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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Making The Jump from Home Button And More

Making The Jump from Home Button And More
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ghporter
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Nov 30, 2021, 06:29 PM
 
My wife and I are about to change cell carriers, and while we're at it, upgrade our phones.

We're looking at upgrading from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone 13 Mini. We're both quite used to the haptic feedback from the home button (which hasn't been a physical button for a while), but we're flexible...

So first, there's no Touch ID on the 13s, right? So, is Face ID working now? Can I just leave that unused and go with a PIN?

And no Home button....but there's that spot at the bottom of the display that works kinda like a Home button? How's that work?

Are there any other 'gotchas' involved for us in this large a model shift? What about wonderful things that we never thought of because the phones we had didn't do that?

Thanks for the guidance and hand-holding.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Nov 30, 2021, 06:50 PM
 
FaceID is bonafide ”insanely great” unless you’re wearing a mask.

Instead of the home button, there’s a little bar at the bottom you swipe up. It took me about three days to adapt.


Edit: FaceID has been solid for me since the X. It used to be a little sensitive to angle, but that’s been sorted. Not counting masks, the failure rate for me on my 12 is less than 1 in 1,000.
( Last edited by subego; Nov 30, 2021 at 07:43 PM. )
     
ghporter  (op)
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Dec 3, 2021, 11:12 AM
 
We got our phones yesterday, and we’re quite happy with them. We got the 13 Mini; very much like the iPhone 5 in size. We’re getting used to swiping up versus hitting the Home button to switch from this to that.

We’re not setting up Face ID, at least not yet. We have some concerns about privacy and security - not through Apple, but with the possibility of some “authority” or other trying to make us unlock the phone. We’ve nothing to hide, but my grocery lists and such are mine, ya know?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Dec 3, 2021, 02:41 PM
 
There’s a trick for that.

If you press the lock button together with either volume button for 5 seconds, it disables FaceID/TouchID until you re-enter your passcode.
     
ghporter  (op)
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Dec 3, 2021, 04:04 PM
 
Ah. Very helpful.

I was going to ask about training it with a “secret expression” the authorities wouldn’t know.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Dec 3, 2021, 04:46 PM
 
There isn’t really a practical way to do that, but the flip-side is you can make totally bizarre expressions and it still realizes it’s you.

I’ve pretty much said “screw it” to the risks because the benefits are so awesome. I let it unlock stuff like 1Password, my iCloud Keychain, and my bank app. It’s an enormous hassle reducer.
     
subego
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Dec 4, 2021, 12:07 AM
 
Oh… If you or the missus use your phone in bed, get a wireless charger. It’s really nice not to have to manage plugging in a lightning connector while lying down.


Edit: actually, I think the 8 has wireless charging, so not a new option.
     
ghporter  (op)
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Dec 4, 2021, 09:45 PM
 
The 8 does have wireless charging, and we’ve taken advantage of it for using a phone as an alarm clock. It appears that Qi chargers are compatible with MagSafe phones, so we’re set there.

I’ve set up FaceID, and it’s clearly faster than keying in a passcode. I dunno if it’s faster than a good TouchID thumbprint, but way faster than entering a long passcode.

Like a lot of things, we’re going to play with these phones and figure out what we like and what we’ll put up with. So far they’re great.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Dec 4, 2021, 10:33 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
I’ve set up FaceID, and it’s clearly faster than keying in a passcode. I dunno if it’s faster than a good TouchID thumbprint, but way faster than entering a long passcode.
When it’s working, TouchID can’t be beat for speed because you can do it while taking the phone out of your pocket. Unfortunately, I have sweaty hands, so TouchID always worked poorly for me.

One benefit in the reduction of speed is it gives you a chance to glance at your notifications. It’s also easier to check the time, since you can see it in large numbers… though my meticulously generated profile on you predicts with high confidence you check the time with a watch.


Edit: it actually took me forever to trust my phone enough to use it as an alarm clock, but now I’m hooked. Especially using “hey, Siri” to diddle with it.

Still haven’t gotten to the point where I take the real alarm clock behind the shed. Soon, though.
( Last edited by subego; Dec 4, 2021 at 11:40 PM. )
     
ghporter  (op)
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Dec 10, 2021, 05:27 PM
 
I do check the time with a watch; lots and lots of experience wearing one for various reasons means that muscle memory usually wins out for that. But it is an Apple Watch, so there’s that…

I’ve found that one key to using a phone as an alarm clock is choice of the alarm’s sound. Like “Scotland the Brave” on bagpipes. That’ll definitely wake you up!

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Dec 10, 2021, 09:31 PM
 
I’ve been forced to wear a watch only a few times, so my natural inclination to hate wearing them has been allowed to assert itself.

Technology has only played into this. Other than what’s built into appliances, and my nervous, 20th century alarm, I don’t have any clocks. I just ask Alexa the time.


My big trust issues with the phone alarm centered more on the battery. It needed to be good enough that I still had like, 50% left after a normal day. Literally zero chance it’ll run out should I forget to plug it in. For me, that didn’t really happen until the X.
     
   
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