My iPhone for Seniors, Second Edition (2016)
2. Connecting Your iPhone to the Internet, Bluetooth Devices, and iPhones/iPods/iPads
In this chapter, you explore how to connect your iPhone to the Internet; Bluetooth devices; and other iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads. Topics include the following:
Getting started
Securing your iPhone
Using Wi-Fi networks to connect to the Internet
Using cellular data networks to connect to the Internet
Using Bluetooth to connect to other devices
Connecting your iPhone to other iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads
Using AirDrop to share content with Macs, other iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads
Your iPhone has many functions that rely on an Internet connection. Fortunately, you can easily connect your iPhone to the Internet by connecting it to a Wi-Fi network that provides Internet access. You can connect your phone to the Internet even more easily through a cellular data network operated by your cell phone provider because that happens automatically.
Using Bluetooth, you can wirelessly connect your iPhone to other devices, including keyboards, headsets, headphones, and so on.
There are a number of ways to connect your iPhone to other iPhones, iPod touches, iPads, and Macintosh computers. This is useful to use collaborative apps, play games, and share information. For example, using AirDrop, you can quickly and easily share photos and other content with other people using iOS devices or a Mac computer.
Getting Started
The bad news is that there are lots of complex-sounding terms that you hear and see when you are connecting your iPhone to the Internet and other devices. The good news is that you don’t need to understand these terms in-depth to be able to connect your iPhone to the Internet and other devices because the iPhone manages the complexity for you. You just need to make a few simple settings, and you’ll be connected in no time. Here’s a quick guide to the most important concepts you encounter in this chapter:
• Wi-Fi—This acronym stands for Wireless Fidelity and encompasses a whole slew of technical specifications around connecting devices together without using cables or wires. Wi-Fi networks have a relatively short range and are used to create a Local Area Network (LAN). The most important thing to know is that you can use Wi-Fi networks to connect your iPhone to the Internet. This is great because Wi-Fi networks are available in many places you go. You probably have a Wi-Fi network available in your home, too. (If you connect your computers to the Internet without a cable from your computer to a modem or network hub, you are using a Wi-Fi network.) You can connect your iPhone to your home’s Wi-Fi network, too.
• Cellular data network—In addition to your voice, your iPhone can transmit and receive data over the cellular network to which it is connected. This enables you to connect your iPhone to the Internet just about anywhere you are. You use the cellular network provided by your cell phone company. There are many different cell phone providers that support iPhones. In the United States, these include AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. You don’t need to configure your iPhone to use the cellular data network, as it is set up from the start to do so.
• 3G/4G/LTE—The speed of the connection you have when using a cellular data network varies, which means the things you do on the Internet (such as browsing a web page) will be faster or slower depending on the current connection speed. These terms (this is not an exhaustive list; you may see these networks called by other names) refer to various types of cellular data networks you can use with your iPhone. Each type has a different speed. LTE networks are currently the fastest type. You usually don’t choose which type of network you use because the iPhone connects to the fastest one available automatically.
• Data Plan—When you use your iPhone on the Internet (for web browsing, email, and apps), data is transmitted to your iPhone and the iPhone transmits data back to the Internet. Your cellular account includes a data plan that defines how much data you can send/receive during a specific time period (usually per month) based on how much you pay per month. It’s important to know the size of your data plan so that you can be aware of how much of it you are using per month.
• Overage charge—If you use more data than is allowed under your data plan, you can be charged a fee. These fees can be quite expensive so you need to be aware of how much data you are using so that you can avoid overage charges.
• Roaming charge—Your cellular provider’s network covers a defined geographic area. When you leave your provider’s network coverage area, your iPhone automatically connects to another provider’s network when one is available. When your iPhone is connected to a different provider’s network, this is called roaming. You need to be aware when you are roaming because you can incur additional fees while using the roaming network.
• Bluetooth—This is the name of a technology that is used to wirelessly connect devices together. It is widely used for many different kinds of devices. Your iPhone can use Bluetooth to connect to speakers, the audio system in your car, keyboards, and headphones.
