During the keynote ceremony of WWDC 2022, Apple unveiled the newest iPhone software update. iOS 16 is set to launch this autumn in conjunction with the iPhone 14 series, but Apple has already shown us all of the new features we can expect. We've broken it all down for you here.
It's official: iOS 16 is coming soon{alertInfo}
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New features in iMessage
IOS 16 will enable iMessage users modify their texts and undo transmit any message they regret sending, which will permanently transform group chats. The upgrade will also allow users to flag threads as unread if they don't have time to respond to messages, retrieve previously removed features, and give app developers access to a new Shared With You API. SharePlay will also be coming to iMessage, allowing users to watch synchronized material such as movies or tunes while also sharing playback controls and chatting in iMessage.
New lock screen widgets and notifications
With a fully configurable configuration, the lock screen is getting a makeover. Users will have complete control over their lock screens, from the fonts and colors of standard text to the addition of new lock screen widgets. The topic of photos used for lock screens will be placed in front of the time text using a layering technique.
Updates like as upcoming calendar events, weather, battery levels, alarms, time zones, Activity ring progress, and more will be available through the new, virtually constantly visible widgets. The lock screen will also support the new Live Activities feature, which will display any real-time activity without having to unlock your phone, such as live Uber trips, sports scores, or workouts.
Notifications will now slide up from the bottom of the screen, giving you more opportunities to enjoy your background image. Users will also be able to build numerous lock screens with personalized features, store them, and assign each one to a different Focus function, such as "Work" or "Do Not Disturb."
New dictation features
Dictation in iOS 16 will allow users to switch between voice and keyboard typing more easily. Users will be able to both speak their material for Siri to notate and type on the keyboard at the same time when utilizing the functionality to perform things like create an email. Apple will also release a new App Intents API, which will make it easier for developers to integrate Siri into their apps.
Updates to Live Text, Visual Lookup, and Translation
Live Text will eventually include video in addition to the current photo capability. It would also allow users to convert currencies and translate any text shot with the camera or saved in the Photos app immediately from either interface, removing the need to switch between apps.
Users may also utilize Visual Lookup to remove the subject of a photo from its backdrop and move it from the Photos app to another app, such as Messages. Birds, insects, and monuments are among the things that are being added to the collection.
Apple Wallet and Apple Pay have been updated with new functionality.
Apple Wallet is getting expanded support for storing verified IDs, allowing you to utilize a saved ID in apps that need you to upload identity. Apple Wallet will continue to work on sharing Keys via the wallet to individuals without iPhones, as well as integrating Keys sharing via iMessage and Mail.
Apple Pay customers will soon be able to split any Apple Pay transaction into four equal payments paid every two weeks with no interest using Apple Pay Later. It will be available wherever online that accepts Apple Pay. Apple Pay shipments will be trackable immediately in your Wallet, starting with purchases made on e-commerce platforms like Shopify, if you're a package tracker.
New Maps options
Maps will enable more accurate landscapes, boost navigation functions, and allow users to add up to 15 stops to a trip when planning ahead of time with iOS 16. Maps will also integrate better with Siri, allowing you to add a stop by voice command while driving, and transport features will display explicit pricing and facilitate the addition of transit cards to Apple Wallet.
iCloud upgrades and new photos
A new Shared iCloud feature has been added to the Photographs experience, allowing up to six users to immediately upload photos and videos to a shared iCloud with collaborators. You may opt to transfer media directly from a personal library to the shared cloud, or you can set it up to only share photographs from a specific date or showcasing specific persons, such as all photos and videos of children and parents.
With a fast option straight in the camera app, sharing to iCloud can also happen instantly after capturing a shot, eliminating the need to transmit photographs after an event. Intelligent recommendations will urge you to share a photo if it has others added as collaborators in the shared cloud. All of this is similar to the existing Shared Albums in Photos, but on a much higher, cloud-based scale.
Support for new sports features
The Apple TV app will now display live scores and play-by-plays via Live Activity support on the Apple TV widget for sports lovers. Users will be able to follow certain teams and leagues within Apple News to get their most essential sports information effortlessly incorporated into their news streams.
Parental Controls and New Family Sharing
The new Family Sharing features in iOS 16 make it easy for parents to maintain separate accounts for their children, accept or refuse requests directly in iMessage, establish a family checklist for location sharing, and easily adjust settings for their children as they get older. It will also contain age-appropriate limitations for applications, movies, books, music, and other media.
New security features
The new Safety Check function, which will allow users to instantly withdraw access to their devices and data when in unsafe situations, was developed in collaboration with numerous non-profit groups that help victims of domestic abuse. Safety Check disables location sharing via Find My, resets privacy permissions for all applications, protects message access by signing out of iCloud, limits iMessage and FaceTime to the device in your hand, and allows you to adjust app data access.