For which devices, what can you do?: Apple will distribute iOS 16 from September 12

It is already available, iOS 16 will be available from September 12. ntv.de explains the most important innovations and lists which iPhones will receive the update.

During the presentation of the new iPhone 14 series, Apple also announced that iOS 16 will be distributed from September 12. Users will not notice spectacular changes, the focus is on the lock screen, which will be decorated with widgets, among other things, and in the future will show notifications at the bottom. Not all iPhones will get the update, the oldest devices still getting the update are the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

Widgets and more on lock screens

The most notable innovations concern the lock screen, which becomes much more useful even without the “dynamic island” of iPhone 14 Pro devices. Users can now add widgets to it to get important information. This includes weather, calendar events, date, time zones, alarm, battery status, or activity ring progress.

To use the feature, just long press on the lock screen. After that, you can customize the existing one or add a new one. If you tap the plus sign, you’ll see various background and pattern suggestions that you can accept and then replace the existing ones with your own widgets. But there is also the option to completely customize a lock screen. If you have created multiple, you can switch between them by swiping sideways.

The so-called multi-layer effect allows the background photo motifs to be displayed against the clock, creating an effect of depth. Users can customize the date and time with different text styles and colors.

You can also set your own lock screens for the focus feature in iOS 16. It allows users to show only certain messages depending on the situation. To activate a focus, just slide to the corresponding background.

Live activity and bottom-up notifications

The new feature called Live Activities is particularly interesting, although Apple will only add it after the update later in the year. Widgets on the lock screen show, for example, the score of a football match in real time or how far to call a taxi or order a pizza.

iOS 16 displays notifications sequentially from bottom to top. Apple expects more clarity on this.

In the future, up to six users will be able to share an iCloud Photo Library to which they can add and edit pictures and videos. A toggle in the Photos app allows photos to be sent there automatically.

Delete messages after

The messaging app has an important function to avoid misunderstandings: users can edit or retrieve sent text messages for 15 minutes. You can recover deleted messages within 30 days. Conversations can be marked as unread to deal with later.

Users also have “a moment” to revoke sent messages in Mail before leaving the outbox. They can also schedule emails to be sent ahead of time. Machine learning allows the app to independently recognize when important parts, such as a theme, have been forgotten. It also reminds you if you have not yet received a reply to a message. Search should work much better in Mail than before.

Machine learning is also responsible for the fact that iOS 16 can recognize and read text not only in images but also in videos. In addition, the iPhone will in future record motifs in the foreground and offer them for cropping, for example to insert into a message. If this is possible, the option as additional information for places of interest is offered with an i symbol.

CarPlay speeds up, Passkey replaces passwords

With iOS 16, CarPlay is more deeply integrated into the car’s hardware and makes content available across multiple screens. In the future, drivers will be able to control the radio or air conditioning, among other things. With vehicle data, CarPlay brings speed, fuel level, temperature and more to the instrument screen, widgets are also supported. However, the first compatible vehicles should not be available before the end of 2023.

In the Safari browser in iOS 16 there are shared tab groups for sharing website collections. Passwords can be replaced with “Passkey”, creating unique digital keys that remain on the device, making them inaccessible to hackers. Touch ID or Face ID is used for biometric verification, iCloud Keychain for synchronization on other Apple devices.

Routes with 15 stops, fitness without Apple Watch

In the future, Apple Maps will allow users to plan routes with up to 15 stops and automatically sync them between Mac and iPhone. In addition, the integration of connection information for local public transport will be improved. Among other things, it is possible to add bus or train tickets directly to the app.

If you use the dictation feature in iOS 16, you can make manual entries at the same time. Also, the dictation feature can automatically insert punctuation marks and emojis.

If you don’t have an Apple Watch, you can still use the Fitness app to set goals and track your progress toward them. iOS 16 uses the iPhone’s motion sensors for this.

Not only parents have it easier

Parents can more easily set up children’s accounts with proper backups in Family Sharing. They can allow or deny requests for more screen time right in the Messages app.

With the new “Security Control”, users can quickly revoke all access to the device that they have granted to other people.

In the future, accessibility features will include door recognition that will help visually impaired users walk the last few meters to their destination with their iPhone. Automatic live captions help hearing-impaired users during phone calls, Facetime chats, video conferences, or social media applications.

The Home app will also soon support the Matter Smart Home connection standard, patients can manage their medications in the Health app, Game Center has a new dashboard, and 3D audio can be customized with the true depth camera.