iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

The Worldwide Developer Conference is only just beginning, but Apple’s annual summer keynote has concluded. We’ll take a look at everything Apple announced at its 2018 WWDC keynote; and this year, it’s all software. As expected, iOS 12 focuses on stability and performance; but Apple made quite a few other surprise announcements regarding the new iOS. During the keynote, Apple also announced its new watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and macOS Mojave. We’ll look at all the new features of the software below. Everything Apple announced will be arriving later this fall, but you can learn more about all the new things to look forward to below.

Apple unveiled iOS 12 today at the WWDC 2018 Keynote, and we can expect exciting improvements and features when the iOS update is released in the fall. From overall upgrades to performance, privacy, and security, to app overhauls for the News and Stocks apps, to fun additional Animoji choices, as well as the brand-new Memoji option, Apple engineers have put together a well-balanced crowd-pleaser of an operating system that we can't wait to upload to our devices! Let's go over which devices are compatible with iOS 12, discuss all the new iOS features, and learn how to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program to try out iOS 12 before the official release date. 

Facebook recently announced a new facial recognition feature that informs account holders when their image appears in other people's photos and videos, then allows them to tag themselves. In addition, the feature warns Facebook users when their picture is used to open another account. While some Facebook users find the facial recognition feature innocuous, or even helpful, others prefer to steer clear of what they perceive as an invasion of privacy. For those of you who would like to turn off facial recognition on Facebook, read on to learn how to do so on your iPhone.  

I downloaded a lot of mediation apps in my search for the one I wanted to feature. And there are a lot of incredible meditation apps; this is by no means the only good one available. But it’s the one I chose for a couple different reasons. Headspace is one of the first apps that became massively popular for meditation, and it hasn’t let the competition surpass it since. The app does a fantastic job of getting you started and immediately launching you into the first meditation. Within three minutes of opening the app, I pressed play and had my first session with the app. At the end, the narrator lets you know he’ll be back tomorrow with another guided meditation. In total, there are three basic meditations that give you three days to see if this app is right for you. Learn more on what it does and why I love it below.

I've used digital photo frames, almost since the beginning of digital cameras, but they often had drawbacks. Memory cards were required, which made updates a hassle. Poor quality or improperly formatted photos would ruin the experience. The PhotoSpring Digital Photo Frame ($149) is the digital picture frame I've been waiting for. 

When I travel, I rarely check bags, because of the added expense and hassle waiting at baggage claim upon arrival. That means my clothes, toiletries, work materials, and electronics are all in my carry-on bag. So I try to travel as light as possible. I suppose I could use earbuds, but those don't do a good job of blocking out noise, especially on an airplane. Fortunately, Wicked Audio sent me the Enix Wireless Headphones ($64.99) to try. They are quite lightweight and fold flat for travel. 

Big Apple news, everyone!  iOS 11.4 was just released, and it's bringing some exciting, audio-based features, including AirPlay 2. This version of AirPlay makes it possible to wirelessly send content from any Apple device that's compatible with iOS 11.4 to an Apple TV or HomePod or other AirPlay 2-enabled speaker. This capability makes multi-room streaming possible at last, with the ability to sync and control multiple speakers throughout the home. AirPlay 2 features can be operated from your iPhone or iPad's Control Center, Lock Screen, or AirPlay controls within apps. Siri can also adjust and control AirPlay-enabled speakers for you, all you have to do is ask her using your HomePod, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. In addition to multi-speaker syncing and streaming, AirPlay 2 offers the opportunity for Apple Music subscribers to ask Siri for one song or playlist in one room, a different one in another, and so on with all the synced speakers in the house. Let's learn more about iOS 11.4, AirPlay 2, and how to use Apple's latest software update with your iPhone, HomePod, and more.