The author, who is still on their parents' family phone plan, discovered the Automation section in the preinstalled Shortcuts app on their iPhone and was able to set up an automation to send a monthly payment via Venmo. This experience opened up a world of iOS automation possibilities for them. The article explains that personal automation on iPhone allows users to run actions based on certain events, such as time of day or location, and can be similar to how Zapier works. It provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up an automation on an iPhone, including selecting a trigger, customizing it, and choosing an action. The article also shares 10 iPhone automation ideas, from automating wake-up routines to cleaning the house while away, and discusses various triggers that can be used in automation, such as time of day, location, or app opening. Finally, it encourages readers to get creative with their iPhone automation ideas and explore automation beyond iOS apps using Zapier.