• AirDrop—This is Apple’s technology for connecting iPhones, iPads, iPod touches, and Macintosh computers together to share information. AirDrop is a short-range technology—typically, the devices need to be in the same room or area for it to work. For example, you can use AirDrop to send photos from your iPhone to someone’s iPad. The nice thing about AirDrop is that it requires very little setup and is quite easy to use, as you will see in this chapter.
Securing Your iPhone
Even though you won’t often be connecting a cable to it, an iPhone is a connected device, meaning that it sends information to and receives information from other devices, either directly or via the Internet, during many different activities. Some are obvious, such as sending text messages or browsing the Web, while others might not be so easy to spot, such as when an app is determining your iPhone’s location. Whenever data is exchanged between your iPhone and other devices, there is always a chance your information will get intercepted by someone you didn’t intend or that someone will access your iPhone without you knowing about it.
The good news is that with some simple precautions, the chances of someone obtaining your information or infiltrating your iPhone are quite small (much less than the chance of someone obtaining your credit card number when you use it in public places, for example). Following are some good ways to protect the information you are using on your iPhone:
• Configure a passcode and fingerprint (if your iPhone supports Touch ID, which is Apple’s fingerprint recognition technology) on your iPhone so that the passcode must be entered, or your fingerprint scanned, to be able to use it. Configuring a passcode is explained in Chapter 4, “Configuring an iPhone to Suit Your Preferences.”
• Never let someone you don’t know or trust use your iPhone, even if he needs it “just for a second to look something up.” If you get a request like that, look up the information for the person and show him rather than letting him touch your iPhone.
• Learn how to use the Find My iPhone feature in case you lose or someone steals your iPhone. This is explained in Chapter 16, “Maintaining and Protecting Your iPhone and Solving Problems,” which you’ll find on this book’s website (see the back cover for the information you need to access it).
• Never respond to an email that you aren’t expecting requesting that you click a link to verify your account. If you haven’t requested some kind of change, such as signing up for a new service, virtually all such requests are scams, seeking to get your account information, such as username and password, or your identification, such as full name and Social Security number. And many of these scam attempts look like email from actual organizations; for example, I receive many of these emails that claim, and sometimes even look like, they are from Apple, but Apple doesn’t request updates to account information using a link in an email unless you have made some kind of change, such as registering a new email address for iMessages. Legitimate organizations never include links in an email to update account information when you haven’t requested or made any changes. Requests from legitimate organizations will provide instructions for you to visit a website to provide needed information.
• To reinforce this concept, there are two types of requests for verification you might receive via email. The legitimate type is sent to you after you sign up for a new service, such as creating a new account on a website, to confirm that the email address you provided is correct and that you are really you. If you make changes to an existing account, you might also receive confirmation request emails. You should respond to these requests to finish the configuration of your account.
If you receive a request for account verification, but you haven’t done anything with the organization from which you received the request, don’t respond to it. For example, if you receive a request that appears to be from Apple, PayPal, or other organizations, but you haven’t made any changes to your account, the email request is bogus and is an attempt to scam you. Likewise, if you have never done anything with the organization apparently sending the email, it is also definitely an attempt to scam you.
If you have any doubt, contact the organization sending the request before responding to the email.
• If you need to change or update account information, always go directly to the related website using an address that you type in or have saved as a bookmark.
• Be aware that when you use a Wi-Fi network in a public place, such as a coffee shop, hotel, or airport, there is a chance that the information you send over that network might be intercepted by others. The risk of this is usually quite small, but you need to be aware that there is always some level of risk. To have the lowest risk, don’t use apps that involve sensitive information, such as an online banking app, when you are using a Wi-Fi network in a public place.
• If you don’t know how to do it, have someone who really knows what they are doing set up a wireless network in your home. Wireless networks need to be configured properly, so they are secure. Your home’s Wi-Fi network should require a password to join. (Fortunately, as you learn shortly, your iPhone remembers your password, so you only have to enter it once.)
