Apple introduced iOS 16 on June 6, 2022 throughout the WWDC keynote. Image: Apple
During Apple’s WWDC keynote on June 6, 2022, the corporate unveiled its newest iteration of iOS. Apple’s major focus areas for this launch of iOS are new intelligence options, communication options and sharing options that additionally incorporate privateness. Many of those options can be utilized in enterprise environments and non-business environments. Let’s check out the iOS 16 options and the way they’ll profit you, your gadgets and your workflows.
SEE: Hiring equipment: iOS developer (TechRepublic Premium)
What is iOS 16?
Must-read Apple protection
iOS 16 is Apple’s latest model of the iOS cellular working system that powers iPhone gadgets. It was introduced at Apple’s WWDC ‘22 convention and consists of options and efficiency enhancements that will likely be obtainable on a variety of iOS gadgets; see the checklist under to seek out out if iOS 16 will work in your system.
This new model of iOS consists of many new options which are related to builders, enterprise prospects and shoppers, together with an all-new Lock Screen design, widgets, new developer APIs and rather more.
What gadgets are suitable with iOS 16?
Most {hardware} that supported iOS 15 may also assist iOS 16. Here is the complete checklist of iOS 16 supported gadgets.
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone SE (2nd technology or later)
What new options can be found in iOS 16?
New Lock Screen
Apple has redesigned your complete Lock Screen in iOS 16, including a brand new widget system that’s harking back to the Apple Watch’s display customization choices and guaranteeing that notifications are much less intrusive to your day by day workflow. Multiple Lock Screens may be created and swapped between simply.
Apple has pre-made a number of lock screens that characteristic animations and fluid transitions from the Lock Screen to the Home Screen. Photos and widgets are an enormous design characteristic on the brand new Lock Screen, and allow you to customise the feel and appear to your gadgets in a method by no means earlier than attainable. You can select the font, coloration and measurement, and embody a widget space beneath the time so that you’re all the time seeing updated info out of your favourite apps proper on the Lock Screen.
SEE: How to all the time entry your locked iOS system (TechRepublic Academy)
Notifications additionally get an replace in iOS 16. In this new model of iOS, new notifications seem from the underside of the display. Live Activities will enable purposes to replace your Lock Screen with dwell occasion knowledge relatively than spamming notifications.
Focus Mode modifications and Focus Filters
Focus Mode permits customers to make sure they aren’t interrupted throughout work by private contacts, or interrupted at house by work contacts, permitting for higher work-life separation. In iOS 16, Focus Modes can routinely set a selected Lock Screen configuration so you would have a devoted Lock Screen for work, house or different exercise.
The Focus Filters ifeature will likely be obtainable to third-party builders; it lets your apps filter out distracting content material when a selected Focus Mode is enabled. Safari was demoed for this characteristic and confirmed triggering particular tab teams when a Focus Mode is enabled so that you’re not tempted to browse social media whereas at work, for instance.
Communication modifications
iOS 16 options all kinds of modifications that can enable for higher communication and extra methods to deal with that communication.
Starting with Messages, the app will now have the power to edit despatched messages, undo a despatched message, or mark message threads as unread so you possibly can simply circle again to it later.
Shared with You, a characteristic launched in iOS 15 , now will get third-party integration by means of an API obtainable to builders, permitting content material shared between messages and third-party apps to be surfaced in these third-party apps as nicely.
SharePlay, launched late final 12 months in iOS 15, will get the power to kick off a session inside Messages and with out audio or video. You can now carry out a SharePlay session by means of Messages and have the power to talk in actual time by means of Messages.
iCloud Photos
iCloud Shared Photo Library is a brand new separate picture library that will likely be obtainable to those that have Family Sharing arrange and can enable as much as 5 customers to simply share images with each other. The shared library may have learn and write entry to all customers who’re invited. Automate sharing into the shared library primarily based on customers who’re within the images themselves, or by means of the Camera app, which can now let customers choose which library they need the picture to be taken to be saved to.
You may also swap the library mode within the Camera routinely primarily based on shared customers who’re close by if you’re taking the images in order that footage taken with shared customers are routinely synced to the shared library. This is a large enchancment for customers with a number of relations who wish to extra simply sync images with each other.
Privacy enhancements
Apple regularly improves privateness on its platforms, and iOS 16 isn’t any exception. This 12 months, Apple is introducing a brand new characteristic referred to as Safety Check. This is a brand new part in Settings that can let customers revoke entry with customers you’ve shared with, for instance, if it is advisable to escape an abusive or bodily dangerous state of affairs and somebody you’ve shared your location or different info with is an abuser. This characteristic will revoke Find My Access, reset your sharing permissions, and solely enable FaceTime, calls and messages on the present system you’re utilizing. This Safety Check privateness characteristic in iOS 16 may also present a listing of all customers you’re at the moment sharing info with to higher gauge and cease sharing with customers not wanted.
SEE: Apple touts Passkey, its new privateness characteristic, at WWDC 2022 (TechRepublic)
Wallet
In iOS 15, Apple started permitting for supported state driver’s licenses for use within the Wallet app; in iOS 16, Apple is taking {that a} step additional by permitting customers to confirm their driver’s license for purchases or entry to apps if wanted by means of an in-app ID verification move.
The Wallet app may also retailer many varieties of knowledge, together with keys for lodges, HomePackage equipment and extra. Beginning in iOS 16, customers will be capable to share these keys with others by means of an business commonplace method that can work with different gadgets, even when the particular person you’re sharing with doesn’t use iOS.
