iOS 16 for iPhone: The Best New Features

This story is a part of Focal Level iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of stories, ideas and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.

Since Apple’s iOS 16 announcement at its WWDC keynote in June, the corporate has been releasing beta variations for builders and customers to check. Apple’s sixth and newest public beta for iOS 16 brings again a much-missed characteristic for some iPhone customers: a share quantity throughout the battery image that reveals your iPhone’s precise battery cost.

At an iPhone 14 launch occasion on Wednesday, Apple introduced that iOS 16 will roll out to individuals with suitable iPhones on Sept. 12. The iOS beta signifies a number of upgrades targeted on communication, personalization and privateness. Large modifications are coming to the iPhone lock display, Messages app and Pockets, however lesser-known options lurking in iOS 16 are price trying out, too. 

This is each iOS 16 characteristic you need to find out about. Plus, take a look at the newly introduced Apple Watch Collection 8, Apple Watch Extremely and iPhone 14. (In case you missed the Apple occasion, meet up with CNET’s reside weblog.)

The flexibility to edit and ‘unsend’ messages

“Embarrassing typos are a factor of the previous,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice chairman of software program engineering, stated at WWDC as he launched three of probably the most requested options for the Messages app.

First, in iOS 16 you can edit despatched messages. So in the event you discover a typo after a message, you can edit the message after the actual fact. A tiny “edited” seems within the standing below the message.

Subsequent, and this could be my favourite new characteristic, you’ll be able to instantly recall a despatched message. In case you by chance ship an unfinished message, you should utilize the Undo Ship instrument to stop it from being learn and hopefully look much less chaotic to your family and friends.

Final, you’ll be able to mark messages and threads as unread. This may very well be a wonderful instrument for when you do not have time to reply to a message within the second, however need to be sure to come again to it later.

A brand new customizable lock display

One of many belongings you have a look at probably the most in your iPhone is the lock display, particularly when you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings probably the most substantial replace to the iPhone’s lock display but. Press and maintain to edit your lock display. You’ll be able to swipe to check out a number of totally different types. Every type modifications the colour filter for the background photograph and the font on the lock display so every part enhances one another. This feels a bit like Apple’s tackle Google’s Materials You, which launched with Android 12.

You may as well customise the fonts for the time and date, and add lock display widgets like temperature, exercise rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to issues on the Apple Watch lock display. 

You’ll be able to even arrange a number of personalized lock screens with totally different widgets and simply swipe to change between them. There’s additionally a photograph shuffle choice that mechanically modifications the photographs in your lock display.

One characteristic we might been hoping to see Apple add was an always-on show. It is one thing almost all Android telephones have; even the Apple Watch does. Nicely, with the brand new iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional Max, the always-on show has lastly arrived.

Notifications and reside actions

Generally notifications can cowl up your lock display’s photograph, so iOS 16 strikes notifications to the underside of your show. As you obtain them, as a substitute of being compiled into a listing, they seem like a vertical carousel. This not solely seems higher however needs to be an enormous assist for one-handed use of your iPhone.

iOS 16 additionally goals to resolve one other notification drawback. Generally you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, just like the rating of a basketball recreation. A brand new instrument for builders referred to as Stay Actions makes it simpler to remain up to the mark occurring in actual time out of your lock display, as a substitute of getting a collection of interruptions.

Stay Actions ought to make it simpler to observe sporting occasions, exercises and even the progress of an Uber journey.

Skip CAPTCHAs utilizing Non-public Entry Tokens

The CAPTCHA — which stands for Fully Automated Public Turing take a look at to inform Computer systems and People Aside — has been a essential evil throughout the web. CAPTCHAs are designed to guarantee that an individual is accessing a web site or service, and never a bot. I discover them annoying, as they usually contain studying unusually written letters or having to search out all the pictures which have a truck. With iOS 16, Apple plans to start out changing these awkward interactions with Non-public Entry Tokens.

