Apple today unveiled iOS 16, the company’s next major iPhone upgrade, which includes a revamped, configurable Lock Screen, updates to Messages, Maps, and Home, as well as new sharing and personalization features.
NEW LOCKSCREEN INTERFACE
For a more personalized look, users may alter a huge variety of design elements, including text styles and colors, on a brand-new, fully configurable Lock Screen. Apple claims that there are millions of conceivable design possibilities on the new Lock Screen, which features a row of widgets. Users may create various Lock Screens and effortlessly switch between them by swiping left or right.
Notifications now roll up from the bottom of the screen and can be easily concealed, allowing users to see their customized Lock Screen in full view. When enjoying music or working out, Live Activities make it easy to keep track of happenings in real time right from the Lock Screen.
Focus modes have been improved in iOS 16, and users may now link Focus modes to a custom Lock Screen. Swiping between separate dedicated Lock Screens can also activate Focuses. Users may utilize focus filters to exclude distracting items from apps like Safari tab groups, Calendar events, and Messages discussions.
UNSEND, EDIT ON IMESSAGE
Messages now allows you to amend and remove sent messages as well as mark them as unread. SharePlay sessions now be started easily from the Messages app, and a new Shared With You API allows developers to incorporate shared experiences into their own apps.
OTHER FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS
- Dictation – When speaking, the keyboard remains open, allowing users to combine voice and typing in real time. It also now adds punctuation and emojis to texts, even those sent by Siri.
- Live Text – Live Text is extended to video, allowing users to select text while watching a movie. New quick actions in selected Live Text may do tasks such as currency conversion and text translation immediately in the camera view.
- Visual Lookup – Users can now pull out subjects and drag them elsewhere by touching and holding on to them in a picture.
- Maps – Enhanced Apple Maps is now available in a growing number of nations and towns across the world. Users can schedule up to fifteen stops ahead of time using multistop routing.
- Family Sharing – The new feature allows parents to manage their children’s accounts more easily, including setting age-appropriate limitations and setting up additional devices. With Quick Start, Screen Time requests in Messages, and a Family Checklist feature that reminds users to check parental controls, there is a simpler device setup experience with parental controls.
- Safety Check – This is a new area in Settings for reviewing and editing any access provided to other users, allowing you to swiftly manage and remove access, reset privacy rights, prevent message access, and cease sharing location data.
- QuickNote – A well-loved feature on the iPad is now made available on iPhone.
- Spotlight in the dock
- Additional Memoji customizations
- Improved Spatial Audio with AirPods
Developers may download the first beta version of iOS 16 today, and the public beta will be available in July. The iPhone 8 and newer models are compatible with iOS 16.
