The iPhone software developed by Apple continues to introduce fresh functionalities that do not require users to purchase a new iPhone 14. Apple introduced several noteworthy updates for iOS 16 in January with the release of version 16.3, such as security keys for iCloud access and additional wallpaper options. In February, version 16.3.1 was released with bug fixes and security enhancements. Users can now also update their iPhones to iOS 16.4, which includes new emojis.
Apple’s iOS 16, which was released in September for users with compatible iPhones, has received numerous updates. By installing the operating system software, users can access new features and customization options, including a more customizable lock screen, the ability to edit sent messages, and a magical photo editing tool. Additionally, iOS 16 has reinstated the battery percentage icon.
The announcement of iOS 16 took place last spring during Apple’s WWDC event, preceding its release alongside the iPhone 14. To explore the other features provided by iOS 16, continue reading as we delve into the 11 most notable additions for your iPhone. Prior to proceeding, ensure that you have completed these three prerequisites and take a look at the lesser-known attributes concealed within iOS 16.
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New emojis have been added, including animals and a new smiley.
With the arrival of iOS 16.4, your iPhone’s collection of emojis will be enhanced with 21 new symbols that can add flair to your chats, many of which are related to celebrations. Among the fresh emojis are maracas, a pink heart, a light blue heart, and a folding hand fan, as well as various animals such as a donkey, moose, and goose. Additionally, the shaking face emoji can assist you in conveying surprise or bewilderment.
The Messages app’s three most requested features were introduced by Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, at WWDC. He claimed that the ability to edit and “unsend” messages makes embarrassing typos a thing of the past.
Initially, on iOS 16, you possess the ability to modify dispatched messages. This implies that if you happen to spot an error after transmitting a message, you can subsequently amend the text. A small “edited” indicator will exhibit in the status section beneath the message.
You have the ability to modify messages that were previously sent in Messages.
Next, my personal favorite among the new features, is the ability to quickly retract sent messages. In case of an incomplete message mistakenly sent, you can utilize the Undo Send tool to prevent its reading, ultimately minimizing mayhem with friends and family.
Finally, it is possible to designate messages and threads as unread. This feature can prove to be an invaluable tool for situations where you may not have the time to respond to a message immediately, but still wish to revisit it at a later time.
Check out this video: Testing iOS 16 (Edit/Delete Sent Messages, New Lock Screen and More!) (16:22)
Introducing a new customizable lock screen on iOS 16. The lock screen is one of the most frequently accessed parts of your iPhone, particularly if you own a Face ID-enabled device. This latest update brings significant changes to the lock screen. By pressing and holding, you can adjust its appearance and choose from various styles. Each style adjusts the color filter for the background image and the font on the lock screen to ensure a harmonious look. This feels like Apple’s version of Google’s Material You, which was introduced in Android 12.
You have the option to personalize the fonts of the time and date, and incorporate lock screen widgets such as temperature, activity rings, and a calendar. These widgets are similar to complications found on the lock screen of an Apple Watch.
In iOS 16, your iPhone will offer greater customization options. You will have the ability to personalize your lock screen with your preferred font and color. Furthermore, it will be possible to create several custom lock screens, each featuring different widgets that can be effortlessly switched between through swiping. Additionally, there will be a photo shuffle function that changes the background image on your lock screen automatically.
An always-on display was a feature that many of us had been eagerly anticipating for Apple to introduce. Most Android phones and even the Apple Watch already have it. Finally, the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have fulfilled our expectations by incorporating this feature.
Live Activities is a new feature available for developers in iOS 16. It offers a condensed version of real-time updates for various activities, including workouts, sports events, and Uber rides, directly on the lock screen of your iPhone.
Notifications and real-time updates
At times, Apple’s notifications can obscure the photo on your lock screen. To address this, iOS 16 relocates notifications to the lower portion of your screen. Rather than being consolidated into a list, they now appear as a vertical carousel as they arrive. This not only enhances the visual appeal, but also makes it easier to use your iPhone with one hand.
iOS 16 is designed to address yet another notification issue. At times, you may receive consecutive notifications from a single app, such as basketball game scores. Developers now have access to a feature called Live Activities, which simplifies monitoring real-time events from your lock screen without encountering a flurry of interruptions.
Live events should provide greater convenience for keeping up with sports games, workouts, or even tracking the progress of an Uber ride.
