Apple fans rejoice! It’s almost time for the official release of iOS 16 and iPhone 14. If you haven’t been part of the beta testing phase, there will be many new features and a ton of improvements to look forward to from the latest operating system.
It’s an exciting time with both the new operating system and the new Apple smartphone releasing soon. While many are excited about iPhone 14, if you aren’t ready to make a move yet, you can still enjoy all the improvements and new features of iOS 16 on your iPhone 8 or newer.
When can you get your hands on the latest iPhone?
Apple is hosting a launch event on September 7, 2022, to release the newest iPhone, iPhone 14. Pre-orders for the new Apple smartphone should become available from September 9. With the release date of the new device looming, iOS 16 is also in its final beta stages, and it’s expected to become available to the public from about September 12, 2022. However, an official release date will be given at the launch event.
What iPhones will get iOS 16?
If you’re eager to get the new OS but not quite ready to shell out the hefty price for the newest iPhone, you may be in luck. iOS 16 will be available on a few older models as well. All iPhones newer than version 8 will be able to download iOS 16.
Improvements you can expect with iOS 16
While the new operating system brings quite a few new features that we’re excited about, they’ve also made quite a few changes to existing features. Here are a few existing features that will be receiving some significant updates:
- Wallet and Apple Pay Later – ID cards from more states have been added, and Apple Pay includes more payment methods and more.
- Visual Look Up – Many improvements, including a simple way to select an object in the image and remove the background.
- SharePlay – The app will now also work within messages.
- Focus Mode – Can now be set on widgets and introduces many new focus filters.
- Car Play – Now features different display shapes to use in any car. It also aims to replace important displays like speed, engine temperature, revs, etc.
- Maps – Improving 3D maps and adding more cities.
- Home App – Improved functionality and reliability
6 best new features of iOS 16 for iPhone 14
Let’s take a look at some of the top new features of iOS 16:
Edit and unsend messages
The iMessaging app is receiving a few useful new features. The first is the ability to edit your message after it’s been sent. Now you can easily edit your message to correct those mistakes.
Another useful feature is the ability to recall a sent message. If you’ve sent the message to the wrong person or with the wrong information, you can quickly recall the message before they see it.
Finally, you’ll also be able to mark messages as read or unread. This is particularly useful if you’ve read a message but don’t have time to respond and don’t want to forget about it. These may seem like basic features, but they significantly impact how you experience and use the app.
Customizable lock screens
Since the announcement of iOS 16, customizable screens have been one of the most popular new features. iOS 16 features the biggest update to customizable lock screens yet. You can scroll through many styles, fonts, and widgets. Depending on your needs, you can also set multiple lock screens, each with its widgets. A photo shuffle option allows you to add rotating images to your lock screen for a personalized effect.
Better looking notifications and live activities
iOS 16 changes how notifications are displayed. Instead of taking up half your screen in a list format, notifications have been moved to the bottom of the screen. These notifications will appear in a vertical carousel that looks much better.
iOS 16 also introduces live activities to make it easier to follow live events (such as sports), workouts, or even Uber rides.
Skip CAPTCHAs
This feature will allow users to automatically skip website CAPTCHAs by sending a Private Access Token to the website to confirm you’re human. This will eliminate the need for completing annoying CAPTCHAs. Be sure to check our tips for privacy control with iOS 16.
Introduction of Safety Check
Safety Check is an impressive new feature geared toward helping people that are in abusive relationships. You can review and reset who has access to your location information, passwords, accounts, apps, and more.
Return of battery percentage
This feature isn’t exactly new, but it hasn’t been available on iPhone since the release of iPhone X. Now, it’s finally back! You can also tweak these display settings to your liking, making it even better.