• For the least risk, only use your home’s Wi-Fi network (that has been configured properly) or your cellular data connection (you can turn Wi-Fi off when you aren’t home) for sensitive transactions, such as accessing bank accounts or other financial information.
• Never accept a request to share information from someone you don’t know. Later in this chapter, you learn about AirDrop, which enables you to easily share photos and lots of other things with other people using iOS devices. If you receive an AirDrop request from someone you don’t recognize, always decline it. In fact, if you have any doubt, decline such requests. It’s much easier for someone legitimate to confirm with you and resend a request than it is for you to recover from damage that can be done if you inadvertently accept a request from someone you don’t know.
• Only download apps through Apple’s App Store through the App Store app on your iPhone. Fortunately, the way the iPhone is set up, you have to do something very unusual to install apps outside of the App Store. As long as you download apps only as described in this book, you are free of apps that can harm your information because Apple has strict controls over the apps that make it into the App Store. (Downloading apps is explained in Chapter 6, “Downloading Apps, Music, Movies, TV Shows, and More onto Your iPhone.”)
Reality Check
Internet security is a complex topic, and it can be troublesome to think about. It’s best to keep in mind the relative level of risk when you use your iPhone compared to other risks in the physical world that most of us don’t think twice about. For example, every time you hand your credit card to someone, there is a chance that that person will record the number and use it without your knowledge or permission. Even when you swipe a credit card in a reader, such as at a gas station, that information is communicated across multiple networks and can be intercepted. (For example, there have been numerous compromises of credit card information at a number of well-known retailers.) If you take basic precautions like those described here, the risks to you when you are using your iPhone are similar to the other risks we all face in everyday life. My recommendation is to take the basic precautions, and then don’t worry about it overly much. It might be a good idea to have identity theft insurance (try to find a company that assigns someone to do the work of recovering for you should your identity be stolen).
Using Wi-Fi Networks to Connect to the Internet
Much of the iPhone’s amazing functionality relies on an Internet connection. Fortunately, you can easily connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi networks to get to the Internet, and Wi-Fi networks are available just about everywhere these days.
Almost all Wi-Fi networks broadcast their information so that you can easily see them with your iPhone; these are called open networks because anyone who is in range can attempt to join one since they appear on Wi-Fi devices automatically. The Wi-Fi networks you can access in public places (such as airports and hotels) are all open, and you can see them on your iPhone. Likewise, any Wi-Fi networks in your home or office are very likely to be open as well. Connecting to an open network typically requires selecting the network you want to join, based on its name, and then entering its password (if required).
By default, when you access one of your iPhone’s Internet functions, such as Safari, your iPhone automatically searches for Wi-Fi networks to join, if you aren’t already connected to one. A box appears showing all the networks available. You can select and join one of these networks. You learn how to do this in the following steps.
Connecting to Open Wi-Fi Networks
To connect to a Wi-Fi network, perform the following steps:
On the Home screen, tap Settings. Next to Wi-Fi, you see the status of your Wi-Fi connection. It is Off if Wi-Fi is turned off, Not Connected if Wi-Fi is turned on and your phone isn’t currently connected to Wi-Fi, or the name of the Wi-Fi network to which your iPhone is connected.
Tap Wi-Fi.
If Wi-Fi isn’t enabled already, slide the Wi-Fi switch to on (green) to allow your iPhone to start searching for available networks. When Wi-Fi is turned on, a list of available networks is displayed in the CHOOSE A NETWORK section (it can take a moment or two for your iPhone to list all the networks in the area). Along with each network’s name, icons indicating whether it requires a password (the padlock icon) to join and the current signal strength (the radio signal icon) are displayed.
Tap the network you want to join. If a network requires a password, you must know what that password is to be able to join it. Another consideration should be signal strength; the more waves in the network’s signal strength icon, the stronger the connection will be.
