Guest mode for iPhone?

[Four oF NINE]

Why isn't Apple would offering a guest mode for someone that needs to borrow a phone for a quick call? I'd be more willing to lend it out if doing so didn't grant access to the entire contents of the phone.

Something to consider when loaning out your phone.

 

[HeezyBear]

If a person simply needs to make a call with your phone they can use the emergency call feature when your phone is locked so they don't have access to anything else.

Edit: So this is actually false. Even though it states Emergency Call, I always thought you could use it to dial anyone, but it is in fact only for emergency calls.

 

[MozMan68]

Why isn't Apple would offering a guest mode for someone that needs to borrow a phone for a quick call? I'd be more willing to lend it out if doing so didn't grant access to the entire contents of the phone.

Something to consider when loaning out your phone.

Does another phone system offer this?

And how often are people loaning their phone out to make a call when they are not right there to take it back?

 

[nightstalkerz]

Does another phone system offer this?

And how often are people loaning their phone out to make a call when they are not right there to take it back?

MIUI android is the only other system I know which offers this. It has a password to go abck to normal mode.

If your giving someone your phone to make a call, doesn't that mean you know them already and are next to them?

Or are you talking loaning your phone for a weekend and expecting it back with nothing modified?

 

[CallOfDuty]

iPhone
i-Phone
i= personal
Phone=Phone

The iPhone is your personal phone. I don't see the need to have an exclusive Guest mode. I can understand a Kid mode since you may have to lend your phone to kids for them to play around, but a guest mode?

A guest mode may be more appropriate for devices like the iPad, but I can't imagine the full usefulness of a Guest mode on the iPhone.

 

[Four oF NINE]

If a person simply needs to make a call with your phone they can use the emergency call feature when your phone is locked so they don't have access to anything else.

Yes, that part is correct, but I was wondering about a guest mode... What if you need to loan it out for a few hours?

 

[FatPuppy]

Why nobody mentioned guided access? A triple press of the home button in phone app, cover some buttons and that's it.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

I wouldn't lend my phone to anyone for a couple hours.
I don't see the need for a guest mode

 

[Four oF NINE]

iPhone
i-Phone
i= personal
Phone=Phone

The iPhone is your personal phone. I don't see the need to have an exclusive Guest mode. I can understand a Kid mode since you may have to lend your phone to kids for them to play around, but a guest mode?

A guest mode may be more appropriate for devices like the iPad, but I can't imagine the full usefulness of a Guest mode on the iPhone.

My 13 year old nephew frequently has to loan his phone to his 15 year old brother because the brother has had problems with losing and breaking phones in the past, and now he doesn't have one..

So he borrows his younger brother's iPhone, and he's been known to be a mischief maker with phones in the past.

 

[Prof.]

I barely trust people to use my MacBook Pro let alone my iPhone... People don't have any respect of other people's belongings. Guest Mode for iPhone is a useless feature; go hunt down a pay phone.

 

[cualexander]

My 13 year old nephew frequently has to loan his phone to his 15 year old brother because the brother has had problems with losing and breaking phones in the past, and now he doesn't have one..

So he borrows his younger brother's iPhone, and he's been known to be a mischief maker with phones in the past.

Kids are so spoiled these days. I didn't get a cellphone until I was 18 and it was one of those candybar Nokia ones.

If I had kids, I'd be buying them a dumbphone. Smartphones are too distracting.

 

[NM08SRT8]

Times are different.. This is current life now, back then, it was different.

 

[cobbyco]

iPad guest mode - I could see why you would want this. It would make sense for Apple to add it.

iPhone guest mode - I just don't see the point.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Does another phone system offer this?

And how often are people loaning their phone out to make a call when they are not right there to take it back?

Agreed, I don't see the point in having a guest mode.

 

[charlituna]

If a person simply needs to make a call with your phone they can use the emergency call feature when your phone is locked so they don't have access to anything else.

That only works to call emergency services. Not always where someone needs to call.

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Yes, that part is correct, but I was wondering about a guest mode... What if you need to loan it out for a few hours?

