When Apple’s original iPhone first debuted in 2007, it was the simple alternative to a market full of overcomplicated smartphones. Platforms like Symbian, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Mobile were a mess. Sure, they got the job done, but people really only used smartphones that ran these platforms because there were no better options out there. Don’t believe me? Where are Symbian, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile now? Exactly.
Apple’s iOS platform, which was called iPhone OS back then, removed all of the cumbersome junk. It offered a straightforward experience that focused solely on improving key interactions. Then, over time, Apple added in more in more functionality as well as support for third-party apps. Needless to say, the iPhone grew more and more complicated over the years as new functionality was added. Now, after a decade, so many new features have been added that it’s impossible to remember them all.
For that reason, we always jump at the opportunity to refresh your memory. We get great feedback each and every time we round up things like hidden iPhone tricks, or nifty features that many users have likely forgotten. One such opportunity arose on Friday morning when we came across a great little thread on Reddit.
Titled “Favourite underrated iPhone features,” the original poster asked the community in the iPhone subreddit to list their favorite features they feel are underrated. He or she began the conversation by listing a few particularly good ones.
“Noise cancelling – At times I work in a noisy environment. I can stand next to machinery that output over 105 dB and I can still hear the person on the other end (wearing earplugs), they can also hear me clearly,” the original poster wrote. “My S7 was horrible, couldn’t hear anything and they couldn’t hear me in those environments either. This function is so important to me but rarely gets tested or compared in product reviews.”
Also noted in the original post are the ability to mute the phone using a physical switch rather than having to dig through settings, and 3D Touch. Specifically mentioned is the ability to press firmly on the iOS keyboard and turn it into a trackpad, which is a favorite of ours as well.
Other Reddit users then chimed in with some great underrated features they appreciate. The top-voted response is the simple feature that lets you tap the status bar to instantly scroll to the top of any screen. This is something that is taken for granted by most iPhone users, but it’s an awesome shortcut. Other great features like Wi-Fi password sharing, AirDrop, Reachability, and the swipe back gesture. The entire thread is definitely worth browsing through, and you might even find a few features you forgot about or never even knew about.