At the prompt, enter the password for the network. If you aren’t prompted for a password, you selected a network that doesn’t require one and you can skip to step 7. You’re likely to find networks that don’t require a password in public places (hotels, airports, and so on); see the next section for information on using these types of networks.
Tap Join. If you provided the correct password, your iPhone connects to the network and gets the information it needs to connect to the Internet. If not, you’re prompted to enter the password again. After you successfully connect to the network, you return to the Wi-Fi screen.
Typing Passwords
As you type a password, each character is hidden by dots in the Password field except for the last character you entered, which is displayed on the screen for a few moments. This is helpful because you see each character as you type it, so you always see the most recent character you entered, which can prevent you from getting all the way to the end of a long password only to discover you’ve made a mistake along the way and have to start all over again.
Review the network information. The network to which you are connected appears just below the Wi-Fi switch and is marked with a check mark. You also see the signal strength for that network. (This indication is typically more accurate than the one you see before you are connected.) Assuming the Wi-Fi network is providing Internet access, you’re able to use apps that require the Internet to work.
Changing Networks
You can use these same steps to change the Wi-Fi network you are using at any time. For example, if you have to pay to use one network while a different one is free, simply choose the free network in step 4.
Try to move to a web page, such as www.weather.com, to test your Wi-Fi connection. (See Chapter 13, “Surfing the Web,” for details on using the web browser.) If the web page opens, you are ready to use the Internet on your phone. If you are taken to a login web page for a Wi-Fi provider, rather than the page you were trying to access, see the next task. If you see a message saying the Internet is not available, there is a problem with the network you joined. Go back to step 4 to select a different network.
Be Known
After your iPhone connects to a Wi-Fi network successfully, it becomes a known network. This means that your iPhone remembers its information so you don’t have to enter it again. Your iPhone automatically connects to known networks when it needs to access the Internet.
>>>Go Further: Personal Hotspots
In the PERSONAL HOTSPOTS section, you might see networks being provided by individual devices such as iPhones and iPads. These devices can share their cellular Internet connection with other devices. The icons for these networks are a bit different; along with the name of the network, you see its type of connection (such as LTE), the charge state of the device providing the network, and two connected loops that indicate the network is from a hotspot. You can select and use these networks just like the other types of networks being described in this chapter. Select the hotspot you want to use, and enter the correct password to join it. Once you’ve joined a hotspot’s network, you can access the Internet. The speed of your access is determined mostly by the speed of the device’s cellular data connection.
Connecting to Public Wi-Fi Networks
Many Wi-Fi networks in public places, such as hotels or airports, require that you pay a fee or provide other information to access the Internet through that network; even if access is free, you usually have to accept the terms and conditions for the network to be able to use it.
When you connect to one of these public networks, you’re prompted to provide whatever information is required. This can involve different details for different networks, but the general steps are the same. You’re prompted to provide whatever information is required. Then, follow the instructions that appear.
Following are the general steps to connect to many types of public Wi-Fi networks:
Use the steps in the previous task to move to and tap the public network you want to join. The iPhone connects to the network, and you see the Log In screen for that network.
If prompted to do so, provide the information required to join the network, such as a name and room number. If a fee is required, you’ll have to provide payment information. In almost all cases, you at least have to indicate that you accept the terms and conditions for using the network, which you typically do by checking a check box.
Tap the button to join the network. This button can have different labels depending on the type of access, such as Authenticate, Done, Free Access, Login, and so on.
No Prompt?
Not all public networks prompt you to log in as these steps explain. Sometimes, you use the network’s website to log in instead. After you join the network (step 1), your iPhone is connected to the network without any prompts. When you try to move to a web page as explained in step 4, you’re prompted to log in to or create an account with the network’s provider on the web page that appears.
Try to move to a web page, such as www.wikipedia.org, to test your Wi-Fi connection. (See Chapter 13 for details.) If the web page opens, you are ready to use the Internet on your phone. If you are taken to a login web page for the Wi-Fi network’s provider, you need to provide the required information to be able to use the Internet.
