iOS 16 has been released, and here are all the new features it brings to your iPhone. The new lock screen is just one of the many improvements in iOS 16.
The long-awaited iOS 16 has here. The latest version of Apple’s iPhone software was shown at WWDC 2022. You can now get an idea of what’s in store for your iPhone, including a redesigned lock screen with widgets, a re-worked Messages app, and more.
To understand iOS 16, there’s a second reason. The final version is expected to be released around the same time as the reported new iPhone 14 variants. As far as we know, iOS 16 will bring several significant enhancements.
Quick reference for iOS 16’s most notable new iPhone features
- iPhones are all needed to make contactless payments with retailers utilizing Apple Pay. There are no interest or fees if you use Apple Pay Later to pay for a purchase in four installments over six weeks.
- Sharing photos in a different iCloud library is easy with iCloud Shared Photo Library.
- iOS 16 brings significant changes to the lock screen. The clock’s typeface, color, and background may all be customized. Widgets and pictures can also be added and rearranged.
- The lock screen may now be used as a focus point. Each focus mode, such as work or play, may be linked to a different lock screen with customizations and widgets.
- Family sharing has received an upgrade, making it easier for parents to set up their children’s gadgets.
- Editing and deleting messages have been added to Messages. Messages will also be able to use SharePlay.
iOS 16 might be released as early as September
There was an opening-day keynote on June 6 at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). After WWDC, Apple released a preview of iOS 16 and a beta version for developers. In July, the public beta will be available.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are expected to go on sale this autumn, along with the final release of iOS 16. We don’t know when the iPhone 14 will be released, but Apple often launches new products around September. The release of the iPhone 14 will coincide with iOS 16’s release.
What iPhone will run the new iOS 16 software?
As far back as the iPhone 6s, originally released in the fall of 2015, support has been provided for Apple’s most recent two software upgrades. On the other hand, Apple is ceasing support for some older phones due to the increasing number of iOS 15 features that need more contemporary hardware.
iOS 16 will be available for the iPhone 8 and above, according to Apple. It was previously reported that Apple would no longer support the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and the original iPhone SE, all of which were released in 2016. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, are no longer supported by iOS 16.
If Apple discontinues support after iOS 16, owners of those devices will have nothing to complain about. This October, the iPhone 6s models will be seven years old; even the iPhone 7 is nearing its sixth birthday. As computing power has improved since then, it’s plausible to presume that such devices don’t support several iOS 16 features.
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Messages on iOS 16
Messages will also be much improved. Many people welcome the ability to modify and undo your messages, which has been long overdue. You may also flag topics as unread so you can revisit them later. SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, is also available in Messages.
Thanks to recent upgrades, you may now switch between speech and text in Dictation. While speaking, the keyboard remains open, and you may pick text with your finger and replace it with Dictation. Punctuation and emojis will be automatically terminated by Dictation.
Safety check-in iOS 16
For iOS 16, Apple is making a statement about personal safety by introducing Safety Check. Using this feature, victims of domestic violence may remove their account’s capabilities, such as location sharing or app permissions. All privacy permissions may be reset, and communications can be protected by Safety Check.
Wallet on iOS 16
As you may have observed, many people are hurting financially right now, so Apple’s new Pay Later function should be a welcome addition. This allows you to divide purchases into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees. It’ll be integrated into Apple Wallet and will work everywhere Apple Pay is accepted, regardless of the merchant. That’s almost like having an interest-free, short-term credit card, which sounds fantastic. It’s not a novel concept — in fact, it’s almost similar to PayPal’s Pay in 4 option — but it’s still a helpful feature.
Apple Pay now has an Order Tracking function, which will provide you with total receipts and order tracking information inside Apple Wallet to help you better manage your payments.
Finally, there are some new features in Wallet’s Keys and IDs. You can now use your Wallet ID to authenticate your identity and age inside applications. You can transfer house, hotel, business, and auto keys in your Wallet through Apple’s messaging apps. And, of course, all of this data will be kept safe.
