Apple ’s late computer software update for the iPhone — iOS 18 — is a vainglorious deal . Between more customizable home screens , a immense Control Center update , and all of the novel Apple Intelligence features , this twelvemonth ’s iOS update has a circumstances to like .
However , as I ’ve been using myiPhone 16over the last few weeks , I ’ve realized that one of the iOS feature film I use the most has nothing to do with the iOS 18 update . rather , it ’s an iOS feature that was bring out over three twelvemonth ago and remains one of my favorite iPhone features twelvemonth after year . Yes , I ’m talking about Focus modes .
How I use Focus on my iPhone
Apple introduced Focus modes to the iPhone as part of its iOS 15 update in 2021 . The idea behind them is simple : you could utilize different Focus modes depending on what you ’re doing throughout the day . For example , you may have a Gaming Focus fashion , a read one , a Vacation one , etc .
you could have multiple Focus modes and tailor-make them however you require . There ’s no right field or wrong path to use Focus modes , but after religiously using the feature film for the last three years , I ’ve found a method that works dead for how I use my iPhone .
What is it ? My Work Focus modal value is automatically enable between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. every weekday . While it ’s on , I only receive notifications from three contacts ( my partner and my parent ) , and I only appropriate notification from a select fistful of apps — including Microsoft Teams , Outlook , and my banking apps . So far , pretty childlike stuff and nonsense . However , the real magic of my Work Focus is how it exchange my iPhone home screen .
Once my Work Focus kicks on , my iPhone home blind changes completely . alternatively of my usual nursing home concealment filled with time - waste apps like NFL Fantasy , Letterboxd , and Duolingo , it ’s supervene upon with a single home blind dedicated to my business .
I have eight apps ( Teams , Asana , Parse.ly , Apple News , Notes , Feedly , Authy , and X / Twitter ) on my exclusive work - focus home screen , plus two gizmo , with one showing my daily monitor . I also have a clock widget showing the various time zone in which dissimilar Digital Trends employee / contributors are locate .
Apple has let you to tie rest home silver screen to Focus mode since the feature ’s introduction over three years ago , and if you ask me , it ’s the single respectable part of using Focus modes on iOS . hold my work apps / widgets right where I need them during the workday is fantastic , and once the clock excise five , my iPhone returns to the common , non - work - centrical apparatus I prefer when I ’m off the clock .
It ’s such a unsubdivided matter , but I also find it priceless . When it ’s worktime , I can count at my phone and have contiguous access to work messages , emails , etc . When it ’s prison term to log off for the day , all of my work apps go away , and my nursing home silver screen again shows all my best-loved non - work apps . It ’s bang-up .
Android doesn’t have anything like it
SomeAndroid phonemanufacturers have tried to imitate Apple ’s Focus modes over the years , but annoyingly , none of them have imitate the part I find most useful .
Samsung , for example , has a Modes feature that , at least visually , depend like it was pulled flat from iOS . you’re able to customize notice preferences during Modes and associate specific wallpaper with them . However , youcannotlink a modality to a customize home filmdom .
OnePlus regain itself in a similar gravy holder . OnePlus headphone have a Zen Space app that permit you to lay out up “ spaces ” with allow applications programme and customized wallpapers / background you see while a quad is active . Once again , however , these ca n’t be tied with rest home screen door layout .
Frankly , it ’s shocking that no one in the Android outer space has yet to copy this . So many Android phonestryto have their own reading of iOS Focus modes , but they leave to add the one prospect that makes it so useful to me .
Still one of my favorite iOS features
I do n’t actively opine about Focus modes when I use my iPhone throughout the sidereal day . When I ’m put to work , I have my work home screen . When I ’m not , I have my “ normal ” home screen frame-up . It all works cleanly in the background without fail , so it ’s not something I pay much attention to .
That can make Focus modes not all that exciting to talk about , but I remember that ’s just why they ’re such a helpful feature film . I drop about 20 minute configuring my Work stress how I wanted three year ago when my iPhone stimulate iOS 15 , and ever since then , it ’s been an integral part of how I use my iPhone each and every sidereal day .
This is the type of feature of speech I hope to see more of from Apple . The company is throwing alotat the wall decently now with Apple Intelligence — be itWriting Tools , Genmoji , or something else . Not all of this is going to stick , but I hope this rush of fresh AI features guide to something as hardheaded and functional as Focus modality . All these years later , it remain one of my preferent things about my iPhone .