A Closed Network
Some Wi-Fi networks are closed, which means they don’t broadcast their names. This means that you don’t see closed networks listed in the CHOOSE A NETWORK on the Wi-Fi screen. To be able to access a closed network, you need to know its name, its password, and the type of security it uses. With this information in hand, tap Other in the CHOOSE A NETWORK section. Type the network’s name. Tap Security, choose the appropriate type, and tap Back. Enter the required password and tap Join.
Cell Phone Provider Wi-Fi Networks
Many cell phone providers also provide other services, particularly public Wi-Fi networks. In some cases, you can access that provider’s Internet service through a Wi-Fi network that it provides; often, you can do this at no additional charge. So, you can take advantage of the speed a Wi-Fi connection provides without paying more for it. Check your provider’s website to find out whether it offers this service and where you can access it.
Using Cellular Data Networks to Connect to the Internet
The provider for your iPhone also provides a cellular data connection your iPhone uses to connect to the Internet automatically when a Wi-Fi connection isn’t available. (Your iPhone tries to connect to an available Wi-Fi network before connecting to a cellular data connection because Wi-Fi is typically less expensive and faster to use.) These networks cover large geographic areas and the connection to them is automatic. Access to these networks is part of your monthly account fee; you choose from among various amounts of data per month at different monthly charges.
Most providers have multiple cellular data networks, such as a low-speed network that is available widely and one or more higher-speed networks that have a more limited coverage area.
The speed and name of the cellular data networks you can use are determined based on your provider, your data plan, the model of iPhone you are using, and your location within your provider’s networks or the roaming networks available when you are outside of your provider’s coverage area. The iPhone automatically uses the fastest connection available to it at any given time (assuming you haven’t disabled that option, as explained later).
Whenever you are connected to a cellular data network, you can access the Internet for web browsing, email, etc.
One thing you do need to keep in mind when using a cellular network is that your account might include a limited amount of data per month. When your data use exceeds this limit, you might be charged overage fees, which can be very expensive. Most providers send you warning texts or emails as your data use approaches your plan’s limit, at which point you need to be careful about what you do while using the cellular data network to avoid an overage fee. Some tasks, such as watching YouTube videos or downloading large movie files, can chew up a lot of data and should be saved for when you are on a Wi-Fi network to avoid running out of data. Others, such as using email, typically don’t use very much data.
An App for That
Various apps are available in the App Store that you can install on your iPhone that monitor how much data you are using. These apps are a good way to know where your data use is relative to your plan’s monthly allowance so that you can avoid an overage situation. To get information on finding, downloading, and installing apps, see Chapter 6. (To find an app for this purpose, search for “data monitoring app.”)
When you are outside of your primary provider’s coverage area, a different provider might provide cellular phone or data access, or both. The iPhone automatically selects a roaming provider. Roaming charges can be associated with calls or data use. These charges are often very expensive. The roaming charges associated with phone calls are easier to manage, since it’s more obvious when you make or receive a phone call in a roaming area. However, data roaming charges are much more insidious, especially if Push functionality (where emails are pushed to your iPhone from the server automatically) is active. And when you use some applications, such as Maps to navigate, you don’t really know how much data is involved. Because data roaming charges are harder to notice, the iPhone is configured by default to prevent data roaming. When data roaming is disabled, the iPhone is unable to access the Internet when you are outside of your cellular network, unless you connect to a Wi-Fi network. (You can still use the cellular roaming network for telephone calls.)
You can configure some aspects of how your cellular network is used, as this task demonstrates. You can also allow individual apps to use, or prevent them from using, your cellular data network. This is important when your data plan has a monthly limit. In most cases, the first time you launch an app, you’re prompted to allow or prevent it from using cellular data. At any time, you can use the Cellular Data options in the Settings app to enable or disable an app’s access to your cellular data network.
To configure how your iPhone uses its cellular network for data, perform the following steps:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Cellular.
To disable all cellular data connections, set the Cellular Data switch to off (white) and skip the rest of these steps. The iPhone is no longer able to connect to any cellular data networks. To use the Internet when the Cellular Data switch is off, you have to connect to a Wi-Fi network that provides Internet access.
