it’s time Another year.At WWDC 2022, Apple showed iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, the next version of the operating system that runs on its iPhones and iPads. This update builds on many of the new features Apple introduced in iOS 15, such as SharePlay and Focus, and adds a greater degree of customization.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Is your iPhone or iPad compatible?
In iOS 16, Apple finally dropped software support for the following devices: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE 2016, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus. Basically, if you own an iPhone 8 (2017) or newer (including the 2nd and 3rd generation iPhone SE), you’ll be able to download and run it in iOS 16, which will be released this fall. But that doesn’t mean every feature in the update will work on your iPhone, as some features like Live Text are only available on iPhones with the A12 Bionic chip or newer.
The situation with iPads is a little more complicated, as they don’t have a sensible naming convention. Here are the generations that will receive iPadOS 16 this fall.You can find your model by Follow the directions here.
- iPad: 5th generation and above
- small tablet: 4th generation and above
- iPad Air: Second generation and above
- 9.7″ and 10.5″ iPad Pro
- 11-inch iPad Pro: 1st generation and above
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 1st generation and above
What’s new in iOS 16?
Here, we’ve highlighted the major new features in iOS 16. We’ll keep adding more features until Apple releases the final version this fall.
Lock screen overhaul
Apple is completely redesigning the lock screen in iOS 16. Notifications now appear at the bottom of the screen to avoid cluttering up your pretty lock screen photo. The clock widget cuts into the theme of the photo, giving off a cool depth effect, and you can customize its design, from fonts to colors – just press and hold the lock screen to enter edit mode.
You can add more widgets below the clock, such as the weather, event ring, and calendar. All the way to the bottom, where the notifications are, you can also pin certain types of live activity. For example, if you’re following an NBA game, you can check the score from the pinned notification at the bottom. You can also pin things like Uber rides, workout activities, and Now Playing controls, which now extend to the full lock screen to show album art.
There’s a new wallpaper gallery with tons of designs to choose from, including a live weather lock screen that simulates real-time weather conditions, or suggestions for using photos from your own camera roll. Apple will let you set up multiple lock screens and cycle through them as easily as you can switch watch faces with a swipe on your Apple Watch.
More focus improvements
Your lock screen can also be tied to focus, which means you can have one lock screen for your work focus and a different lock screen for your personal focus – with a more personal photo. Swiping to the relevant lock screen will only trigger that focus. iOS 16 also adds focus filters in apps like Safari, Calendar, Mail, and Messages. This means that when you turn on work focus and open Safari, you’ll only see work-related tabs. The same goes for other apps that support these filters, and Apple says developers can leverage APIs to add support.
message, but editable
Twitter still doesn’t allow you to edit tweets, but Apple allows you to edit messages in the Messages app after they’ve been sent. You can even “Undo Send” to recall messages. Another new feature is the ability to mark any thread as unread so you can view the message later. Apple also added SharePlay support in the Messages app. Now you don’t need to FaceTime your friends to watch a synced movie together – you can get started in the Messages app and chat using synced video and shared playback controls.
If you prefer dictation to typing (less “ducks”, right?), then you’ll be happy to see improvements in dictation. The keyboard will now remain open during dictation, so you can easily move between speech and touch. You can tap text to select it and replace it with your voice, and even send an emoji without ever searching for one.
Pay later with Apple Pay
Buy now, pay later service see Some objections from consumer analysts, but Apple is launching its own product called Apple Pay Later. Soon, you’ll be able to spread the cost of your Apple Pay purchases into four equal payments over six weeks with zero interest and no fees. When you check out with Apple Pay, you have the option to use Apple Pay later, and Apple says it can be used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted online or in-app.
You can also view order tracking directly in Apple Pay, but this is only available at participating merchants. If you’re a small business owner, you’ll be able to accept Apple Pay payments from your iPhone without having to use a separate terminal.
