Apple apps that make communication easier

Apple's built-in apps help you communicate

As well as making mobile telephone calls, your iPhone has built-in apps that let you communicate in other ways. These include Apple's:

• Messages app for sending texts, images and video
• Mail app for sending email
• FaceTime app for making video calls to other Apple devices.

The Messages app

The Messages app handles text messaging on your iPhone. You can text someone by entering their mobile phone number, or you can choose one of your Contacts.

To use all its features, the Messages app needs an internet connection, either via your home Wi-Fi or mobile data. If there's no internet, the Messages app can still send short texts via SMS.

eSafety tip

The Short Message Service (SMS) is the older system for sending texts via mobile phone. It doesn't need internet, but texts can only be 160 characters long. When your iPhone is connected to the internet, the Messages app uses the iPhone's own system to send texts, which means they can be longer and include attachments such as photos.

The Mail app

The Mail app is the iPhone's built-in app for email. By default, it uses your iCloud email address if you have one, but you can also add a Gmail or Yahoo address. You can read new emails on your phone as they arrive and type a reply using the onscreen keyboard.

Synchronising your email across Apple devices

The Mail app syncs your email over the internet, and you can sign in to the same email mailbox on your iPad or via a web browser on computer.

To learn more, visit our Apple iCloud apps course.

The FaceTime app

Video calls are a great way to communicate, especially with family or friends who live interstate or overseas. FaceTime is the built-in video calling app on iPhone, and it uses your phone's internet connection to make and receive video calls.

You can find out more in our How to use FaceTime activity.

FaceTime uses your data

Placing a FaceTime call is free, but you need an internet connection with available data. Live video can use up a moderate amount of data, so it's a good idea to make sure your iPhone is connected to your home Wi-Fi before you call.

The Apple Podcasts app

Podcasts are like radio programs you can download and listen to when you want, rather than having to tune in to a station. The Apple podcasts app offers a huge range of things to listen to. The app lets you subscribe to podcast series, which means you can be notified when new episodes are available.

You can find out more about podcasts in the Catch-up TV, YouTube and streaming apps course.

How built-in communication apps work with iCloud

When you set up an Apple iCloud account, the iPhone's built-in communication apps will use it to keep things synced.

For example, your Contacts list is saved in iCloud, so when you upgrade your iPhone you can sign in with your account's email address and password to access them on your new device.

You can learn other benefits of using iCloud in the Apple iCloud apps course.

Apple's communication apps work with Apple devices

Unlike some other communication apps, such as Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet, FaceTime only works between Apple devices. When you use FaceTime, you can only call people who have an iPhone, iPad, or a Mac computer.

The Messages app has features that only work when you text someone who also has an iPhone or iPad, but you can still send texts to an Android phone.

Well done!

This is the end of the Apple apps that make communication easier activity. You've learned about Apple's video calling and messaging services, and how the Mail app works across all your Apple devices.

Up next is the Apple apps that help keep you organised activity, which covers managing files and documents on your iPhone, the Apple Photos app, and how the Contacts app works.