To disable the high-speed network, set the Enable high-speed network, where high-speed network is the network name (such as LTE) switch to off (white). The iPhone is no longer able to use the higher-speed network, but can access other, slower cellular data networks.
Monitoring Data Use
In the CELLULAR DATA USAGE section toward the bottom of the Cellular screen, you see how much data you’ve used for the current period and how much you’ve used while roaming. This can help you see where your use is compared to your monthly plan allowance, so you know whether you are getting close to exceeding that allowance (thus incurring overage charges).
Provider Differences
The configuration of roaming depends on the provider your iPhone is connected to. Steps 4 through 9 show the details for Sprint in the United States. Other providers have different options. You can configure cellular data use by apps for all providers as shown, starting with step 10.
To configure roaming, tap Roaming.
To prevent voice calls when you are roaming, set the Voice Roaming switch to off (white). (Not all providers allow for preventing voice roaming, so you might not see this option.) When you are outside of your provider’s network, you won’t be able to make or receive voice calls. When you disable Voice Roaming, Data Roaming is disabled automatically so you can skip to step 9.
If you want to allow data roaming, slide the Data Roaming switch to the on (green) position. When you move outside your primary network, data comes to your iPhone via an available roaming cellular data network. You should disable it again by sliding the Data Roaming switch to off (white) as soon as you’re done with a specific task to limit roaming charges.
Use the other options you see to complete the Roaming configuration. For example, if your phone uses a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network, you can disable International CDMA to try to improve your phone’s performance.
Tap Cellular.
Swipe up the screen until you see the USE CELLULAR DATA FOR: section. This section enables you to allow or prevent individual apps from accessing a cellular data network. To limit the amount of data you use, it’s a good idea to review this list and allow only those apps that you rely on to use the cellular data network. (Of course, if you are fortunate enough to have an unlimited data plan, you can leave all the apps enabled.)
Monitoring an App’s Data Use
Just under each app’s name, you see a number that shows you how much data the app has used since the counter was last reset. The magnitude of this number can help you determine how much data a particular app is using. For example, if an app’s use is shown in Mega Bytes (MB), it’s used a lot more data than an app whose use is shown in Kilo Bytes (KB). This information can help you identify apps that might be causing you to exceed your data plan’s monthly limit.
Set an app’s switch to on (green) if you want it to be able to use a cellular data network.
Set an app’s switch to off (white) if you want it to be able to access the Internet only when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Tap Settings when you’re done configuring your cellular network use.
Using Bluetooth to Connect to Other Devices
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communication technology that enables mobile and other devices to communicate with each other. Bluetooth is widely used on computers, mobile phones, tablets, and even home electronics, such as televisions. The iPhone includes built-in Bluetooth support so you can use this wireless technology to connect to other Bluetooth-capable devices. The most likely devices to connect to an iPhone in this way are Bluetooth headphones or headsets or car audio/entertainment/information systems, but you can also use Bluetooth to connect to other kinds of devices, most notably keyboards, computers, iPod touches, iPads, and other iPhones.
To connect Bluetooth devices together, you pair them. In Bluetooth, pairing enables two Bluetooth devices to communicate with each other. For devices to find and identify each other so they can communicate, one or both must be discoverable, which means they broadcast a Bluetooth signal other devices can detect and connect to.
There is also a “sometimes” requirement, which is a pairing code, passkey, or PIN. All those terms refer to the same thing, which is a series of numbers, letters, or both, entered on one or both devices being paired. Sometimes you enter this code on both devices, whereas for other devices you enter the first device’s code on the second device. Some devices don’t require a pairing code at all.
When you have to pair devices, you’re prompted to do so, and you have to complete the actions required by the prompts to communicate via Bluetooth. This might be just tapping Connect, or you might have to enter a passcode on one or both devices.
Also, because Bluetooth works over a relatively short range, the devices have to be in the same proximity, such as in the same room.