In response to a video on Apple’s web site demonstrating Non-public Entry Tokens, web sites that help the token will basically log in and authenticate that you’re certainly a human with out your having to play any of the standard CAPTCHA video games. Apple says within the video that the corporate is working with different firms to roll out help for this characteristic, so we won’t say the CAPTCHA will likely be useless after iOS 16 rolls out to the general public. However the idea may present some reduction if it will get adopted.

Pockets and Apple Pay Later

ID playing cards from extra states will likely be accessible in your Pockets app together with extra safety and privateness options. In iOS 16 you can even shield your identification and age. So fairly than exhibiting your precise delivery date, the Pockets app will show your ID and that you simply’re over 21.

iOS 16 makes sharing keys simpler with apps like Mail and Messages. When your pal receives the important thing, they’ll add it to the Pockets app on their iPhone. Apple stated it is working to guarantee that shared keys are an business commonplace and free for others.

Apple Pay will help new kinds of funds and provides a brand new characteristic referred to as Apple Pay Later, a Klarna-like service that permits you to break up the price of an Apple Pay buy into 4 equal funds unfold over six weeks, with zero curiosity and no charges. Upcoming funds are managed via the Pockets app, making it straightforward to maintain observe of dates and funds.

However Apple Pay would not cease there. A brand new characteristic may even assist you observe Apple Pay orders and lets retailers ship detailed receipts and monitoring data. This could make it simpler to remain updated on the standing of all of your orders.

Visible Look Up’s faucet and drag for pictures

In iOS 15, Visible Look Up analyzes your pictures and might determine objects like vegetation, landmarks and pets. iOS 16 takes this to the following degree. Once you contact a photograph’s topic just like the canine within the picture above, you’ll be able to carry it away from the background and add it to apps like Messages. Basically it is a tap-and-hold instrument that removes a photograph’s background.

Apple generally overuses the phrase “magic,” however this characteristic really looks like it.

SharePlay involves Messages

SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, lets you have got a shared expertise whereas connecting with somebody over FaceTime. You’ll be able to watch TV reveals, take heed to music in sync and different issues. iOS 16 provides the flexibility to find extra apps that help SharePlay from inside FaceTime.

However maybe one of many coolest issues Apple did for SharePlay was to make it work throughout the Messages app. Apple stated that this was one of many largest requests from app builders. Now if you need to share a film on Disney Plus, you can begin SharePlay along with a pal whereas chatting in Messages.

Security Verify goals to assist individuals in abusive relationships

Security Verify is a brand new characteristic supposed to be useful for individuals in abusive relationships. It helps you to evaluate and reset who has entry to location data in addition to passwords, messages and different apps on an iPhone.

Focus mode updates and Focus filters

Focus mode will get a number of updates. The primary applies Focus behaviors to widgets and lock display seems. So you may have one lock display set for when your Work Focus is enabled and one other for exercises.

Apple added particular Focus filters that apply your iPhone’s Focus mode inside apps. For instance, in Safari, you’ll be able to restrict what tabs are proven relying on what Focus mode you have got energetic.

Apple Maps provides transit fare playing cards

Maps will get a number of updates. You’ll plan journeys with as much as 15 totally different stops alongside the way in which. In case you begin planning a visit with the Maps app in your Mac, you can share that to your iPhone.

And in one thing much like what Google introduced for Google Pockets in Android 13, you can see transit fare estimates in addition to add extra money to a fare card from inside Apple Maps.

iCloud household guidelines

iCloud will get a number of new options. One of many extra fascinating ones is the choice to rapidly arrange a brand new gadget on your little one. When Fast Begin seems, you have got the choice to select a consumer for the brand new gadget and use all the present parental controls you’ve got beforehand chosen and configured. Nonetheless, this isn’t what many people nonetheless need: the flexibility to arrange separate customers for a similar gadget.

There is a new household guidelines with ideas for updating settings on your youngsters as they become old, like a reminder to test location-sharing settings or share your iCloud Plus subscriptions.

For extra, take a look at every part Apple introduced at its Sept. 7 “Far Out” occasion. Plus, this is the way to obtain iOS 16.