Apple officially launched iOS 16 at the event at WWDC 2022. Like previous leaks and rumors, Apple has introduced system-wide changes and improvements. Here are the new features that will be coming to the iPhone through the iOS 16 update.
The software update for iOS 16 will arrive later this year on iPhone 8 and later devices. It is possible that Apple will roll this update out in September.
New improvements and features in this new operating system update include an overhauled lock screen and notification system and improved and redesigned system apps.
There are other reasons to pay attention to iOS 16 beyond just a software update for the current iPhone. The full version of iOS 16 will debut with the release of the next-generation iPhone, which comes as the default software on the device.
So, the iOS 16 update may also give us some hints as to what Apple has planned for the iPhone 14 model, which is rumored to be arriving later this year.
A developer preview will be available this week, followed by a public beta next month, ahead of a public rollout later this year. Here are the new features and improvements brought in by the iOS 16 update.
Lockscreen Redesign
This is a significant overhaul of the outdated Lock Screen feature on iOS. There are a lot of big but exciting changes, some of which are very similar to what Google has been doing with Android.
Users will have access to wallpapers with widget-like capabilities, and the OS will allow users to choose from a variety of typography and color filters while customizing their settings.
You can also add widgets for upcoming calendar events and workout statuses and select multiple widgets while choosing wallpapers and presets from the selection provided by Apple.
iOS 16 will also offer a Photo Shuffle mode, allowing users to switch their lock screen automatically. The update will also bring support for Weather wallpapers which will show weather conditions directly on the lock screen, or Astronomy wallpapers, for viewing views of the Earth, Moon, and solar system.
Apple has changed notifications in iOS 16 so they don’t get in the way of personalized wallpapers and Lock Screen layouts. Lockscreen notifications in iOS will now scroll from the bottom of the screen, making them easier to tap and access with one hand.
Users can also choose from apps that use the Live Activity API to display live game scores, check their journey with an Uber ride, or control music from the lock screen.
Focus Modes
Focus Mode was introduced during the debut of iOS 15, and Apple brought it to the lock screen with the iOS 16 update. Users can now activate Focus mode from the lock screen with a swipe from the lock screen.
Users will be able to bind Lock Screen Wallpapers and widgets set to a specific Focus mode, allowing them to switch between Focus modes by simply swiping to the appropriate Lock Screen.
With the arrival of iOS 16, Apple will also be bringing distraction control to its own apps, allowing users to filter tabs, accounts, email, and features from apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari.
Apple will warn users with a message that says Filtered by Focus, for example, in the Messages app. This functionality will also be extended to third-party apps.
HUGE Messages Features
The Messages feature is getting a major update, with the ability to edit messages. This is a feature offered on certain messaging apps, such as Telegram. Users can also unsend messages, allowing users to remember messages – much like the features in the Signal, Instagram, and WhatsApp apps.
Users can also mark messages as unread, allowing them to return to the conversation at a later time. The SharePlay feature is also present in Messages, which allows users to watch synced content, such as movies and songs, while sharing playback controls in Messages chat.
Scheduling for emails is coming to the Mail app in iOS 16. Users can also unsend emails before they’re delivered to recipients’ inboxes. Users will also be reminded if they forget to attach an email to them. This feature has also been implemented in Google’s Gmail.
Live Text & Visual Lookup
Live Text got some improvements in iOS 16. You can drag text from the video, and you can pause at any frame and highlight the desired Text. Live Text will also work in Translate so that you can highlight large amounts of foreign Text.
Visual Lookup will also get some improvements in iOS 16. This feature lets you highlight the subject of a query. Just tap and hold, lift and drop the subject in the app you want. Apple’s suggestion is Messages.
Apple Wallet
Key sharing is coming to Apple Wallet, allowing users to share digital keys with other users via the Messages app, allowing them to access the same key directly in their Wallet app. Apple says they are working with the IETF industry standards for key sharing support with non-Apple users.
Apple also announced support for Apple Pay Later, a system that allows users to make the same four payments with no interest and no fees.
It can be used anywhere that supports Apple Pay. Apple will also let users check orders and track shipments. To bring this feature, Apple has partnered with Shopify.
Apple Maps
An update to the Apple Maps app adds coverage in 11 new countries later this year. More practically, you can now add up to fifteen stops on an Apple Maps route, allowing you to easily navigate multiple points. You can ask Siri or set up a route ahead of time on your Mac and send it to your iPhone.
If you’re a public transit user, Apple Maps now allows you to check fares for travel, and you can add a transit card to the Apple Wallet app to check if you have enough credit to reach your destination.
News & Sports
Apple News will get a new Sports section, letting you follow teams and leagues for the latest updates and stories. In the My Sports section, you can see the schedule, scores, and highlights. All your stuff syncs with the Apple TV app.
It will be accessible in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Apple News+ subscribers will have access to premium coverage for their favorite sports teams.
Family Sharing
Apple has announced an update to Family Sharing, which allows parents to manage their children’s accounts. They will be able to set limits on what apps and content can be accessed.
Kids can ask for more device time in Messages with parents, and Apple is also adding support for quick setups.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
The iCloud Shared Photo Library is coming to iOS 16, allowing users to share photos with up to five other users. You can select specific photos from their Photo Library or specific date ranges.
Users can automatically choose who will share certain images when they are clicked on the camera, thanks to a new toggle that will be added with the iOS 16 update.
The six members who are part of the iCloud Shared Photo Library will have the same permissions to add, edit, delete, or favorite pictures in the group.
According to the company, the iCloud Shared Photo Library in iOS 16 will also pop up suggestions for users to share certain photos that include participants in the shared library.
Safety Check
Safety Check will allow users who are in a dangerous situation or victims of domestic violence to press a button called Start Emergency Reset quickly.
This feature will reset privacy permissions for all apps, stop location sharing, and protect all messages from other devices except the active device when logged out from other devices.