3G A third-generation cellular network that includes the HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA standards. It is supported in iPhone 3G and later models for data delivery over the cellular network.

4G See LTE.

802.11 See Wi-Fi.

accelerometer The component inside the iPhone that senses the phone’s orientation in space and adjusts the display accordingly (such as switching Safari from portrait mode to landscape mode).

access point A networking device that enables two or more devices to connect over a Wi-Fi network and to access a shared Internet connection.

Activation lock An iOS security feature that prevents anyone from activating your iPhone without knowing your Apple ID and password.

AirDrop A service that enables your iPhone to share information such as links, photos, and maps wirelessly via a Bluetooth connection.

Airplane mode An operational mode that turns off the transceivers for the phone, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth features of an iPhone, which puts the phone in compliance with federal aviation regulations.

AirPlay A wireless technology that enables you to stream iPhone video or audio to an Apple TV device and so see or hear that media on your TV or audio receiver.

AirPrint A wireless technology that enables you to send a web page, email message, or other text from your iPhone to a printer.

alert A notification message that pops up on your iPhone screen and must be dealt with before you can resume what you were doing.

app An application that is designed for and runs on a specific device (such as an iPhone) or a set of related devices (such as an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch).

Apple Pay An iPhone 6 feature that uses Near-Field Communications (NFC) to enable you to pay for items in a store by placing your finger on the Touch ID sensor and holding your phone near the store’s contactless reader.

authentication See SMTP authentication.

Auto-Capitalization A keyboard feature that automatically activates the Shift key after you tap a sentence-ending character such as a period or question mark.

Auto-Correction A keyboard feature that automatically corrects errors as you type.

badge A small red icon that appears in the upper right corner of an app’s icon to let you know that some new activity or data awaits you on the app.

banner A notification message that appears at the top of the iPhone screen but lets you keep working.

Bluetooth A wireless networking technology that enables you to exchange data between two devices using radio frequencies when the devices are within range of each other (usually within about 33 feet/10 meters).

bookmark An Internet site saved in Safari so that you can access it quickly in future browsing sessions.

burst mode A Camera app feature that takes photos at 10 frames per second when you tap and hold the Shutter button.

cloud The collection of icloud.com servers that store your iCloud data and push any new data to your iPhone, Mac, or Windows PC.

Continuity A set of features that enables you to switch seamlessly between your iPhone and your Mac.

Control Center A configuration screen that enables you to control settings such as Airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, and volume. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to display the Control Center interface.

crop To remove unneeded or distracting elements from a photo.

cycling Letting the iPhone battery completely discharge and then fully recharging it again.

data roaming A cell phone feature that enables you to make calls and perform other activities, such as checking for email, when you’re outside of your provider’s normal coverage area.

DC-HSPDA The Dual-Carrier High Speed Downlink Packet Access cellular transmission standard, which supports theoretical maximum download speeds of 42 Mbps.

desktop version A version of a web page designed to be viewed using a desktop computer.

digital rights management Technology that restricts the usage of content to prevent piracy.

discoverable A term to describe a device that has its Bluetooth feature turned on so that other Bluetooth devices can connect to it.

double-tap To use a fingertip to quickly press and release the iPhone screen twice.

DRM See digital rights management.

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM [Global System for Mobile communication] Evolution) A cellular network that’s older and slower than 3G, although still supported by the iPhone.

emoji A character that uses an icon to represent an emotional state or a symbol.

event An appointment or meeting that you’ve scheduled in your iPhone Calendar.

Family Sharing An iCloud feature that enables up to six family members share photos, calendars, and other iCloud content, as well as apps, media, and books purchased with a single credit card.

filter A special effect applied to a photo.

flick To quickly and briefly drag a finger across the iPhone screen.

FM transmitter A device that sends the output of an iPhone to an FM radio frequency, which you then play through your car stereo.

geo-fence A virtual, GPS-based perimeter around a location that, when crossed by your iPhone, can be used to trigger a reminder.

GPS (Global Positioning System) A satellite-based navigation system that uses wireless signals from a GPS receiver — such as the one in the iPhone — to accurately determine the receiver’s current position.

group A collection of cards in the Contacts app.

Handoff A feature that enables you to begin an email message or text message on your phone and then continue it on your Mac.

headset A combination of headphones for listening and a microphone for talking.

Home screen The main screen on your iPhone, which you access by pressing the Home button.

Home Sharing An iTunes feature that enables you to share the iTunes library on your Mac or PC with your iPhone.

