On vacation with iPhone: how to set up and what to download?
What to do with roaming
An important part of a vacation outside your home country is mobile communications. The best option is the services of local operators (you can use both an eSIM and a physical card for this). If you plan to buy them, roaming will not be needed. In order not to unexpectedly go into the red, it is better to turn off this function altogether:
Open "Settings", select "Cellular". In the "Options" menu, deactivate "Data Roaming" (this method is suitable for iOS 17.5).
The algorithm may differ: "Settings", go to the "Cellular" menu. Select "Primary (number)" and disable "Data Roaming".
How to get everything back?
If you still need roaming during your trip, you need to contact the operator to choose a suitable tariff plan. You can do this on the website or in the mobile provider's application. There are many offers, so you will definitely find a tariff with the necessary data: traffic, minutes and SMS, or all together. After arriving in a new country, you need to:
Open "Settings".
Go to the "Cellular" menu.
If you have one SIM card or eSIM, you need to enable cellular data. After that, in "Data Options", enable "Data Roaming". Instructions will appear on the screen, do everything as they tell us.
If you have two SIM cards or two eSIMs, the algorithm is slightly different. The beginning is the same: enable cellular data. And then you need to select the card that you will use abroad. In "Data Options", activate "Data Roaming".
The settings may differ: We start in the classic way with "Settings", go to the "Cellular" menu, select your number and enable "Data Roaming".
Two-factor authentication: what and why
This feature protects your accounts and personal data. The technology is important at all times, not just when traveling. It works like this: to log into an application or to transfer funds in banking, you will need to confirm your identity. Even if someone knows your password, without the second "key" the data will remain safe.
One of the most popular methods of confirmation is an SMS from the program with a unique code. Unfortunately, without SMS roaming, you will not receive the treasured message. This can be solved in three ways:
Why create a backup copy
Smartphones are sometimes stolen while traveling, or we ourselves can forget them somewhere. In order not to lose data, we recommend making a backup copy. For this, we need iCloud:
Put the phone on charge and connect to Wi-Fi.
In the "Settings" menu, select the line with the name of your account, and then click on the iCloud item.
Here, look for the line "Backup in iCloud" and activate this function.
ICloud offers free 5 GB. If this volume is not enough for you, you can buy additional space.
eSIM during vacation
In addition to the classic SIM card, new iPhone models also support eSIM, a built-in chip. To activate this function, you need to download the operator settings to your phone and get its digital card. This can be done at the mobile provider's office or you can purchase an eSIM from an online service.
All versions, starting with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, support this technology. But due to government restrictions, iPhones for the Chinese market are not included in this list.
Where can I buy eSim
To do this, you can go to Airalo, a digital service that provides access to the international Internet. All you need is to install the program, select the desired country (supported in 160 countries) and tariff. You can pay for the purchase in the same service.
Another option for online purchase is Yesim. It works in 138 countries.
Both services have a modem mode and a virtual number - read the description carefully.
Now we will tell you about the applications that you will most likely need on your trip.
Everything for air travel
For independent travel, you will need programs for purchasing airline tickets. We recommend Skyscanner or Google Flights. Both allow you to set up filters: price, availability of transfers, and much more.
Other options: Kiwi.com and Cheap Flights.
Accommodation booking
One of the best options is the Airbnb service. Here you can find accommodation from owners: apartments, rooms and even penthouses. The program has 6,000,000 offers, so it will be very difficult to be left without accommodation on vacation. In addition, here you will find honest reviews from other tourists.
A good alternative is Booking. Here you can rent hotels, hostels and villas. There are offers with free booking, without prepayment or with payment upon check-in.
Other options: Hotel Tonight, HotelsCombined.
Where to find entertainment
We recommend taking a closer look at AroundMe. The guide will find the places that are closest to you. It has everything: bars, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, hotels, hospitals, banks, gas stations and much more.
Other options: TripAdvisor or Yelp.
Maps and routes
Offline maps in Maps.me will not let you get lost in new places. You just need to download the map of the desired city in advance, and you can build routes without the Internet. In addition to the map itself, you can also find establishments in the program: bars, cafes, shopping centers.
Other options: Organic Maps, 2GIS.
How to move faster
The Moovit program will create a route for you that takes into account public transport. The application database contains data on bus, train, tram, trolleybus and minibus routes for 112 countries. With Moovit, you can move quickly and inexpensively!
Other options: Transit, Rome2Rio.
Overcoming the language barrier
Your vocabulary leaves much to be desired, or you are in a completely new country whose language you have not studied? Then you cannot do without a translator assistant. We recommend applications with offline access so as not to depend on the Internet.
A familiar option is Google Translate. The system offers more than 100 languages and the ability to work without an Internet connection (in this case, you should first download the desired language).
An equally good alternative is Speak & Translate. The main advantage is the fast reading of live speech. With this function, communicating with foreigners is easier and faster.
How not to miss changes in exchange rates
To stay up to date, you don't have to install additional programs or use a browser every time. The iPhone has a system currency converter. To activate it, you need to:
Unlock the smartphone and swipe down from the center. You can also do it differently: click on the "Search" line at the bottom of the display.
Now you just need to enter a request in a certain currency, and you can immediately find out its rate.