HIDDEN ANDROID AND APPLE FEATURES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW

Finding every feature can be overwhelming when it comes to using your device to its maximum potential. The latest operating systems for Android and Apple are filled to the brim with features and functions that will make your device experience more personalized and functional for your day-to-day needs. This blog will outline a few features from both Android 12 and Apple iOS 16.

APPLE (iOS 16)

iPhone 14 Pro

The top-of-the-line iPhone 14 Pro comes with incredible features like a 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display, all-day battery life, and a 48MP main camera. Best of all, the iPhone 14 Pro comes ready with iOS 16, so you can access all of the latest useful features!

Unsend Emails

It seems like taking back your words has always been an impossible task, but with this nifty iOS 16 feature, you truly can unsend your emails and text messages. You only have a few seconds for this feature to work, making it very handy for messages that weren’t ready to send.

To enable the unsending of emails, do the following:

  1. In Settings, go to the “Mail” section.
  2. Find the “Undo Send Delay” and select your option.
  3. You can now unsend your emails, but remember that you only have seconds for this feature to take effect.

To unsend text messages, do the following:

  1. Touch and hold the message bubble, then tap “Undo Send”.
  2. You will receive a note saying that the message has been unsent and will no longer be viewable by yourself and the recipient. However, if the recipient is using a device with iOS 15.6 and earlier, there may be the possibility that they can still read the message.

Delete Pre-Installed Apps

While they can be helpful, the stock apps that your device is sold with can take up screen and hard drive space. While this has been a feature since iOS 10, there is now a long list of pre-installed apps that can be deleted, including “Find My”, “Clock” and “Health”.

To uninstall these apps, do the following:

  1. On the home screen, press and hold on to any app until the app has a small ‘X’ in the upper corner of the app icon.
  2. Find the pre-installed app(s) you want to delete, and press the small ‘X’. You will be asked to continue the deletion and click ‘Yes’.
  3. The application(s) have now been deleted, leaving you with more hard drive space and less clutter on your home page.

Speed Up Siri Reading Messages

When using Siri to send a text, the entire message will be read back for confirmation before sending. While very useful, the speed can be too slow for most users. With the iOS update, there is now the option to remove this dictation.

To Disable Siri’s Confirmation:

  1. Click the “Settings” icon on your phone and click on the “Siri & Search” section.
  2. From there, you will tap on “Automatically Send Message” and move “Automatically Send Messages” to “On”/Green.

ANDROID (OS 12)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4

If you’re looking to utilize all the hidden features that Android 12 has to offer, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is the device for you. With a sleek 7.6″ Infinity Flex Display, a 50MP rear camera, and 256GB of internal storage, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is a powerhouse of a device that can do everything you want out of a smartphone and much more. 

One-Handed-Mode

If you have a phone with a large display, such as the Galaxy S22 Ultra, you might feel that navigating your way around your smartphone is overwhelming. Fortunately, with Android 12, there is a solution that makes a big difference. “One-Handed Mode” moves the top half of whatever is on your screen to the bottom half, giving you all the comforts of a smaller smartphone.

Enable “One-Handed-Mode”:

  1. Go to the “Settings” app, type in “One-Handed Mode” and toggle the feature “On”.
  2. In this mode, place a finger on the small bar at the bottom of your phone’s screen and swipe down. The “Single-Handed-Mode” should now be active.
  3. If you don’t do it correctly the first time, don’t worry. Try a few more times, and you’ll get the hang of it.

See All Of Your Alerts At Once

While the Android Operating System is very intuitive and helpful, there are tiny quirks that can lead to frustration if not properly dealt with. One of these quirks occurs when you get a notification that disappears too quickly. We’ve all had this issue, and it can be tedious to track down every notification. Follow these steps to access all of your notifications in one convenient place.

How To Add a Widget:

  1. Long push on any empty spot on your screen. This will enable you to access your menu settings.
  2. Select “Widgets” from the menu and press the “Settings Shortcut” widget.
  3. In the “Settings” shortcut menu, scroll down and tap “Notification Log”.
  4. Now a Notification Log shortcut will appear on your home screen. Tap on this shortcut to view all your missed notifications
  5. Tap the widget whenever you miss an alarm, and you’ll see a rundown of all of your alerts.

Limit Your Apps to See Them More Clearly

The app grid on the Android’s home screen usually ranges from 4×4 to 6×6 apps, which can strain the eyes and overwhelm the user. Thankfully, there is a feature on the Android 12 Operating System that can help you by reducing the number of apps on the screen to 2×2.

Switch to the new 2×2 layout by doing the following:

  1. First, long-press on your home screen. This will enable you to edit your home menu settings.
  2. Select “Wallpaper & Style”, click on the “App Grid” and select 2×2.
  3. Your home screen will now have four tiles, making it easier to find the apps and features you need the most.

6 Thoughts on "HIDDEN ANDROID AND APPLE FEATURES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW"

  1. shirley holland says

    When you say Androids, but you mention only Samsung brand, does it mean that other brands/makes of androids can also use the Samsung instructions to activate and download the widgets?

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Great question, Shirley. Most Android devices have very similar steps for adding Widgets, regardless of the manufacturer.

  2. debi r says

    since the IOS 16 upgrade my apple does not allow voicemail apple support says it’s a carrier issue how do i resolve this?

  3. Paul Bramsen says

    Same problem with activation. No simple method is available for easy transfers from another carrier. So disappointing. And why not 24 hour support?? I don’t live on the west coast. never will.

    • Hi Paul, thank you for your post. I’m sorry to hear about this negative experience and I have passed your concerns on internally for you. If assistance is still needed, give us a call at 888-548-6490 or chat with a live agent on our website here to follow up.

  4. Jerry says

    I forgot my voicemail password. How do I reset it ?