

I have had iPhones since the iPhone 6 came out and just learned this --- Thank you!

Rich

 

[mpeirce]

It's even better with wireless Car Play.

My car doesn’t have this, but my last rental did. What a terrific experience - especially on a rental car.

Once I paired the car and my iPhone, each time I got in the car there was my familiar CarPlay display showing with my apps (Overcast, etc.) all ready for me with my iPhone still in my pocket.

 

[bmcgonig]

Try unplugging the phone from the cable. I also have facial recognition on the phone so I sometimes have to activate that first.

First thing I try, then I do it multiple times, then I have to restart the car [emoji3]

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

What dongle are you referring to? I find that sometimes when I plug the cable between car and iPhone it doesn’t register and it’s just normal Bluetooth. Then I have to turn the car off and on again, sometimes more than once to make it work.

This is what I bought. I've had it for about 15 months and am happy with it. Not perfect but the cables sure weren't either and I find this to be more reliable and way more convenient. I have a '19 Buick with crappy infotainment system and an iPhone8.

 

[statsman]

Well, I encountered my first hiccup with the iPhone 13. I turned off "Raise to Wake" and turned on "Tap to Wake" a day after I received the phone (the latter may have already been on). I've had the phone for five days.

Tap to Wake has been working fine, but once yesterday and once today a little bit ago, Tap to Wake does nothing. I need to press the side power button in order to get the screen to show up. After that, Tap to Wake works again.

The only thing that comes to mind is I manually updated our phones yesterday to iOS 16.3.1. I think the incident yesterday was after the software update.

 

[COcheesehead]

First thing I try, then I do it multiple times, then I have to restart the car [emoji3]

Nowadays we may even have the option of unplugging the car.

 

[Kwirk]

I will be placing my phone in pants pocket, meaning I might accidentally activate the camera.

I find it convenient to use raise to wake and facial recognition. I push the side button to 'log out' and then place the phone upside down in a front pocket. This hasn't caused any problems with inadvertent activation or battery usage but the phone is ready to use as soon as I pull it from my pocket and look at the screen.