While Apple continues to improve iOS with every iteration, even with iOS 6, there are still some feature gaps left to be filled. That's where jailbreaking, like always, comes to the rescue. Whether it's actionable notifications, gesture shortcuts, faster toggles, or something else, jailbreak makes a great OS even better.
BiteSMS
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BiteSMS has been around for a very long time and has been a fan favorite of many jailbreakers since it was released. Sadly, Apple still hasn't added better text message notification handling to stock iOS. A quick reply option has been one of the most requested features from the jailbreak community for years and it's a gap BiteSMS has always been able to fill.
Outside of being able to quickly reply to messages without interrupting your workflow, BiteSMS also gives you features such as quick compose, password protecting for messages, notification settings on a per contact basis, and more. If you aren't a fan of iMessage or don't have a texting plan but need a way to send messages internationally or to non-iOS users, BiteSMS also allows you to buy credits to use towards text messages. They're a lot cheaper than most carrier fees and are easy to reload and use as you wish.
- $7.99 (free with ads) - Cydia Search Link
NCSettings
System toggles are must haves for most power users. Things like adjusting brightness, locking rotation, toggling on and off wifi, and turning data services on and off are functions we do on a pretty regular basis. Unfortunately, under stock iOS you are forced to enter Settings, find that control, and toggle it on or off in that menu every single time.
NCSettings allows you to easily toggle on and off these basic functions straight from Notification Center. This means instead of digging in the Settings menu, swipe down and tap. That's it. There are also several add-on packages in Cydia that allow you to add toggles for almost anything you could possibly think of.
- Free - Cydia Search Link
IntelliscreenX 6
Notifications have been something that iOS has struggled with over the years. While iOS 5 brought with it Notification Center which handled notifications much better than previous iterations, or rather the complete lack of a notification system, it still doesn't give fine tune control the way IntelliscreenX does.
Not only does IntelliscreenX allow you to customize what notifications you receive, how, and when; it also gives you access to things like quick replies for messages directly from the lock screen. If you're a power user or want a better hold on notifications, IntelliscreenX will put you in the driver's seat. It's worth noting that if you own a previous version of IntelliscreenX, you'll only be charged $4.99 to update to IntelliscreenX 6.
- $9.99 (trial available) - Cydia Search Link
CleverPin
Passcodes are a pain but for most of us, they're a must have. Even with Find My iPhone and GPS tracking software, people steal things. The odds of you recovering them or at least protecting your data is increased when you have a passcode. For most of us, that's the reason we use them.
CleverPin makes using passcodes a little less obnoxious. The premise is that when you're at home and connected to your home network, your iPhone won't ask you for the passcode. This means when you're out at the club or on vacation, your passcode lock will remain firmly in place without you having to enable it. Once you enter your home network, you won't be badgered to enter a passcode every few minutes.
You can also change settings in CleverPin to disable the passcode lock if you're doing things like listening to music. And that makes more sense to us than having to enter a passcode just to switch to a different album or playlist.
- $1.99 - Cydia Search Link
Auxo
iOS 4 brought with it multitasking and while some may argue that it isn't true multitasking, it does just fine for most. Auxo aims to improve the current state of the multitasker by adding a preview of the current state of an app. If you've got a Safari page loading, you'll see it. If you have a specific conversation open in the texting app, you'll see it.
Once you've got Auxo installed and enabled, you'll be able to launch the multitasker just like you normally would but you'll notice previews of what each app's current state is. Beyond that, instead of holding down and having to tap each icon to remove it or close it out completely, Auxo adds swipe gestures that allow you to swipe them downwards to remove them which makes for a much smoother and enjoyable experience.
On top of a better idea of what's going on, Auxo also brings with it many system toggles you can add to the multitasker as well.
- $1.99 - Cydia Search Link
Your picks?
These are our favorite tweaks and utilities that jailbreak has to offer that we think enhance the overall experience. That certainly doesn't mean there aren't other great ones floating around out there. Share yours below!