The final main Wallet app options are the power to pay later and order standing. Through the Apple Pay Later characteristic, funds for purchases may be break up into 4 funds over a six-week interval with no curiosity and no charges. Merchants is not going to see any distinction on their finish and each Apple Pay service provider will assist this characteristic. Apple Pay Order Tracking will let retailers ship order standing instantly by means of the Wallet app.
Apple Maps
In iOS 16, Apple Maps permits for extra transit info, together with the power to reload transit playing cards proper from the Maps app.
Two massive options in Apple Maps in iOS 16 are multi-stop routing and new MapKit integrations for third-party apps. Multi-stop routing means that you can create driving instructions on the Mac, iPhone or iPad, and share together with your iPhone and embody as much as 15 stops upfront alongside the journey path. You may also plan extra stops whereas routing by means of Siri.
MapKit is Apple’s API for permitting map options in third-party apps. It’s getting an enormous replace with the power for third-party apps to combine with the Look Around characteristic in Apple Maps, and the brand new detailed maps that Apple has begun rolling out worldwide. Additionally, server-side APIs will likely be obtainable to builders trying to combine maps into web sites later this 12 months.
Family sharing and setup
Each 12 months, Apple updates its household sharing options to permit for extra niceties to let households keep in contact and arrange gadgets for youngsters, and this 12 months isn’t any exception. iOS 16 consists of the power for folks to extra simply configure gadgets for youngsters, set the parental controls routinely primarily based on the age of the kid, and overview settings periodically to make sure the kid’s restrictions are all the time on the acceptable stage. These options will roll out with the launch of iOS 16 later in Fall 2022.
HomePackage
HomePackage is Apple’s reply to the house automation enviornment. At WWDC ‘22, Apple reaffirmed its plans for Matter, a multi-partner technique to make extra equipment and platforms obtainable within the Apple Home app and be certain that house automation is cross platform.
Apple additionally introduced a brand new Home app redesign that enables discovery of equipment by room, the power to indicate cameras in a 4-up view that’s extra intuitive, and makes including, viewing and controlling completely different accent instances extra consumer pleasant for non-technical customers. This app redesign will assist with consumer engagement and permit for the invention of equipment, the place the earlier technology of Apple Home app was a letdown for a lot of customers.
CarPlay
CarPlay is an iOS characteristic that enables customers to attach their gadgets to their automobiles and have the infotainment system show an Apple-curated interface. From that interface, customers management their iPhones in a automobile by voice or easy contact, retaining distractions at a minimal.
Apple demoed its long-term CarPlay technique at WWDC ‘22; this CarPlay technique is coming in a later replace to iOS 16 and would require companion automobile producer modifications. The subsequent technology of CarPlay will combine with all shows within the automobile, accumulating dwell knowledge from the automobile comparable to velocity, engine info and cluster panel info, after which show that on a display in a totally customizable interface supplied by your related iPhone.
Apple stated these options will start rolling out to automobiles starting in late 2023, however the firm is laying down the software program assist for these options in iOS 16 this fall.
Other notable iOS 16 options
QuickNote is accessible on iOS 16, letting you simply create a be aware from anyplace within the OS or apps through the Share menu.
Mail good points the power to schedule messages, recall messages and remind customers later a few message they should learn or reply to.
Dictation now retains the keyboard open so you possibly can simply swap between dictation and typing. Dictation may also now add punctuation routinely and even permits for dictating emoji.
Live Text now works with video, permitting you to pause on a video body and choose textual content within the video to repeat and paste, translate textual content or convert forex.
Settings will get an replace that enables customers to seek out and handle their Wi-Fi passwords instantly from the Settings app.
Safari will synchronize website-specific settings comparable to web page zoom, Safari Reader settings and extra between all gadgets.
Spotlight will achieve actions, together with the power to begin or finish a timer, and can floor content material from much more built-in and third celebration apps, together with outcomes from Messages, Notes and Files.
Handoff for FaceTime lets customers take a name on their Mac or iPhone and hand it off to a different Apple system with out lacking a beat.
Freeform is a brand new app coming later this 12 months with iOS 16 that can enable for whiteboard communication through FaceTime or Messages and permits members to simply collaborate in a shared area.
Touching and holding on a topic in a Photo can now allow you to take away the background and create an immediate alpha of the topic that may be dragged and dropped right into a message, presentation or different utility.
Shortcuts may be run with Siri proper after you put in them with none setup required.
ShareKeys will enable customers to signal into web sites and apps while not having to produce a password. This makes use of biometrics to retailer a key that’s authenticated with a web site securely, bypassing the necessity for any passwords and eliminating almost all phishing try scams.
The Fitness app for iPhone can be utilized with out the Apple Watch, and your iPhone can monitor steps and supply steering in case you want to not put on an Apple Watch.
The Apple Health app can remind you of medicines and in addition securely monitor your medicines and log your treatment exercise.
Door Detection is a brand new characteristic in iOS 16 that can enable sighted challenged customers the power to detect if a door is opened or closed, learn aloud numbers on the door and extra.
SEE: Best Apple Watch Faces & How to Change Them (TechRepublic)
When is the discharge date for iOS 16?
iOS 16 is accessible in beta type to builders registered in Apple’s Developer Program. It is anticipated {that a} public beta will likely be obtainable to most people to join later in July 2022. Apple is anticipating that iOS 16 will likely be obtainable for a public launch later this Fall.
How to obtain and set up iOS 16
Developers who’re registered with the Apple Developer Program can log into the Developer Downloads portal and set up the software program replace profile wanted to register your system for receiving beta updates. Once put in and the system has been restarted, navigate to the Settings app | General | Software Update and set up the newest beta of iOS 16 onto your system.