If you are loaning it out for a few hours then erase it. You have a backup you can restore when you get it back.

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My 13 year old nephew frequently has to loan his phone to his 15 year old brother because the brother has had problems with losing and breaking phones in the past, and now he doesn't have one..

So he borrows his younger brother's iPhone, and he's been known to be a mischief maker with phones in the past.

So then perhaps his parents need to get him a flip phone and no to borrowing his brothers. I mean if he can't be responsible with his own iPhone . . .

 

[darngooddesign]

If you are loaning it out for a few hours then erase it. You have a backup you can restore when you get it back.

That shounds like way more of a hassle than a guest mode.

To be fair, its a feature that makes more sense on the iPad so this is would be an iOS feature, not an iPhone feature.

 

[Korican100]

If a person simply needs to make a call with your phone they can use the emergency call feature when your phone is locked so they don't have access to anything else.

you can't call ANY number with that feature, only emergency calls

 

[kodeman53]

My 13 year old nephew frequently has to loan his phone to his 15 year old brother because the brother has had problems with losing and breaking phones in the past, and now he doesn't have one..

So he borrows his younger brother's iPhone, and he's been known to be a mischief maker with phones in the past.

So, let me get this straight;

1. The nephew who is a troublemaker lost his phone. Just the device, not his phone privileges. See next item.
2. The nephew who is NOT a troublemaker must lose the use of his phone, for hours, to the troublemaker.

Therefore;
1. The only nephew who is adversely impacted is the one who behaves well.
2. Apple should implement a guest feature in iOS to support this.

Makes sense to me.

 

[ucfgrad93]

So, let me get this straight;

1. The nephew who is a troublemaker lost his phone. Just the device, not his phone privileges. See next item.
2. The nephew who is NOT a troublemaker must lose the use of his phone, for hours, to the troublemaker.

Therefore;
1. The only nephew who is adversely impacted is the one who behaves well.
2. Apple should implement a guest feature in iOS to support this.

Makes sense to me.

Agreed, I feel bad for the younger nephew.

 

[cwosigns]

Just triple click the Home button to enable guided access while in the phone app, then circle the area that you don't want people accessing (favorites, recents, contacts, etc). That will keep them in the phone app and lock them out from anything else.

 

[dejo]

My 13 year old nephew frequently has to loan his phone to his 15 year old brother because the brother has had problems with losing and breaking phones in the past, and now he doesn't have one..

Has to? There shouldn't be a "has to" in this situation.

 

[HeezyBear]

That only works to call emergency services. Not always where someone needs to call.

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Wow, that's crazy. Had an iPhone forever and I was totally unaware of that. I thought you could call anyone. Thanks for explaining.

 

[darngooddesign]

Just triple click the Home button to enable guided access while in the phone app, then circle the area that you don't want people accessing (favorites, recents, contacts, etc). That will keep them in the phone app and lock them out from anything else.

I just learned something new.

 

[Northernist]

I would never loan my phone out for more than a phone call or two. There's absolutely no need for a guest mode; it would take longer to enable "guest mode" than it would to just stand there and hand them the phone to let them make their call.

If your 15 year old nephew is having trouble with breaking phones, maybe he shouldn't have a cell phone until he knows how to be responsible with one.. Especially an expensive Apple product.

If my kid kept breaking his iPhone I wouldn't keep buying him new ones or let him keep borrowing a younger brother's. He can pay for it himself and take some responsibility.

 

[PNutts]

Just triple click the Home button to enable guided access while in the phone app, then circle the area that you don't want people accessing (favorites, recents, contacts, etc). That will keep them in the phone app and lock them out from anything else.

I've always wanted to and never tried guided access until now. What you suggested is good but there is a loophole. In a call the controls show for mute/keypad/speaker/add call/FaceTime/ and contacts. Unless you can remove contacts from that screen you can access them in guided access mode. It's disappointing but is another example of how these features aren't thought through or fully baked.

OP: FWIW I think a guest or "phone only" mode would be handy.