Search Text and Images in Real-Time with iOS 16
iOS 16 will include enhancements to features like Visual Lookup and Live Text. You’ll be able to extract text from videos using Live Text. The text may be highlighted and paused at any point in the video. You may highlight vast chunks of foreign text with Live Text in Translate.
You may use Visual Lookup to make your query stand out. Touch and hold the topic, lift it, and then drop it into the desired app. Messages were Apple’s recommendation.
iOS 16 Sports and News Update
Apple News will soon have a dedicated Sports section to keep up with all the latest news and information about your favorite teams and leagues. You may access the My Sports area’s schedules, results, and highlights. The Apple TV app keeps track of everything you do on your computer or mobile device.
US, UK, and Canadian citizens can access it for free. Subscribers to Apple News+ can follow their favorite sports teams in high definition.
Family Sharing and Photo Sharing in iOS 16
Family Sharing has been updated in iOS 16, which already boasts a slew of family-friendly features. The Quick Start option will make it much simpler for parents to set up a child’s phone since it will apply the same settings to a new device. This is a good thing, given that youngsters aren’t famed for their patience. Approval (or denial) of extra screen time requests may now be done right from Messages, eliminating the need to go to the Settings menu.
In addition, the new iCloud Shared Photo Library was unveiled by Apple. As with Google Photos, this is a distinct library from your other iCloud goods that lets you collaborate on picture projects with friends and family. There is a maximum of five persons that may be added.
The images you upload might be organized by date or person, or you can choose to share only a selection. You can add photographs manually or automatically via the new sharing shortcut in the Camera app. It’s possible to have this switch automatically activated if that’s what you like.
Photos on the For You page will even recommend photos for you to share. There are no special privileges for anybody in the shared library.
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iOS 16, Focus feature
It was one of our favorite features of iOS 15, allowing you to focus on the task, whether work or pleasure. Moreover, with iOS 16, it’ll be much more impressive.
You may now customize your iPhone’s lock screen with unique displays associated with a specific focus mode. There are various ways to customize your phone, such as setting one for business and another for personal use.
The Focus modifications will also apply to specific applications, so if you choose the Work Focus option, only alerts on that app will be shown. Swiping back and forth between the Focus modes on the lock screen would be the simplest way to do so.
The new maps app on iOS 16
With the addition of 11 more nations, the Apple Maps navigation software is seeing another growth round. Besides Chicago and Sydney, the 3D city map network is expanding to include six other locations and the fantastic-looking Las Vegas.
With the addition of up to fifteen new stops in Apple Maps, you can now quickly travel between various locations. There are several ways to customize your iPhone’s navigation system, including asking Siri for help or preparing a route on a Mac and sending it to your iPhone.
To see how much it will cost you to go by public transportation, you can now do so in Apple Maps and the Apple Wallet app, which both integrate with the service.
The lock screen of iOS 16
The new iOS 16 lock screen received a lot of attention from Apple. In a nutshell, the new lock screen is a significant upgrade over the previous, dated one. A wide range of improvements, some resembling what Google has done with Android, have been implemented.
You may modify the text and color of the clock, move pictures around, experiment with other styles like filters, and create several lock screens. Astronomy or weather may also be used as a topic, for example.
Instead of covering up your background in the middle, notifications appear at the bottom of your screen. It is possible to conceal them during the day so that your lock screen is more transparent. iOS 16 also offers Live Activities, which make it much simpler to keep up with alerts that are continually updating in real-time, such as those from sports applications.
Widgets seem to be paving the way for an always-on display, a popular feature on Android phones but not on Apple devices. Though Apple hasn’t officially said anything, this might change with the iPhone 14. It is possible that Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models, projected to have a refresh rate of 1Hz, will have an always-on display, as code in the iOS 16 developer beta suggests.
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Additional features in iOS 16
So far, we’ve covered some of the highlights of Apple’s keynote presentation. However, as WWDC progresses, we should expect to learn more about Apple’s mobile operating system. Everything we learn will be compiled in one location.
Face ID unlocking for iPhones in landscape mode is something we know about. Additionally, iOS 16 now supports the use of Nintendo Switch controllers. Also, iOS 16 will allow you to copy/paste modifications into your images.