10 iPhone X hints for business users

Apple's new flagship smartphone is extraordinarily powerful (nothing at CES comes close). These tips will help enterprise users get the most out of it.

Apple, iPhone, iOS, iOS 11, iPhone X, enterprise, tips
Apple

You've learned all the new gestures, you've kicked Face ID around and you already use a VPN and alphanumeric passcode. You use your iPhone X to get things done, so how can you get things done faster?

Open up

Enterprise users opening their iPhone gazillion times per day may get tired of raising the device and then swiping up after the Face ID padlock opens. If that's you, then try this:

Raise the iPhone ...

… and swipe up immediately.

This usually works, saving you seconds in which you can dream of your next London business trip or beautiful African vacation.

Thumbs up

Thanks to Reachability you can do a lot with your iPhone X. You enable the feature in Settings>Accessibility where you toggle Reachability to on (green). When you switch this on you can cause the top of the screen to lower itself to the bottom of the screen just by swiping down the Home indicator.

That's great, it makes your iPhone easier to control with a one hand — but there's one more thing: Once you are in Reachability mode, you can access Control Center by swiping up from the lower right of the display, making it easier to use your smartphone while rushing to your next meeting clutching your briefcase.

Installing enterprise apps

Apple has made it much easier to use your choice of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution to manage the device and install and distribute proprietary enterprise apps across the organization.

Members of the Apple Developer Enterprise Program can also distribute apps internally, though when you receive one, you may see a warning that the app comes from an "untrusted enterprise developer." Here's what to do next:

  • Tap Settings>General>Profiles or Profiles & Device Management. Under the Enterprise App heading, you see a profile for the developer.
  • Tap that name and tap the 'Trust (name of developer)' in the next pane. You'll be prompted to confirm the instruction.
  • In the future, you'll be able to install apps signed by that developer hassle free. More on this here.

The fastest way to switch between apps

Enterprise users live in a multi-app world. The fastest way to switch between apps on iPhone X is to use the gesture of swipe right in the indicator area at the bottom of the display. Keep swiping right to go to switch between apps. Or swipe up from the centre at the bottom of the display and over to the right in a semi-circular and continuous motion to get straight into the App Switcher.

Stay safe

Security is important. Enterprise users will already be using a Mobile Device Management system that enables some control of the data on the phone. Some may even be using sophisticated mobile threat detection systems to stay ahead of cyber attacks. But security is also about being able to react to threats fast. That's why an enterprise user with tons of confidential data held on the device needs to know how to disable FaceID in an instant, such as when they think nosey parkers may demand access to the device. Here's what to do:

  • Quickly press the Side Button five times.

Now you will need to enter your alphanumeric passcode to unlock the device.

Creating and populating folders

This isn't specifically an iPhone X tip, but it's valuable to any enterprise user seeking a good way to keep apps in logical places. Most users know to tap and hold an app icon until all the icons jiggle and an X appears on them, then you are able to place one icon above another to create a Folder. This is sometimes quite fiddly, so try this: Tap the icon of the app you want to move with one finger and then tap the destination folder with another to open it — move that first digit, and you'll find you can place the app quickly in its destination. Simple.

That message thing

It's amazing how many people forget that when you receive a call you can't take, if you tap Message on the incoming call screen, you can choose a text message to send to the caller explaining why you can't pick up. (More great iOS 11 features here.)

[ Enterprise user with an Apple Watch? Try these tips. ]

One more iOS thing: If you're running late and want to let someone know where you are, just tap Messages, open an ongoing conversation you have with that person, tap the I at the top right (you can do all of this with one hand and Reachability) and choose Send My Location — and they'll see where you are.

Location warning

Most enterprise users will want to review which apps and System features monitor location data. Open Settings>Privacy>Location Services, scroll down the page, and at the bottom of the list of apps (which you should review) you'll find the "System Services" item. Tap this, and you can review all the location data the system gathers about you, including the Significant Locations item, which collects huge amounts of data on where you most often happen to be.

Extra battery life

You'll probably never need to do this, but if you need even more battery life than you'll find in Low Power Mode, try these two tips:

Open Settings>General>Accessibility>Display Accommodations.

Tip #1: Invert Colors>enable Smart Invert, it's like a dark mode.

Tip #2: Color Filters>Toggle to on and choose Grayscale.

You'll make it to the next power supply with these.

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Jonny is a freelance writer who has been writing (mainly about Apple and technology) since 1999.

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