HSPA The High Speed Packet Access cellular transmission standard, which supports theoretical maximum download speeds of 3.1 Mbps and is supported by the iPhone 5.

HSPA+ The Evolved High Speed Packet Access cellular transmission standard, which supports theoretical maximum download speeds of 21 Mbps and is supported by the iPhone 5.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) A type of email account where incoming messages, as well as copies of messages you send, remain on the server.

Internet tethering See tethering.

keychain A list of saved passwords on a Mac or on iCloud.

location services The features and technologies that provide apps and system tools with access to location data.

LTE The Long-Term Evolution cellular transmission standard, which supports theoretical maximum download speeds of 73 Mbps. LTE does not meet the full specifications of the 4G standard, so it is referred to as “3.9G.”

magnetometer A device that measures the direction and intensity of a magnetic field.

Mbps Megabits per second, or millions of bits per second; a unit of data transmission speed.

memory effect The process where a battery loses capacity over time if you repeatedly recharge it without first fully discharging it.

mirroring Displaying your iPhone screen on your TV.

multitouch A touchscreen technology that can detect and interpret two or more simultaneous touches, such as two-finger taps, spreads, and pinches.

notification Data that an app sends to let you know that the app has had recent activity for you to check out.

pair To connect one Bluetooth device with another by entering a passkey.

pan To slide a photo or other image up, down, left, or right.

passcode A four-digit code used to secure or lock an iPhone.

personal hotspot An iPhone that is used as a kind of Internet gateway device where you share the Internet connection of the iPhone with one or more other devices, either directly via a USB cable or wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

pinch To move two fingers closer together on the iPhone screen. See also spread.

playlist A collection of songs that you create using iTunes.

POP (Post Office Protocol) A type of email account where incoming messages are stored temporarily on the provider’s mail server until you connect to the server. The messages are then downloaded to your iPhone and removed from the server. See also IMAP.

power cycle To turn a device off, wait a few seconds for its inner components to stop processing, and then turn it on again.

predictive typing An iPhone keyboard feature that attempts to predict words as you type.

preferences The options, settings, and other data that you’ve configured for your Mac via System Preferences.

private browsing A web-browsing mode where Safari doesn’t add sites to the History list, doesn’t store site data in the cache, and doesn’t save searches and passwords.

push To send data immediately without being prompted.

Reader A Safari feature that removes ads and other distractions from a web page.

ringtone A sound that plays when an incoming call is received.

RSS (Real Simple Syndication) A special file that contains the most recent posts added to a blog or similar website.

side switch The sliding switch that appears on the side of your iPhone, beside the volume rockers.

silent mode An operational state where the iPhone plays no sounds except alerts set with the Clock application.

slide To drag a finger across the iPhone screen.

smartphone A cell phone that also performs other tasks, such as accessing the Internet and managing contacts and appointments.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) The set of protocols that determines how email messages are addressed and sent.

SMTP authentication The requirement that you must log on to a provider’s SMTP server to confirm that you’re the person sending an email.

SMTP server The server that an Internet service provider uses to process outgoing email messages.

spread To move two fingers apart on the iPhone screen. See also pinch.

SSID (Service Set Identifier) The name that identifies a network to Wi-Fi devices.

swipe To briefly slide a finger left, right, up, or down on the iPhone screen.

synchronization A process that ensures that data on your computer (such as contacts, email accounts, and events) is the same as the data on your iPhone.

tap To use a fingertip to quickly press and release the iPhone screen.

tethering On a device such as an iPad, Mac, or Windows PC, using the Internet connection of an iPhone when the iPhone is configured as a personal hotspot.

text shortcut A short sequence of characters that represents a longer phrase.

Touch ID Using your fingerprint to identify yourself to your iPhone and to apps that support this feature.

touchscreen A screen that responds to touches, such as finger taps and finger slides.

transceiver A device that transmits and receives wireless signals.

trim To edit the start and end points of a video recording or voice memo.

two-fingered tap To use two fingertips to quickly press and release the iPhone screen.

user-installable A component that an end user can remove and replace.

vCard A file that contains a person’s contact information.

wallpaper The background image you see when you unlock your iPhone.

web clip A Home screen icon that serves as a link to a web page and preserves the scroll position and zoom level on that page.

Wi-Fi A wireless networking standard that enables wireless devices to transmit data and communicate with other devices using radio frequency signals beamed from one device to another.