Podcast Summary: iOS Today 737: A Tour of the Tips App

Release Date: January 30, 2025
Hosts: Micah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio) – iOS Today
Episode: 737

Introduction

In episode 737 of iOS Today, hosts Micah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard delve into Apple’s often underappreciated Tips App. This episode serves as a comprehensive tour of the app, highlighting its functionalities, updates, and practical uses for both new and seasoned Apple device users.

Overview of the Tips App

Micah Sargent begins by addressing common misconceptions about the Tips App. Initially viewed as a tool for beginners, it has evolved into a robust resource for users at all levels.

Micah Sargent [01:30]: "No, that is not the case, people. The Tips app is a very powerful app that has lots of information in it."

Get Started Section

The Get Started section is the first focus of the discussion. Micah explores the Setup Checklist, which ensures users have configured essential features during their device setup. Topics include:

• Face ID Setup
• Apple Account Sign-In
• iCloud Backup
• Find My iPhone
• Recovery Contact
• Medical ID
• Legacy Contact

This checklist serves as a safety net for users who may have skipped steps during initial setup, providing a straightforward way to verify and complete essential configurations.

Micah Sargent [05:15]: "If during the setup of your phone, you skip any of the steps that are involved in your setup checklist, you may see a notification in the operating system and in the Settings app, but if you don't, this is a great place to go to make sure you have everything set up."

Key Features of the Tips App

Navigate Your iPhone

Rosemary highlights the Navigate Your iPhone section, which consolidates numerous iOS functionalities into an easy-to-understand format with detailed illustrations and animations.

Rosemary Orchard [01:30]: "I always have the tips app on my home screen when I'm recording iOS today because it's in my podcasting focus mode."

Users can learn fundamental gestures, such as:

• Swiping to access the Home screen
• Navigating between apps using gestures
• Accessing Control Center
• Using haptic feedback for key actions

Discover More

This section introduces users to less obvious features and settings, including:

• Photos and Camera: Tips on taking better photos, using Portrait mode, and managing photo libraries.
• Personalizing Your iPhone: Customizing lock screens, adjusting text sizes, and setting personalized sounds and haptics.
• Genius Picks: Expert-curated tips that highlight advanced features like Vehicle Motion Cues, which help reduce motion sickness by synchronizing on-screen movement with physical motion.

Rosemary Orchard [13:06]: "Vehicle motion cues... use your phone's internal sensors to display little dots on your screen that tell your brain that what you're looking at is moving at the same speed and the same direction as the things around you."

Apple Intelligence Integration

Micah discusses the integration of Apple Intelligence within the Tips App, showcasing features like:

• Genmoji: Animated emojis generated based on user behavior.
• Image Playground: Tools for editing and cleaning up photos.
• Writing Tools: Enhancements for summarizing text and transcripts.
• VoiceOver Gestures: Customizing accessibility features for ease of use.

Micah Sargent [15:29]: "It's the condensed format of it, right? We talk about discoverability, what we can access, what we can find."

Widget and User Experience

Rosemary elaborates on the practical aspects of using the Tips App as a widget, emphasizing its role in providing on-the-spot tips and inspiration for content creation.

Rosemary Orchard [19:39]: "I like to just have the widget. You can put it in a stack, you can put it wherever you want if you want to have a widget."

Features include:

• Bookmarking Tips: Easily save and revisit tips for later reference or to share with others.
• Sharing Functionality: Directly send helpful tips to friends or family, enhancing collaborative learning.

Listener Q&A

CarPlay Direction Prompts

Listener Steve questions the persistent direction prompts appearing in CarPlay, seeking a way to disable them.

Steve: "Where in Settings do I stop my iPhone from prompting me with directions home or to work?"

Rosemary provides a detailed solution:

1. Navigate to Settings > Maps
2. Adjust Apple Intelligence and Siri Suggestions:
   • Disable Show Suggestions within the Maps settings.
3. Modify CarPlay Settings:
   • Go to Settings > General > CarPlay
   • Turn off Siri Suggestions for CarPlay.

Rosemary Orchard [24:09]: "You need to turn off Siri suggestions for CarPlay as well to completely hide everything."

Shortcuts Corner

Exporting Apple Health Data

James inquires about exporting detailed Apple Health data beyond the standard PDF export, aiming to integrate it with Notebook LLM for analysis.

James: "How can I export from iOS or the browser my Apple Health data for sleep, HRV, et cetera?"

Rosemary addresses the request while cautioning about privacy concerns:

Rosemary Orchard [31:19]: "Check the privacy policy, make sure it's not going to share that data... health data is some of the most personal data that we have."

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Use Shortcuts App:

   • Access Health App shortcuts.
   • Utilize Find Health Samples to locate specific data types.

2. Configure Data Extraction:

   • Select data type (e.g., steps, sleep).
   • Set date ranges and groupings (daily, weekly).

3. Format Data for Export:

   • Create a CSV File with relevant fields (e.g., date, value, type, source).
   • Ensure standardized date formats like ISO 8601 for compatibility.

4. Share or Save the CSV:

   • Export the file via Share Sheet for use in applications like Google Sheets or Notebook LLM.

Micah Sargent [40:52]: "You can import from Google Sheets, which can then be linked to the Notebook LLM to do that analysis."

Rosemary emphasizes the importance of safeguarding health data when exporting and using third-party applications.

Conclusion

Micah wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to explore the Tips App to discover hidden features and enhance their Apple device experience. Additionally, he invites listeners to subscribe to Club Twit for exclusive content and benefits.

Micah Sargent [40:52]: "The Tips app, again, very powerful, very cool tool that will help you... Make the most of your devices."

Key Takeaways

• The Tips App is an invaluable resource for maximizing the functionality of Apple devices, offering everything from setup assistance to advanced feature tutorials.
• Integration with Apple Intelligence brings sophisticated tools and personalized tips directly to users, enhancing both usability and accessibility.
• Widgets and bookmarking within the Tips App foster continuous learning and easy access to relevant information.
• Listener interactions highlight the practical applications of the Tips App and the importance of understanding settings to customize the user experience.
• Exporting health data requires careful consideration of privacy implications, emphasizing the need for secure handling of personal information.

Listeners are encouraged to fully leverage the Tips App to unlock the full potential of their Apple ecosystem, ensuring a more efficient and personalized user experience.

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