Use Private Access Tokens to bypass CAPTCHAs
CAPTCHAs have been a necessary inconvenience on the internet for ensuring that a person, not a bot, accesses a website or service. However, they can be frustrating, requiring users to decipher garbled letters or select images of specific items. In iOS 16, Apple aims to replace these cumbersome interactions with Private Access Tokens.
A video on Apple’s website showcasing Private Access Tokens reveals that websites which adopt the feature will confirm your identity as a human and log you in, effectively eliminating the need for typical CAPTCHA challenges. While Apple states that they are collaborating with other companies to implement this capability, it remains unknown if CAPTCHA will be completely eradicated after iOS 16 becomes available to the masses. Nevertheless, this idea could potentially bring about some much-needed respite if it gains widespread acceptance.
Sharing keys is now simpler on iOS 16 with apps such as Mail and Messages. Once your friend receives the key, they can easily add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple has stated its commitment to making shared keys widely accessible to others as an industry standard, without any cost.
The iOS 16’s Wallet application has received several noteworthy updates, among them the inclusion of the Apple Pay Later payment program. Furthermore, Apple Pay will enable novel payment methods and introduce a new feature called Apple Pay Later, inspired by Klarna’s approach. It allows users to divide the expense of an Apple Pay transaction into four equal payments over six weeks, free of interest and charges. The Wallet app manages future payments, providing a convenient way of keeping track of deadlines and installments.
However, Apple Pay goes beyond that. A recent addition allows you to monitor your Apple Pay transactions and enables merchants to provide comprehensive receipts and tracking details. This will facilitate keeping track of all your orders’ statuses.
In iOS 15, Visual Look Up feature can analyze your photos and recognize items such as plants, landmarks, and pets. With iOS 16, this feature has been enhanced. By tapping and holding on the subject of a photo, such as a dog in an image, you can detach it from the background and transfer it to other apps like Messages. It works like a tap-and-hold tool that eliminates the background of a photo.
Although Apple has a tendency to use the word “magic” excessively, this particular feature truly lives up to the hype.
At WWDC’s keynote, Craig Federighi, an Apple executive, presented the introduction of SharePlay in the Messages app.
SharePlay, first seen in iOS 15, allows you to enjoy a shared experience while connected over FaceTime with someone. This includes synchronously watching TV shows, listening to music, and more. iOS 16 now enables discovering additional SharePlay-supported apps within FaceTime.
However, one of the most impressive features that Apple introduced for SharePlay is its integration with the Messages app. According to Apple, this was a major request from app developers. Hence, if you want to share a movie on Disney Plus, you can now initiate SharePlay with a friend while conversing on Messages.
Safety Check is designed to assist individuals in abusive relationships and enables them to swiftly reset their location sharing and password access. This helpful tool is available for use through Apple.
The Safety Check is a fresh attribute designed to provide assistance specifically to those in abusive relationships. It allows an iPhone user to examine and modify accessibility to location details, passwords, messages, and other applications.
Updates have been made to the Focus mode and Focus filters. The first update enables Focus behaviors to be applied to widgets and lock screen appearances. This allows for setting a different lock screen for workouts as opposed to when Work Focus is enabled.
Apple has integrated dedicated Focus filters that enable users to apply their iPhone’s Focus mode to particular apps. As an illustration, when using Safari, you can restrict the tabs displayed based on the active Focus mode.
Moreover, Apple Maps now features transit fare cards.
Maps has received various updates which allow you to plan journeys with as many as 15 different stops on the way. Starting to plan a journey with the Maps app on your Mac will enable you to share it with your iPhone.
Similar to Google’s announcement for Google Wallet in Android 13, Apple Maps will allow you to view estimated transit fares and reload transportation cards.
In iOS 16, it will be possible to personalize Quick Start using the iCloud parental controls and settings specific to a particular child. Apple’s iCloud family checklist introduces several new features, including the convenient setup of a new device for your child. When presented with Quick Start, you can choose a user for the new device and apply any pre-selected and configured parental controls. However, some users still desire the functionality of setting up separate users for a single device.
There is a fresh checklist for families that offers advice on adjusting settings for children as they grow up. This includes a prompt to review location-sharing settings and share iCloud Plus subscriptions. Additionally, you can explore all the latest details about the upcoming iPhone 15, and learn how to download iOS 16.
