iOS 16: Key features you should know about Apple's new iPhone OS

Apple on June 6 kicked off the annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2022 edition online.

The company like the previous years gave a sneak peek at new software iOS 16 for iPhones. The iOS 15's successor is coming with several new features and also promises to enhance the visual appeal of the user interface on iPhones.

Apple iOS 16: Key features you should know about the new mobile software

Lockscreen gets a refreshing facelift: The new iOS 16 will offer more personalisation options to make the lockscreen visually appealing and also clutter-free as well. As you can see in the screenshot, the time and date can move back and forth over a photo and also icons of apps, notifications have matching lighter shades. There are lots of small cute widgets and users can switch between multiple wallpapers just like we do for changing Apple Watch faces.

The new Lockscreen features. Credit: Apple

Apple is bringing more fascinating pictures to Lockscreen galleries including Weather wallpaper, offers real-time weather conditions, and animation as they change throughout the day. There will be new Astronomy wallpaper for views of the Earth, moon, and solar system. Users can also create Lock Screens using their favorite emoji or colour combinations in addition to the option to select portrait photos of loved ones and pets as lockscreen wallpaper.

Live Activities: This new feature will enable apps to support live feed information such as sports scores, delivery status of ordered food, music control panel, and other supported apps on a steady card-like banner. This will replace the annoying live notifications that flood the phone's display panel and ruin the aesthetics of the lockscreen wallpaper.

Live Activities. Credit: Apple

Notifications: One of the long-standing complaints among iPhone users has been to declutter the notifications feature. Now, with the iOS 16, the messages will remain grounded at the base. Notifications have been redesigned to roll up from the bottom, ensuring that users have a clear view of their personalized Lock Screen.

Users can now connect Focus to their Lock Screen, giving them a way to tie their Lock Screen wallpaper and widgets to a particular Focus. Credit: Apple

Deeper integration of Focus with Lockscreen: With the iOS 16, Apple offers users a way to tie a Lock Screen wallpaper and widgets to a particular Focus. To activate a Focus, users can simply swipe to the corresponding Lock Screen. With Focus filters, apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari can display only the content that is relevant to a user’s Focus, helping them to find a better balance.

iCloud Shared Photo Library: With this feature, users can allow up to six family members to access photos within the group and also have the privilege to edit and edit photos anytime and anywhere. Also, the Camera app will offer a direct storage option to automatically move the image to the shared library soon after capturing the photo.
New features Messages app: Can't believe that Apple beat Twitter by introducing the feature to recall a sent text, edit it and then resend it again as a new message. That’s not all; users can undo recently deleted messages and recover them.

Videos to support Live Text: Previously, iPhone users were able to extract texts on printed material such as menu card, billboards and information boards on famous landmarks with still images and post it on a note pad or on a messenger app. With the iOS 16 update, users will be able to do it even on videos. He/she can pause a video and tap the Live Text icon to copy, paste or even translate to multiple languages.

Visual Look Up introduces a new feature that allows users to tap and hold on the subject of an image to lift it from the background and place it in apps like Messages. Credit: Apple

Visual Look-up: Visual Look Up takes photos further by introducing a new feature that allows users to tap and hold on the subject of an image to lift it from the background and place it in apps like Messages. Visual Look Up also expands to recognize birds, insects, and statues.

New Safety Check privacy feature: It comes in handy for users whose personal safety is at potential risk from domestic or intimate partner violence. He/she can quickly remove all access they’ve granted to apps and accounts on iPhones to others.

Also, with an emergency reset, users can easily sign out of iCloud on all their other devices, reset privacy permissions, and limit messaging to just the device in their hand. It also helps users understand and manage which people and apps they’ve given access to.

Passkeys: It is said to be unique digital keys that are easy to use, more secure, never stored on a web server, and stay on the device so hackers can’t steal them in a data breach or trick users into sharing them. It will be replacing the passwords and instead use Touch ID or Face ID for biometric verification, and iCloud Keychain to sync across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV with end-to-end encryption. They will also work across apps and the web and users can sign in to websites or an app on non-Apple devices using just their iPhone.

Standalone Fitness app for iPhones: For the first time ever, Apple is bringing the Fitness app to iPhones. Previously only the Apple Watch owners were able to get the Fitness app on their Apple device. Now, those who don't have the Watch will be able to get Fitness and be able to participate in completing the Activity Rings-- Exercise, Stand and Movements targets for the day and even challenge their friends for more motivation.

New features for Mail app: Once updated to the new iOS 16, users will get the option to schedule mail to get it delivered later in the day or a week or a particular time. Also, the app will also offer reminders to users to check whether he/she forgot to attach a document or a file before sending a mail. The search feature will get better and Apple says that it will offer relevant, accurate, and complete results. Users will see recent emails, contacts, documents, and links the moment they begin to search for emails.

Apple Pay Later allows users to split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks. Credit: Apple

Other notable features
Apple Pay Later feature is coming to the Apple Pay subscribers and users can buy goods with zero interest on EMI plans, but only available in select countries whereever the Apple Pay feature is available
Apple Wallet also shows Apple Pay Order Tracking,. With this users can receive detailed receipts and order tracking information in Wallet for Apple Pay purchases with participating merchants.

With deep integration with car's hardware, CarPlay will offer content for multiple screens within the vehicle. Credit: Apple

CarPlay app will be further integrated with the car's hardware. Users will be able to do things such as control the radio or change the climate directly through CarPlay. The app also display real-time speed, fuel level, temperature, and more on the instrument cluster. Users will be able to personalise their driving experience by choosing different gauge cluster designs, and with added support for widgets, users will have at-a-glance information from Weather and Music right on their car’s dashboard.

Which iPhones are eligible for the new iOS 16?
It will be available to iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone SE (3rd Gen), iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone SE (2nd Gen), iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, iPhone 11, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 8.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, iPhone 7, and 7 Plus, which received the iOS 15 last year, will not receive any more iOS updates but will get security patches for a few more years.

When will the iOS 16 be released to the public?
Apple is expected to roll out the new iOS 16 later this year most probably in September along with the launch of the new line of iPhones (understood to be called as iPhone 14 series)
Interested readers who can't wait that long can register for the public beta programme and be eligible to test the new software next month (here).

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