Connecting to Bluetooth Devices
This task demonstrates pairing an iPhone with a Bluetooth keyboard; you can pair it with other devices similarly.
Move to the Settings screen. The current status of Bluetooth on your iPhone is shown.
Tap Bluetooth.
If Bluetooth isn’t on (green), tap the Bluetooth switch to turn it on. If it isn’t running already, Bluetooth starts up. The iPhone immediately begins searching for Bluetooth devices. You also see the status Now Discoverable, which means other Bluetooth devices can discover the iPhone. In the OTHER DEVICES section, you see the devices that are discoverable to your iPhone but that are not paired with it.
If the device you want to use isn’t shown in the OTHER DEVICES section, put it into Discoverable mode. (Not shown, see the instructions provided with the device.) When it is discoverable, it appears in the OTHER DEVICES section.
Tap the device to which you want to connect. If a passkey is required, you see a prompt to enter it on the device with which you are pairing.
If it is required, the code is displayed on your iPhone. You input the pairing code, passkey, or PIN on the device, such as typing the passkey on a keyboard if you are pairing your iPhone with a Bluetooth keyboard.
If required, tap Connect (not shown in the figures)—some devices connect as soon as you enter the passkey and you won’t need to do this. If a passkey isn’t required, such as with a Bluetooth speaker, you tap Connect without entering a passkey. You see the device to which the iPhone is connected in the MY DEVICES section of the Bluetooth screen, and its status is Connected, indicating that your iPhone can communicate with and use the device.
>>>Go Further: Managing Bluetooth
Following are a few pointers for using Bluetooth with other devices:
• Like other connections you make, the iPhone remembers Bluetooth devices to which you’ve connected before and reconnects to them automatically, which is convenient—most of the time anyway. If you don’t want your iPhone to keep connecting to a device, move to the Bluetooth screen and tap the device’s Info (i) button. If you just want to stop using the device, but keep the pairing in place, tap Disconnect. Tap the Forget this Device button, and then tap Forget Device to completely remove the pairing. Of course, you can always pair the devices again at any time.
• A device that is already paired can still have the Not Connected status. You need to connect it to use it. Move to the Bluetooth screen and tap the device to connect it to your iPhone. Once its status becomes Connected, your iPhone can communicate with the device again.
• You can use multiple Bluetooth devices with your iPhone at the same time. For example, you might want to be connected to a Bluetooth speaker and a keyboard at the same time.
Connecting Your iPhone to Other iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads
The iPhone (and other devices that run the iOS software, including Apple Watch, iPod touch, and iPad) supports peer-to-peer connectivity, which is the technical way of saying that these devices can communicate with one another directly via a Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth. This capability is used in a number of apps, especially multiplayer gaming, for information sharing, and for other collaborative purposes.
If the app you want to use communicates over a Wi-Fi network, all the devices with which you want to communicate must be on that same network. If the application uses Bluetooth, you must enable Bluetooth on each device and pair them (as described in the previous task) so they can communicate with one another.
The specific steps you use to connect to other iOS devices using a collaborative app depend on the specific app you are using. The general steps are typically as follows:
Ensure the devices can communicate with each other. If the app uses Wi-Fi, each device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (see “Using Wi-Fi Networks to Connect to the Internet” earlier in this chapter). If the app uses Bluetooth, the devices must be paired.
Each person opens the app on his device.
Use the app’s controls to select the devices with which you’ll be collaborating. Usually, this involves a confirmation process in which one person selects another person’s device and that person confirms that the connection should be allowed.
Use the app’s features to collaborate. For example, if the app is a game, each person can interact with the group members. Or, you can directly collaborate on a document with all parties providing input into the document.
iPhone and Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is designed to be a perfect partner device for your iPhone and can work with it in many ways. For detailed information about the Apple Watch, see the book My Apple Watch, 2nd edition (Que Publishing, ISBN: 9780789756626).
