Everything You Need to Know About iOS 16

Everything You Need to Know About iOS 16

Every so often, Apple® releases a whole new version of the iPhone software. This year, we got iOS 16. It was announced back in June 2022 and released to the public on September 12. We got a ton of new features and redesigns. Dive into the iOS 16 details with us so you can make the most of its new capabilities.

What Is the New iOS 16?

For the Apple iPhone, iOS 16 is the software that keeps it running. iOS 16 is the latest version, which adds a wide range of new features. Installing these updates is also critical for keeping your phone secure and up to date.

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When Does iOS 16 Come Out?

iOS 16 was released to the public on September 12, 2022. Apple announced it in June 2022.

What iPhones Are Getting iOS 16?

iOS 16 is available on the iPhone 8 and later versions. These include the 2020 and 2022 versions of the iPhone SE.

Keep in mind that a few features are only available on newer phones. For example, Live Captions on FaceTime are only available on the iPhone 11 or later. If you have an older iPhone, you might miss out on a few things in the new iOS update.

iOS 16 is available on the iPhone 8 and later versions. These include the 2020 and 2022 versions of the iPhone SE.

How to Download iOS 16

When the update becomes available on your phone, you can download it from the Settings app. Head to the General section and tap on Software Updates. You'll see some information about iOS 16 and a button you can click to download and install it.

New Features in iOS 16

Now onto the exciting stuff! The iOS 16 update features are plentiful. Here are some of the new iOS 16 specs we get to play with:

Lock Screen

The new Lock Screen is probably the flashiest update we've had in a while. This new version is very customizable. Some of the changes we got in the iOS 16 Lock Screen include:

  • New text options and multilayered effects: You can choose from new fonts and colors for the time and date sections. You can also use a cool multilayered effect. Part of your image appears in front of the time for some stylish depth.
  • Notifications on the bottom of the screen: Do your notifications always overwhelm your Lock Screen? You might be happy to hear that they're moving to the bottom. You can even change the way they appear right from the Lock Screen.
  • Widgets: Apple has added a ton of widgets. They'll stay on your Lock Screen and update in real-time. You can keep things like events, the weather, alarms and battery levels front and center.
  • Live Activities: This handy new feature keeps you updated on any changes to real-time events. Some examples include a ride share request, a food delivery order or a sports game. You can check progress without getting a million emails or even opening your phone.
  • New wallpapers and suggestions: We got a bunch of new wallpapers with iOS 16. Some even change with the weather conditions and the movement of the planets. Your iPhone can surprise you by suggesting new Lock Screens.
  • Focus mode connections: You can also link a Focus mode to a specific Lock Screen and Home Screen. For example, you might set up a Lock Screen for work. It could have widgets and apps for collaboration and your work email and contacts. Then, with a simple swipe, you can switch to home mode. That Lock Screen might have a picture of the kids and widgets for your family calendar.

Focus Mode

We already mentioned Focus modes now get their own Lock Screens. They also got a better setup process with more personalization. You can set up Focus filters, too. These filters let you set up boundaries in certain apps. You might let emails come through from a work or school email account but block personal emails. Some apps you can control like this include Calendar, Messages, Mail and Safari. Third-party apps can also use these features.

Messages

Apple's adding some new messaging functionality as well. This includes the long-awaited new feature of iOS 16 to unsend messages. With the new update, you'll be able to:

  • Edit and delete messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them.
  • Recover deleted messages within 30 days.
  • Mark messages as unread.
  • Start a SharePlay session from the Messages app.
  • Dictate a message and edit it at the same time.
  • Send collaboration invitations to work with others in real-time on apps like Keynote, Files, Pages and Numbers.
  • Access a contact's information from a Quick Tap bar when mentioning them in a message.

Another possible feature that's not confirmed is a Report Junk button. It would allow you to report spam texts to your wireless carrier.

FaceTime

FaceTime will now let you hand off calls from your iPhone to a Mac or iPad. You can also go in the other direction. FaceTime also got connected to collaboration tools. You can collaborate in apps like Files, Numbers, Notes and Keynote, right from a FaceTime call.

Another big feature added to FaceTime is Live Captions. It creates real-time text on the screen to go along with what the other person is saying.

