Okay, then. Now that you and your iPhone have been properly introduced, it’s time to turn it on and actually use it. Onward!
Chapter 2
iPhone Basic Training
IN THIS CHAPTER
❯❯ Mastering multitouch
❯❯ Multitasking with your iPhone
❯❯ Spotlighting search
❯❯ Keeping alert through notifications
If you were caught up in the initial iPhone frenzy of 2007, you may have plotted for months about how to land one. After all, the iPhone quickly emerged as the ultimate fashion phone. And the chic device hosted a bevy of cool features.
Owning the hippest and most-hyped handset on the planet came at a premium cost compared with rival devices. To snag the very first version, you may have saved your pennies or said, “The budget be damned.”
That’s ancient history now. Almost a decade later, the iPhone has gone mainstream and you get more bang for your buck. A lot more bang.
We can list a bunch of prices here, but pricing for the wireless industry, and accordingly the iPhone, is in a state of flux. You used to be able to buy an iPhone for a subsidized and relatively low upfront price that was tied to a two-year contract with your carrier. As of this writing, however, such contracts are no longer the norm. Instead, wireless companies are pushing installment pricing options, in which you can choose to put little or no money down but are then obligated to pay for the device over typically a two-year term. In some cases you lease the phone; in others, you buy the phone outright.
The entry-level iPhone SE (at the time of this writing) started at $399 or cost $16.63 on up with carrier financing. The highest capacity 256GB iPhone 7 Plus from a carrier such as AT&T cost $969.99 or $32.34 a month.
Of course you still must pay for cellular and data coverage and data from a wireless carrier.
For existing iPhone customers, the upgrade price for a new model may depend on how far you’re into your previous contract, how prompt you are at paying your bill, and other factors. And as they say in the fine print, taxes and fees are extra.
You may also get a nice trade-in deal on your existing phone, from Apple or other retailers.
Activating the iPhone
You will typically activate the iPhone where you bought the thing, just as you do with other cellphones. However, if you buy your iPhone from Apple’s online store, the folks there will ship it to you and you activate it through iTunes, just like the old days, or through iCloud. If you’re already a customer upgrading from an earlier iPhone or a different phone, you can convert your plan during the ordering process. You also choose your desired monthly bucket of voice minutes and SMS (Short Message Service) or text messages as well as your allotment of wireless data minutes right in the store.
As mentioned, we aren’t going to go through all the wireless options here. Suffice to say that plans vary by wireless carrier and are subject to change. At the time this book was written, ironclad two-year contracts were rapidly becoming far less, well, ironclad. Of course, you’re still obligated to pay what you owe your carrier. Indeed, the carriers all are moving away from contracts to installment pricing.
Unlimited data plans are also in a state of flux. Verizon and AT&T used to offer unlimited data but now typically charge based on usage, though those of you who signed up for an unlimited data plan previously are grandfathered.
You may also have to fork over extra coin for a plan that includes tethering, or the capability to use your iPhone as a broadband modem for other devices you might carry, such as laptops and netbooks.
Three prerequisites for enjoying the iPhone have been in place since the original release and remain – at least for most U.S. customers:
❯❯ One, unless you’re already in the fold, there’s the aforementioned business of becoming an AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, or T-Mobile subscriber or a customer of any other company that subsequently sells the devices.
❯❯ Two, you may have to free yourself from any wireless contract that you’ve already entered into. As we’ve pointed out, such contractual obligations are getting liberalized and ironclad two-year contracts are disappearing in favor of installment pricing. Heck, your new wireless company may even pay any early termination fees due your old carrier.
Under its own trade-in program, Apple won’t give you cash for your old phone but will issue a gift card that you can use in the store. As of this writing, you can get a card valued at up to $250 if you trade in an iPhone 6 Plus. You can even get a $50 gift card for trading in a now ancient iPhone 4. Prices vary depending on the condition of the phone you're trading in. Keep in mind that you may get cash or a better trade-in deal elsewhere.
Apple has its own in-store upgrade program, based on a 24-month installment. As this book was going to press, you could get a 32GB iPhone 7 for $32.41 a month, a 128GB model for $36.58, and a 256GB model for $40.75. Pricing for the 7 Plus under the Apple upgrade program is $37.41, $41.58, and $45.75, respectively. You get to choose your own carrier. AppleCare warranty protection is included.
❯❯ Three, make sure you download the freshest version of iTunes software for syncing with your PC or Mac. Apple doesn’t supply the software in the box, so head to www.apple.com/itunes if you need to fetch a copy, or launch your current version of iTunes and then choose iTunes ⇒ Check for Updates (Mac) or Help ⇒ Check for Updates (Windows).
The uninitiated might not know that iTunes is the nifty Apple jukebox software that iPod, iPad, PC, and Mac owners use to manage music, videos, and more. iTunes is at the core of the iPhone as well because it has a built-in iPod, under what is called the Music app instead. You employ iTunes to synchronize a bunch of stuff on your computer and iPhone, including apps, photos, podcasts, videos, ringtones, and (of course) music – that is, unless you eschew your computer directly and manage all this stuff through iCloud.
Although iTunes is no longer required for the initial configuration of your iPhone, we recommend fetching it anyway, even if you don’t intend to use it for syncing with a PC or Mac. We just happen to be fans of the software.
Turning the iPhone On and Off
Apple has taken the time to nearly fully charge your iPhone, so you’ll get some measure of instant gratification. After taking the phone out of the box, press and hold down the sleep/wake button. On the iPhone SE, the sleep/wake button resides on the top-right edge of iPhones. On the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus,