Over the years, the Apple eco-system has become renowned for its integration between all of its devices, from the general communication between your Mac and your iPhone or Apple Watch, to more recent innovations like Handoff, AirDrop, AirPlay, FaceTime, iMessage and SharePlay.
For these features to work, your devices need to be logged into the same iCloud account. Some of these features are only available on newer Apple devices, use Google to find out whether your devices are compatible, or ask Mac Aid if it is all too confusing.
iPad users should try out SideCar, which lets you extend your workspace by using your iPad as a second Mac display. And Sidecar can also bring the ease and precision of Apple Pencil to your favourite creative Mac apps.
With Continuity Camera you can use your iPhone to shoot a photo or scan a document and have it automatically appear on your Mac. Just choose Insert a Photo from the File menu, then choose Take Photo or Scan Documents. Take a photo of something on your desk and instantly see it in your document. Or scan a receipt, and a straightened version is immediately available in the Finder as a PDF. Continuity Camera works in the Finder, Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, Keynote and Numbers.
Camera Remote on your Apple Watch allows you to remotely control the camera on your iPhone. Just launch Camera Remote on your Apple Watch and the camera app on your iPhone will open. Camera Remote allows you to take a photo, set the timer interval, swap between front and rear cameras, turn your camera flash on or off, and other settings.
Auto Unlock lets you automatically log in to your Mac when you’re wearing your Apple Watch. Turn this feature on in the Security and Privacy settings in the system preferences on your Mac.
Universal Clipboard lets you copy images, video or text from an app on your iPhone or iPad. Then paste into another app on your nearby Mac — or vice versa. It’s like magic!
SharePlay and the new Meetings feature of FaceTime easily allow non-Apple users to join in video calls and combined with SharePlay, you can have a video call with your friends or colleagues regardless of whether they use Apple devices or not. It allows you to:
- Watch movies and TV shows together;
- Listen to music together;
- Share your screen, great for helping out a friend with a problem Or to share a presentation with your colleagues similar to how Zoom would work;
- Initiate the call on your Mac whilst sharing video content on your Apple TV or music on your HomePod
Handoff is a very useful built-in feature that allows for you to be working on your Mac, iPhone or iPad and then switch to another device to exactly where you were on the device you’ve moved from.
AirDrop, is one of the most useful features Apple ever developed and makes non-Apple users jealous to this day. Take a photo or video and then just tap the share icon, select your iPad or Mac and it instantly transfers the file to the device. No emailing the file or uploading it to the cloud. Brilliant!
AirPlay is one of the oldest of all of these features. The ability to simply be able to share your screen to a compatible screen or device is just so easy! We’ve tried Google’s Chromecast version of AirPlay and it will most of the time give some kind of connection error. AirPlay is just always seamless!
Do you use all of these features? Would you like to learn how to use some of these features in your day-to-day life? If so, contact Mac Aid today and we’ll ensure that your devices are setup to work with all of these features and train you on how to effectively use them.