Freeform

Freeform is an all-new app, expected in late 2022, that offers a digital whiteboard. Users can collaborate on it to make diagrams, compile resources and brainstorm. It supports different types of media, including images, video, audio and PDF documents. When you add them to a project, they show up with rich details. Thanks to real-time collaboration, users will see any changes immediately.

Mail

The Mail app is a bit more powerful now. In the new iOS update, you can:

  • Schedule emails in advance.
  • Cancel an email within 10 seconds of sending it.
  • Receive an alert if you try to send a message without an attachment.
  • Be reminded of messages at a later date or time.
  • Receive follow-up suggestions if you haven't received a response in a while.
  • Add more context with rich links, which might include previews and summaries of a web page or file.

Includes attachments and links

Corrects typos

Looks for synonyms of your search term

It is also easier to search your mailboxes

It is also easier to search your mailboxes. Searching now includes more parts of your message, like attachments and links. It also corrects typos and looks for synonyms of your search term.

Camera and Photos

The iPhone's photography apps got an overhaul, too. Portrait mode added the ability to blur objects in the foreground. Cinematic mode got better depth of field.

The Photos app is getting several new features, including:

  • Duplicate detection to clean up your library.
  • The ability to copy edits from one photo to another.
  • The ability to redo and undo multiple edit steps.
  • A default lock on the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums.
  • New types of memories, including This Day in History and children playing.
  • The ability to disable featured photos and memories from appearing in the app and widget.

Apple also introduced the Shared Photos Library. This convenient library allows up to six family members to share photos. Everyone can add, delete, edit and favorite these shared photos and videos. You can share existing photos, photos after a certain date or photos that have certain people in them. You can also set up automatic sharing. The Photos app will even offer suggestions to share photos that feature other members of the shared library.

Wallet and Apple Pay

When you pay with your iPhone, iOS 16 gives you some handy choices.

If you're big on online shopping, Apple Pay has incorporated an order tracking feature. When you use Apple Pay with some merchants, the tracking information goes right to the app. Apple also rolled out Apple Pay Later in iOS 16. US users get the option to split purchases into four equal payments over six weeks. They'll have no interest or fees. The application is available from Apple Pay or the Wallet app.

In the Wallet app, you'll also find support for digital keys and identification cards. For example, you can share ID information to apps that need them — but only the necessary details. You could also share keys for a home, hotel, office or car through Wallet. This feature links up with apps like Messages, Mail, WhatsApp and more.

Home

The Home app got an entire redesign with new iOS 16 features. It should be easier to navigate, organize, view and control your accessories. They use new tiles with colors and icons. They'll even be available in the new iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets. A new tab in the Home app will let you see an at-a-glance view of your accessories and rooms. With up to four camera views front and center, you can see different angles from one tab.

Health and Fitness

If you take medications, the Health app got a handy feature to help you remember and track them. With this tool, you can build a list, create schedules and reminders, log and track your usage. The app will also let you:

  • View interactive charts about how well you're sticking to your schedule.
  • Scan a medication label to learn more about it, including what it's for, how it works and potential side effects.
  • View and receive notifications for possible interactions between medications.
  • Share health data with loved ones and doctors.
  • Generate a report of your health records from connected health institutions.

On the fitness side of things, the Fitness app has expanded. Before iOS 16, you could only use these tracking features if you had an Apple Watch. Now, you can join in on the fun and close your activity rings from your phone. An iPhone can track steps, distance, flights climbed and workouts. It can also integrate data from third-party apps.

Notes and Reminders

Slick New Features in the Notes App

Quick Notes, which you can make from the share menu or control center.

Locked notes you can encrypt with your iPhone password.

Note sharing and collaboration via link.

Note grouping by time-based categories like Today and Yesterday.

Improved smart folders to organize notes automatically.

The Notes app got some slick new features like:

  • Quick Notes, which you can make from the share menu or control center.
  • Locked notes you can encrypt with your iPhone password.
  • Note sharing and collaboration via link.
  • Note grouping by time-based categories like Today and Yesterday.
  • Improved smart folders to organize notes automatically.

