iOS 16 is currently in the developer testing phase, with a public beta set to launch soon. However, the full launch won’t be until the fall when the new iPhone releases. For those who are wondering if it’ll be worth the wait and what features are included, here are the iOS 16 patch notes.
iOS 16 patch notes
Lock Screen
- Reimagined Lock Screen
- Make iPhone your own with all-new ways to personalise your Lock Screen. Showcase favourite photos, customise font styles, and display a set of widgets to get information at a glance.
- Create multiple Lock Screens
- You can now create different Lock Screens, each with a unique backdrop and style, and easily switch between them. Browse a gallery of wallpapers with suggested photos and themed collections for inspiration.
- Notifications
- View notifications on the Lock Screen in an expanded list view, stacked view or hidden view. And notifications appear at the bottom of the screen, so they stay out of the way.
- Live Activities
- Live Activities make it easier to stay on top of things that are happening in real time, straight from your Lock Screen. So you can check the score of a match or track the progress of your food delivery without unlocking your device.
Focus
- Easily set up a Focus
- A new streamlined setup for Focus lets you select the apps and people you want to receive notifications from by either allowing them or silencing them. Connect your Lock Screen to your Focus so the look and feel of your iPhone match how you want to use it in the moment. With a swipe, you can go from your Personal Focus to your Work Focus with widgets showing upcoming meetings and to-do lists.
- Focus filters
- Filter out distracting content in your everyday apps.
Photos
- Smart ways to share
- Choose what to include based on a start date or the people in the photos. Once the shared library is set up, you can share photos instantly straight from Camera, choose to share automatically when other shared library members are nearby, and get smart suggestions for adding photos to the shared library in For You.
- Edits and changes sync everywhere
- Everyone has equal permissions for adding, editing and deleting photos in the shared library. Favourites, captions and keywords sync too, so if one person organises the collection, everyone benefits.
Messages
- Everyday messaging enhanced
- You can now edit a message you’ve just sent or unsend a recent message altogether. And you can mark a message as unread if you can’t respond at that moment and want to come back to it later.
- SharePlay via Messages
- Watch the latest episode of your favourite show or listen to a new song with friends while chatting about it in Messages.2 Shared playback controls ensure that you’re always synced up.
- Richer collaboration
- Share notes, presentations, reminders, Safari Tab Groups and more in Messages to start collaborating instantly. See updates on shared projects in the thread and easily get in touch with your collaborators directly from the app you’re working in.
- Improved Search
- Search delivers more accurate and complete results, and provides suggestions before you start typing.
Safari and Passkeys
- Shared Tab Groups
- Share tabs and bookmarks, send messages and start FaceTime straight from Safari. Whether you’re planning a trip with friends or shopping for a sofa with your partner, you can share all the tabs in one place. And when they find something great, they can add tabs too.
Intelligence
- Live Text for video
- Pause a video on any frame that contains text to use familiar interactions like copy, translate, look up, share and more.
- Live Text quick actions
- Now it’s even easier to call phone numbers, visit websites, convert currencies, translate languages and more in photos, videos and Camera.
- Shortcuts with zero setup
Run shortcuts with Siri as soon as you install an app. No setup required.
Dictation
- Smarter Dictation
- Automatic punctuation. And say it with emoji.
- Use Dictation and the keyboard together
- Move seamlessly between voice and touch to enter text. Type with the keyboard, tap in the text field, move the cursor and insert QuickType suggestions, all without needing to stop Dictation.
Maps
- Travel cards and fares in Maps
- Add new travel cards to Wallet, check low balances, replenish your card and see the total cost of your trip, all without leaving Maps.
Apple Pay and Wallet
- Track your orders
- View your receipts and track your Apple Pay orders directly in Wallet.
- Share keys securely
- Share your keys securely in Wallet using your favourite messaging apps, including Messages, Mail and WhatsApp. You can decide where and when your keys can be used, and you can revoke them anytime.
Home
- Reimagined Home app
- The Home app is rebuilt from the ground up to be even more efficient and reliable. Navigate all your smart home devices in the redesigned Home tab. New categories for climate, lights, security and more let you access relevant accessories with just a tap. And a multi-camera view puts your smart home cameras front and centre.
Health and Fitness
- Health app updates
- The new Medications feature in the Health app helps you manage, track and understand the medications you take. And to help you stay connected on what matters most, you can now send loved ones an invitation to share their information stored in the Health app.
- Fitness app for iPhone
- The Fitness app can help you track and meet your fitness goals, even if you don’t have an Apple Watch. Now, using iPhone motion sensors, your steps, distance and third‑party workouts will give you an estimate of your calories to contribute to your daily move goal.
Family Sharing
- Manage child accounts with ease
- Easily create accounts for children with the right parental controls from the start. Set your preferences for age-appropriate media, Screen Time, location sharing and more. Screen Time requests from your kids now appear in Messages, so it’s easy to approve or decline a request.
- Set up a new device for a child
- Use Quick Start and your device to easily set up a new iPhone or iPad for your child with all the appropriate parental controls already in place.
- Family Checklist
- Get helpful tips and suggestions to get the most out of Family Sharing, like updating children’s settings as they get older, turning on location sharing or reminding you that you can share your iCloud+ subscription with everyone.
CarPlay
- Next generation of CarPlay
- The next generation of CarPlay brings a fully integrated, immersive iPhone experience to your vehicle.
- Vehicle announcements coming in late 2023
Privacy and Security
- Safety Check
- Safety Check helps people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they’ve granted others. Safety Check resets system privacy permissions for apps, and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device at hand.
Accessibility
- Door Detection
- Navigate the final few feet to your destination by locating a door, identifying how far away it is and finding out how to open it. Door Detection also reads aloud important details like room numbers and wheelchair accessible symbols.
- Buddy Controller
- Team up with a friend or care provider while gaming.
- Control Apple Watch with iPhone
- Use Switch Control, Voice Control or any other assistive feature on iPhone to control your Apple Watch.
All of the features listed above will be enjoyed by all iPhone users with models 8 and later. The overhauled lock screen and revamped photo app are two particular highlights to look forward to.
As is expected of X.00 updates, the iOS 16 patch implements many new features designed to make the next iPhone (potentially the iPhone 14) impress at launch.
In other gaming news, STALKER 2 has been delayed into 2023, the latest Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC The Forgotten Saga has been announced, and following the Jurrasic World: Dominion movie launch, Universal Orlando theme park has revealed an escape room style attraction called Universal’s Great Movie Escape.
