Apple iOS 16 features: What's new?

After launching its next line of iPhones, Apple Watches, including the Apple Watch Ultra, and the AirPods Pro at its latest Far Out event, Apple has rolled out its software iOS 16 for iPhones from September 12. The updates are available for users in India. The new software version has brought in a major design change for the lockscreen, iMessage, new tools in Mail, and has introduced more ways to interact with photos and video. Apple earlier announced that iOS 16 will be available on the iPhone 8 series, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2020), and iPhone SE (2022). 

The new iPhone 14 series that includes iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max will come with iOS 16. Users who want to check its availability, can first click on Settings > General > Software update.   

Top features 

The biggest iOS 16 feature is the more customisable lock screen. Users can now go to Settings> Wallpaper > and then tap on Add new wallpaper to change the lockscreen. The lockscreen can have a host of apps and features than just the clock, and looks much more like a second homescreen.  

Battery indicator 

Apple iOS 16 software update brings the much-requested battery indicator back on iPhones, which was dropped with the launch of iPhone X in 2018. But many users won’t get it. As per news reports, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone X, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone SE (2nd Generation) and iPhone SE (3rd Generation) will get the battery update.  

Edits on iMessage 

iMessage users can now edit the messages for up to 15 minutes after sending it, and can unsend a message for up to 2 minutes after sending it. The software update allows up to five edits to a given message, where recipients can see the edits made to the message. 

Lockdown mode 

The iOS will also offer a new mode on iPhones called Lockdown mode, which has been designed to protect against spyware like Pegasus. It will be available under the Privacy tab in Settings. 

Live Text  

The Live Text feature, which was introduced in iOS 15 has also been updated. Live Text can now recognise text in videos, where users can pause a video, and interact with text. Live Text also adds the ability for users to quickly convert currency, translate text, and more. 

Shared photo libraries 

Apple Photos already has a shared album option, but iOS 16 takes it a step further by creating dedicated shared libraries. Furthermore, you can opt to send a photo to either the shared photo library or personal library right from the camera app. You can also choose photos based on their subjects. Edits to any photos in shared libraries will reflect for everyone who has access to that library. 

Autocorrect  

While using iPhones for dictating work, one can switch between voice and touch. Dictation update will automatically punctuate your sentences for you and can also insert emojis. 

Notifications 

With the new software update, the notifications will now appear at the bottom of the screen. One can also stack them together rather keeping them all around. The option to stack the message is called the “stacked view”.