In the Reminders app, Apple has added pinned lists, time- and date-based grouping and richer note options such as bullet points and bolded text. We also got templates to help you save and reuse a list, as well as share and download it. Lastly, you can get notifications when someone adds or completes a task in a shared list.

News

There are also several other Macs on the docket, but we're not sure when they'll be announced:

Sports fans and local news followers will love the new updates to the News app. It got a “My Sports” section so you can follow your favorite teams and leagues. It displays top stories, scores, schedules and standings. You can watch highlights and follow along with live activities.

The app improved local news, too. News now displays more in-depth coverage from local cities and news outlets. You can also favorite your top channels and topics in a new customizable group.

Maps

Apple Maps has added support for multi-stop routing. You can now include up to 15 stops when mapping routes. It also got new transit features. If you use public transit, you can now see how much a trip will cost and manage transit cards. You can add your card to Wallet, see your balance and top it off from the Maps app.

The app has also added coverage in more countries. Detailed 3D maps are now available for Chicago, Sydney and Las Vegas.

Safety Check

A new privacy tool called Safety Check could make a big difference in domestic violence situations. It allows you to quickly remove all access that your phone has granted to other people. It adds an emergency reset, so you can sign out of your iCloud on all devices except for the one you're on.

Other Additions

It would take a novel to talk about everything that was added to iOS 16. Still, some other new features we're getting include:

  • Live Text: You can now use Live Text to recognize and interact with text from video footage.
  • Visual Look Up: If you tap on a subject in a photo, you can copy it and remove the background. Then, head to another app and paste it right in.
  • Passkeys: Passkeys can replace passwords by using Touch ID or Face ID to verify your identity. You can sign into websites or apps — even on non-Apple devices — by simply scanning a QR code.
  • Siri: iPhone's voice assistant got some new skills for sending messages through voice. You can add emojis, send messages without confirming them and end a call by saying, “Hey Siri, hang up.”
  • Dictation: When using voice-to-text, you can now edit your text without stopping the dictation. It also includes automatic punctuation and emojis.
  • Carplay: We may not see these updates until sometime in 2023. Apple is working on a new version with more customizability and vehicle-specific features. It could control the radio, heat and air. Other features could include fuel monitoring, toll information and towing assistance.
  • Safari: The Safari web browser has added customizable start pages. Extensions and preferences can now sync between Apple devices. If you install an extension on your Mac, it might carry over to your phone. You can also edit the strong passwords that Apple suggests.
  • iCloud+: iCloud+ lets you hide your email address in third-party apps. You can also use it to create a custom email domain.
  • Weather: The Weather app offers support for severe weather notifications. It also added tappable tiles with more detailed information.
  • Music: Apple Music has added a feature that lets you track your favorite artists. You'll get notifications and better recommendations based on your favorites.
  • Books: The audiobook player in the Books app got revamped with new controls and a mini-player. You can customize your reading experience with new options for themes, font, text size, etc.
  • Translate and languages: Apple added a Translate tool that uses your camera to translate words. You can use it on words around you or photos from your library. iOS 16 also added some new languages to the system itself.
  • Stocks: Stocks will now keep you posted on upcoming earnings reports.
  • Better child account setups: Adding parental controls is a bit easier. It now has a walkthrough-style setup process. Kids can also request additional screen time through Messages. Parents don't need to navigate to settings to approve the requests.
  • Accessibility updates: New accessibility tools could help users with vision problems. iOS 16 offers better descriptions of their surroundings. These features can detect doors, people and even image descriptions.

Make the Most of iOS 16

iOS works on phones as far back as the iPhone 8. But if you want to use all of the features and ensure you get more updates in the future, you might need a newer device. If you do upgrade for iOS 16, remember to treat your old phone right.

Here at ecoATM, we can offer cash on the spot for your used phone. If we aren't able to make a cash offer, we'll responsibly recycle your phone. With ecoATM, you can do some good for the planet and your wallet.

Give your phone a chance at a second life with ecoATM. Price your phone online or find a kiosk near you to get started!

Make the Most of iOS 16

If you want to use all of the features and get more updates in the future, you might need a newer device.

Here at ecoATM, we can offer cash on the spot for your used phone. Do some good for the planet and your wallet.