With the recent release of the new iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 software updates there have been some pretty decent features that were added which will enhance your hardware (iPhone and iPad) performance much better than they were last year. Even though Apple is set to release its iPhone 12 series at its virtual event on Tuesday October 13th, there are devices which are compatible with the latest OS and perform just perfectly with it.

While there have been a lot of rumored features and specifications which we all expect from the next-gen iPhone 12, anyone who’ve been using the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 since September will know that its packed with some pretty decent features which will enhance the iPhone.

One of such is the ability to personalize the homescreen with widgets and as well as creating custom app icons wherever you want. There is also the ability to use the Apple Pencil to write in any text field rather than using the keyboard all the time.

Here are quick tips and tricks that we’ve discovered for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 while using it. And if you’ve not migrated to the new iOS 14 or iPadOS 14, here is how to do that.

New homescreen features

One of the dopest thing we’ve seen on the new iOS 14 is the fact that users are no longer stuck with that same boring look and feel which is universal to all iOS but instead users are able to customize their homescreen to their very own taste.

With the new software, you’re able to move things around on the home screen, you’re able to use gesture modes such as swiping right-to-left to open the App Library or place a widget anywhere you want it to be.

Apple provided developers with the tools to create a new style of widget which is one of the cool features that’ve been on Android for a pretty long time now but finally iOS users can get it too.

Smart Stack widget

Still o widget but this is more than it as you’re able to create a Smart Stack widget which Apple had curated. To create your own stack of widgets, you can use the same technique used in creating an app folder.

The cool thing is that this beautifies your homescreen if you’re the type that like things well organized and well arranged instead of living things just scattered across the hoomescreen.

Create your app icons

The other cool feature is that you’re able to create your own app icons and fully customize the look of your iPhone. This is one of the cool features on Android phones whereby you can basically download some generic icon from elsewhere and use them instead of the native app icon that come with whatever icon you download or have on your phone.

So instead of the Message icon, you just have your own custom icon with which you can launch the application whenever you so want. The process isn’t very straightforward though but if you want to, its worth the effort.

App Clips let you use apps without installing them

App Clips is one interesting feature on the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 which show you a portion of what the full app is so it saves you the stress of downloading an application which you might end up uninstalling almost immediately.

To use this feature, you just head to the Apple Maps app and then search for example “Bees Bread” and then tap on a location then select the Order Food. When you use an App Clip, it can be accessible through the App Library in the recently added folder.

There is picture-in-picture finally

One of the cool thing bout Android is the picture-in-picture functionality whereby you can basically exit the video player and go to other apps while the video minimize into a small window which can be dragged anywhere on the screen.

Sounds nice? The feature is now on the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 which enhances users’ experience so users can watch videos on apps like YouTube and go elsewhere without leaving the YouTube player which minimizes on the home screen.

There is a list of all the apps installed on your phone that support it so head over to the Settings > General > Picture in Picture. 

Deleting/uninstalling apps

There s an additional step at the App Library which is tied to deleting apps from your smartphone and it can be a bit complicated for long-term iPhone users.

You’re not tied to default email and browser anymore

Apple now let user decide what application they want to set as their default email app and browser app much like Android even though not entirely because the latter let you change the entire native application to your own selected third-party apps as the default apps you want.

But at least, you can opt to use GMail or Outlook instead of the default mail app or use Firefox or Google Chrome instead of being tied to Safari.

AirPods Pro adds new feature

The Apple AirPods Pro which has been doing pretty well in the commercial market just got even better with a new update which adds Spatial Audio feature to the list of existing features.

To use this, your device must have the latest iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 installed. The feature works by following your head’s movement as it adjusts with each twist and turns of your head.

The iPad is like a mini Mac

There are several features on the new device among which is a better user interface which mimics those of the MacOS Big Sur with nice icon pack and the fact that your homescreen can be customized well enough to whatever it is you want makes it super interesting.

New privacy features 

Who doesn’t like their device being safe and since one of the primary foundations of Apple had been security, the new iOS 14 took things much more serious in this aspect.

There is now a location sharing setting which will limit if an app sees your exact location or more general area and there is also a new notification dot which tell you when an app is using your phone’s camera or mic or finer controls over which photo an app can access.

Better selfie

The Camera app has a new setting for the front-facing camera that is sure to help your selfies shine. The new mirror mode forces the camera to act more like a, well, mirror, which can make it easier to make sure your shot is framed and lined up the way you want. 

Even more

When the iPhone 12 finally debut tomorrow Tuesday – October 13th, then we’ll be able to see and learn much more about what the new device has in stock especially as it will ship with the iOS 14 on-board which is a pretty decent thing for Apple to do. For other rumors and leaks about the iPhone 12, here is everything we know so far.