And with every new iOS update comes more functionality. You might not even recognize the phone you bought — but in a good way.
1. Set a sleep timer for your music.
If you like to drift off to peaceful slumber to serene, relaxing music, but you don't want it to keep playing long after you're asleep, you can set a timer through the Clock app.
2. Create your own custom vibration pattern.
You can tap out your own vibration pattern to customize it for certain contacts or for types of notifications. Just go to Settings>Sounds>Ringtones>Vibration>Create New Vibration and use your finger to tap out the pattern.
3. Flashing alerts.
If you're in a crowded restaurant and waiting on an important call, you could easily miss your ringtone or vibration. Take it up a notch by enabling the camera's LED for notifications through Settings>General>Accessibility.
4. Make your phone run faster by clearing the cache.
If clearing the RAM didn't help much, try clearing the cache. In any of the App Store, Podcasts, Music, Game Center, and Phone apps, tap any single icon along the bottom 10 times to clear the cache.
5. Check timestamps for text messages.
Isn't it annoying how your conversations seem to float free in time, without any relation to reality? Well, the time stamps for messages are actually there; they're just off the screen. Drag your thumb to the left to reveal the time stamps of each message.
6. See all the tabs you recently closed in Safari.
If you want to go back and reread or forward an article you closed recently, just hold down the "+" symbol at the bottom of the screen to have Safari open up a list.
7. Turn your iPhone into a level.
You don't need to download a third-party app, just launch the Compass app and swipe left.
8. Provide critical medical information in case of emergency.
You always knew your phone was a lifesaver, but now it literally could be. You don't necessarily want to rely on your phone to cough up important information when your life is on the line, but it's another helpful tool. Fill out the form under the Health app with as little or as much detail as you like; remember, this information is available without unlocking your phone, so only put in info that you're comfortable sharing.
9. See only unread emails in your inbox.
Because a cluttered inbox is the worst, open the Mail app and tap the Mailboxes link, then tap "Edit." Tap the circle next to "Unread" and you'll have a folder with only your unread emails.
10. Find out what flights are overhead.
Ever see a jet up in the sky and wonder where those folks are headed? As with so many things in life, just ask Siri and she'll come up with the answer.
