These Are The Hidden iPhone X Features That You Will Find Useful

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The iPhone X is a marvelous piece of innovation. Apple spent tons of time talking about the 10th-anniversary device at the September 12 event. But it didn’t have time to walk you through all the new technologies. Just as it is about to go on sale, here’s a look at some hidden iPhone X features that you will find useful, assuming you have pre-ordered the device or want to buy it on Nov.3.

List of hidden iPhone X features

The iPhone X has done away with the physical home button to adapt the bezel-less OLED screen. Users have to rely on the swipe gestures to interact with the interface. So, engineers at Apple had to rethink many features.

1- Hiding notification previews

Apple allows Face ID to scan the face of anyone who looks at your brand new iPhone. While some have expressed concerns about the feature, Face ID performs far more functions than just unlocking the device and authenticating payments. When you receive a notification on your iPhone X and pick up the phone to read it, it would appear on the screen just like on other iPhones.

When someone other than the phone’s owner tries to read the notification, the device will keep the content of the notification hidden. The iPhone X uses Face ID to find out whether the owner is looking at the notification. If Face ID doesn’t recognize you, it will hide the details. It adds an extra layer of privacy while keeping things simple and easy for users.

2- Multitasking made easier

The home button is no longer there, but the iPhone X makes it easier than ever before to access the app switcher. You can swipe up from the gesture bar and hold your finger down for a moment to go to the app switcher. Alternatively, you can go to the next app by swiping left or right on the home bar.

3- Does the phone have your attention?

Apple has deeply integrated Face ID within the iOS. Face ID also supports attention-aware features. For instance, the phone will automatically dim the display to preserve battery when you are looking away from the screen. If you are already using the device, it will lower the volume of notification alerts. Smart and intuitive.

4- Ability to disable Face ID quickly

This is one of the most exciting hidden iPhone X features. At some point, the iPhone X users will encounter a situation where someone you don’t trust (maybe law enforcement agencies?) will want you to unlock your phone. In these situations, you can press the sleep/wake button five times to trigger the emergency mode that instantly disables Face ID. The only way to unlock your phone, then, will be to enter your passcode.

5- Reachability hasn’t gone anywhere

Reachability is in the list of hidden iPhone X features because rumors claimed in September that Apple had done away with the feature. The Cupertino company introduced Reachability with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus for one-handed operation. On older iPhones, you could bring the interface down towards the bottom of the screen by tapping twice on the home button.

With the iPhone X, Apple has changed how you can activate Reachability, but the feature is still there. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn on Reachability. Now you can bring the interface down by swiping down on the gesture bar. To go back to the full-screen interface, just swipe up from the gesture bar or the bottom of the home screen.

6- You could use Face ID for almost everything or nothing

You have full control over the Face ID functionality. It makes things a lot easier for users, but some might not be comfortable with the feature. If you like it, you can use Face ID  for the App Store, Safari AutoFill, iTunes, Apple Pay, and tons of other individual apps. If you don’t like it, head over to Settings to disable Face ID for whichever feature or app you want.

7- Taking screenshots

Yes, things have changed a lot on the iPhone X, but you can still take screenshots. On older iPhones, users had to press the home button and the sleep/wake button to capture screenshots. On the iPhone X, you’ll have to press the volume up button and the sleep/wake button simultaneously to take screenshots.

iPhone X gets glowing reviews

With a starting price of $1,000, the iPhone X was already expected to deliver a futuristic experience. Early reviews of the device have started surfacing online, and they are overwhelmingly positive. Business Insider tested the limits of Face ID by testing the feature on twins. Surprisingly, the facial recognition technology was able to notice the difference between the twins to prevent unauthorized access. That’s impressive.

The Verge praised Animoji in its detailed review. The publication said, “…they work incredibly well, tracing your eyes and expressions and capturing your voice in perfect sync with the animation.” TechCrunch says the iPhone X requires some getting used to, but it’s worth it. There is little improvement in battery life, though. The iPhone X goes on sale on November 3.

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