Using AirDrop to Share Content with Other iPhones, iPod touches, iPads, or a Mac
You can use the iOS AirDrop feature to share content directly with people using a Mac running OS X Yosemite or later, or using a device running iOS 7 or later. For example, if you capture a great photo on your iPhone, you can use AirDrop to instantly share that photo with iOS devices and Mac users near you.
AirDrop can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to share, but the nice thing about AirDrop is that it manages the details for you. You simply open the Share menu—which is available in most apps—and in the AirDrop section of the menu tap the people with whom you want to share.
When you activate AirDrop, you can select Everyone, which means you will see anyone who has AirDrop enabled on a Mac running OS X Yosemite or later, or an iOS device running version iOS 7 or later. They also need to be on the same Wi-Fi network with you (or have a paired Bluetooth device). Or, you can select Contacts Only, which means only people who are in your Contacts app are able to use AirDrop to communicate with you. In most cases, you should choose the Contacts Only option so you have more control over who uses AirDrop with you.
When enabled, you can use AirDrop by opening the Share menu while using an app. Then, tap the people with whom you want to share content.
Is AirDrop Safe?
Anything you share with AirDrop is encrypted, so the chances of someone else being able to intercept and use what you share are quite low. Likewise, you don’t have to worry about someone using AirDrop to access your information or to add information to your device without your permission. However, like any networking technology, there’s always some chance—quite small in this case—that someone will figure out how to use this technology for nefarious purposes. The best thing you can do is ensure that any requests you receive to share information are from people you know and trust before you accept them.
Enabling AirDrop
To use AirDrop, you must enable it on your iPhone.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center.
If AirDrop is not active—indicated by the text “AirDrop” being in black—tap AirDrop. If it is active, the “AirDrop” text is in white and you see its status (Everyone or Contacts Only); if it is already active, skip the next two steps.
Tap Contacts Only to allow only people in your Contacts app to communicate with you via AirDrop, or tap Everyone to allow anyone using a device running iOS 7 or later or a Mac running OS X Yosemite or later in your area to do so.
Swipe down from the top of the Control Center to close it. You’re ready to use AirDrop to share content such as photos and documents.
Share and Share Alike?
You should disable AirDrop when you aren’t using it, especially if you use the Everyone option. By disabling it, you avoid having people in your area be able to try to communicate with you without you wanting them to do so. Generally, you should enable AirDrop only when you are actively using it and disable it when you aren’t. To disable AirDrop, open the Control Center, tap AirDrop, and then tap Off.
Using AirDrop to Share Your Content
To use AirDrop to share your content, do the following:
Open the content you want to share. This example shows sharing a photo using the Photos app. The steps to share content from any other app are quite similar.
Tap the Share button.
You see icons for each person in your area who has AirDrop enabled that you have permission to access (such as being in her Contacts app if she is using the Contacts Only option).
Swipe to the left or right to browse all the people with whom you can share.
Tap the people with whom you want to share the content. A sharing request is sent to those peoples’ devices. Under their icons, the Waiting status is displayed. When a recipient accepts your content, the status changes to Sent. If a recipient rejects your content, the status changes to Declined.
If the app supports it, browse and select more content to share.
Tap the people with whom you want to share the content.
When you’re done sharing, tap Done.
Using AirDrop to Work with Content Shared with You
When someone wants to share content with you, you receive an AirDrop sharing request; if you have previously accepted content from that person, you might not receive a sharing request because it is accepted by default. Respond to sharing requests by doing the following:
Make sure you know the person attempting to share with you.
Make sure the content being shared with you is something you want. In this case, a photo is being shared.
To accept the content on your iPhone, tap Accept. To reject it, tap Decline.
After you accept content, swipe up and down the screen to see the detail of what you are accepting, or use the app’s controls to edit it.
Use the app’s controls to work with the shared content. For example, the Photos app provides tools to edit and share photos that are shared with you. In some cases, such as saving a contact shared with you, you need to tap Save to save the content on your iPhone or Cancel to not save it. (Other apps provide different controls depending on the type of content and the app it opens in.)
