iPhone

Stay up-to-date on the latest iPhone news and learn new tips and tricks with our comprehensive tutorials. From software updates to new features, we’ve got you covered.

Guy builds DIY iPhone 6s for less than half the price of a new one

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 12, 2017

iPhone enthusiast and world traveller Scotty Allen has taken upon himself to build a fully functional, like-new iPhone 6s entirely from recycled parts purchased in China. After spending a cool $1,000 in parts, he used around $300 worth of parts in the actual phone, or less than half the price Apple is charging for a brand spanking new iPhone 6s.

He obtained a recycled logic board with the Touch ID sensor included and installed the display, the battery, the back casing and other components bought in Shenzen.

iPhone 8’s in-screen Touch ID apparently causing Apple the most trouble

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 12, 2017

We heard before that iPhone 8 could get delayed due to various technical issues stemming from a new augmented-reality 3D camera system, the lamination process of curved organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels and a new thin-film 3D Touch system.

Analyst Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company, however, contends that iPhone 8's rumored in-screen Touch ID sensor remains its biggest bottleneck.

How to share your real time location on Google Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 21, 2023

Google recently introduced a location-sharing feature in the mobile Google Maps app that's somewhat similar in functionality to Apple's Find My Friends app. On your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Google Maps allows you to share your location with others for up to 72 hours, choose who can see where you are, hide other people's locations from a map and more.

In this step-by-step tutorial, you'll learn how to share your real-time location on Google Maps with friends and family in case you'd like to let them know where you are and when you’ll get there.

Researchers demonstrate passcode detection method that uses your phone’s motion sensors

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 12, 2017

A team of researchers from the United Kingdom's Newcastle University have demonstrated how criminals could steal your passcode simply by tracking the motion of your phone. Don't worry, Apple issued patches last year to prevent anyone from collecting sensor data, but Android users remain at risk of having their passcodes stolen if they visit a rogue website or tap a malware link. Although Google is aware of the issue, they're still looking into a fix.

New app being developed would finally bring Spotify onto Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 12, 2017

There's a new app in the works that would finally bring Spotify onto Apple Watch. Called Snowy and created by developer Andrew Chang, it will permit Apple Watch owners to play their favorite Spotify tracks, browse playlists, access a Now Playing screen via a complication and more.

According to Chang's recent update on Reddit, Spotify will be working with him to add Apple Watch functionality and playlist syncing into its mainland iPhone and iPad app.

This tweak displays song ratings throughout the Music app

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 12, 2017

If you use the stock Music app to listen to your favorite songs on your iPhone or iPad, then you owe it to yourself to use your jailbreak to enhance the app the best you can.

A free jailbreak tweak called I See Stars III by Pat Sluth improves the Music app by displaying media ratings in the playlist tables, otherwise known as song lists.

How to disable comments on your Instagram posts

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 26, 2021

If you have problems with trolls leaving nasty comments on your Instagram posts, then it might be music to your ears to hear that you can disable commenting, a step that can prevent trolls from leaving hurtful comments on your posts while allowing you to maintain a presence on the popular media-sharing social network.

While the workaround certainly isn’t perfect, it can be effective if used correctly. We’ll show you how to disable comments on your Instagram posts in this tutorial.

Facebook unveils group payments via Messenger for desktop

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2017

Facebook announced this morning that sending or receiving money between groups of people is now supported on the Messenger service. The social networking company debuted peer-to-peer payments on Messenger in March 2015. The new group payments feature, currently limited to users in the United States, is available starting today on Messenger for Android and via the company's desktop app at messenger.com. Group mobile payments will be coming to Messenger for iPhone and iPad at a later stage.

Second betas of iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 now available to public beta testers

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2017

Both iOS 10.3.2 beta 2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta 2 are now available to the general public via the Apple Beta Software Program. Public betas of iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 follow their developer-only releases yesterday. If you're enrolled in Apple's public beta program, you should receive the latest iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 betas through the Software Update mechanism in Settings on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and via the Updates tab in Mac App Store on your Mac.

iPhone 3GS untethered bootrom exploit released

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

Today saw the release of a new bootrom exploit for the iPhone 3GS, an unpatchable vulnerability which gives jailbreakers total control of this device forever.

Although the iPhone 3GS is now very much a legacy device and few users will be actively using them, the rarity of a bootrom exploit makes it worthy of note. There have been no publicly released exploits of this kind since limera1n, which supported only up to the iPhone 4.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition gains Chinese Mythology mashup pack & other goodies

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2017

Microsoft announced today that Minecraft: Pocket Edition is gaining a Chinese Mythology mash-up pack along with a few other goodies and improvements, such as a free Redstone Mansion map available via a new Worlds section in the in-game store.

The new features are available at no charge to existing players and require Minecraft: Pocket Edition version 1.0.6, which is rolling today on App Store.

iPhone modem supplier Qualcomm countersues Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2017

iPhone modem supplier Qualcomm is countersuing Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, saying the Cupertino company could not have “built the incredible iPhone franchise” without its fundamental cellular technologies. The chip maker accused Apple of contributing “virtually nothing” to the development of core cellular technologies.