After the initial announcement of iOS 16 in the WWDC Keynote on June 6, the update finally was released to iPhones on September 12, 2022. later on, the update iPadOS16.1 came on October 24. Apple already announced some major features in the update, but there were some hidden ones as well.
Every iOS update comes with its fair share of hidden features. Apple already highlighted major features such as the home screen widgets, Live Activities, and Emergency SOS via Satellite. But, there are some lesser-known features that Apple hasn’t highlighted.
Like any other update, iOS 16 has some hidden gems that will make your life easier. Some features may even enhance your mobile experience to a whole new level. Did you know that you can password-protect your photo albums, and make WiFi passwords easily accessible?
Welcome to The Tech Wires. Today, we’ll be discussing everything you need to know about the iOS 16 update.
Latest Version of iOS 16
The latest version of iOS 16 is iOS 16.1.1, and this includes bug fixes and security updates. After the iOS 16 update, some users faced issues with their WiFi connectivity, so users have been expecting an update that targets and fixes this issue.
Unfortunately, Apple does not provide any information about the bug fixes in their updates. After a month since iOS 16 was launched, iOS 16.1 became available to download. The new update included iCloud shared photo library, changes to the battery percentage indicator, and the ability to move the Wallet app.
iOS 16: Latest Beta Version
Apple launched the beta of iOS 16.2 on October 25. Version 3 of the beta update came out on November 15. Here are some features that were included in the version:
- New always-on-display options for iPhone 14 Pro model arrived with the beta version 3. The two toggles are available in Settings > Display & Brightness > Always on Display.
- Another major challenge is the home page screen layout. This is because of a new Custom Accessibility mode.
- For professionals, a great new change is the FreeForm digital whiteboarding app. It allows users to collaborate with friends, family, and coworkers on a digital whiteboard.
- There will also be changes to the new home architecture. According to Apple, it is faster and more reliable.
- You can use the sleep and medication widgets to track information from the lock screen.
- According to some rumors, there will be frequent Live Activities updates. It isn’t currently available though.
If you’re looking to get your hands on the latest features on your iPhone device, you can register for Apple’s Beta Software Program.
iOS 16: Known Fixed Issues
Since the iOS 16 version was released, users have experienced a range of issues. Here’s a list of the most common issues, and their fixes.
- An iOS 16 mail bug led to an endless loop of app crashes. It also locked users out of their accounts. Any email without double quotes (for example “@techwires”) will cause the mail on iOS 16 to crash. This issue was fixed in iOS 16.0.3.
- Several iPhone users reported that the camera app was slow to open after the iOS 16 update. This was later fixed in iOS 16.0.3.
- There was an issue with the low microphone volume in CarPlay. Apple fixed this in 16.0.3.
- Some users experienced an issue with excessive “Copy and Paste” alerts when users try to move texts and images between apps. This issue was fixed in iOS 16.0.2 update.
- Some users complained about excessive battery drain and other basic issues. These issues were automatically fixed later on.
- In September 2022, Apple released a support document that stated the new iPhone keyboard haptics will drain your battery.
How to Get the Latest iOS Version?
If you still haven’t updated to iOS 16 and want to do it, here’s how you can do it.
- Open the settings on your iPhone
- Go to “General”
- Click on “Software Update”
- You’ll be able to see the latest update for your device there. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
It may happen that instead of showing you iOS 16, your device shows you IOS 15.7. If you’re planning to update to the IOS 16, you can skip the 15.7 altogether. You don’t have to install this version.
After you click on “Software Update,” you’ll see information about the 15.7 version. Scroll down till the end of the information and tap on the button “Upgrade to iOS 16.”
Is my iPhone Compatible with iOS 16?
If you’re wondering if your device will run iOS 16 or not, then the answer is simple. If you have a device from the past 5 years (iPhone 8 or later), you’ll be able to run iOS 16.
If you have an iPad, then the iOS 16 is compatible with all the Pad Pro models. iPad Air 3 (3rd generation and later), iPad Air (3rd Gen and later), iPad (5th gen and later), iPad mini (5th Gen and later).
While you’re updating, keep one thing in mind. Not every device may be able to provide you with the same kind of experience. Newer devices may be able to provide a better experience compared to older versions. The best example of this is the Live caption feature. It’s available only on iPhone 11 and later. While Door Detection and People Detection need LiDAR scanner that is only available in iPhone 12 Pro and later.
What are the Features of iOS 16?
Upgrading to iOS 16 is a major change. It doesn’t change everything about your iPhone, but it does offer a range of fun new features that are completely new.
- Freeform App
This new whiteboard and collaboration app was shown as part of the iPadOS 16 demos at WWDC, but it would take some more time. Freeform was a “Coming later this year” feature since the beginning. But now, the freeform is available with iOS 16.2.
- Game Center
Game Center is also getting support for SharePlay. This feature will allow you to start playing a game right away while you’re on a FaceTime call. There’s no confirmed launch date for this feature.
- iCloud Share Photo Library
Another feature that came alongside the iOS 16 is called the Share Photo Library. It’s a new way for friends and families to share photos with each other. It allows you and 5 more people to set up an album that you call control and it comes with automated updates and sharing notifications.
- Live Activities
Live activity is a new feature for following sports games, Uber journey progress, tracking workouts, and more on the Lock Screen. You can also think of them as notifications that persist and are dynamically updated by their related apps.
- Wallet
The wallet app on iPhone already has an in-app ID verification, which is a great option if you don’t want to share personal details with someone. On the 16.1 updates, the wallet is now able to share digital keys via Messages, Mail, or WhatsApp.
- Lock Screen Customization
In iOS 16, the lock screen is customizable, you can change colors and fonts. It also comes with upgradable widgets for always staying up to date on the weather. And similar to some Apple Watch series, you’ll be able to create multiple Lock Screens, each with its own wallpaper and widgets. It will be easy for users to switch between them.
- Battery Percentage Indicator
This may be trivial for most, but a lot of iPhone users have complained about not having a battery indicator. The battery percentage vanishing from devices was all because of the iPhone X notch.
The battery percentage indicator is now coming back in iOS 16, but its coming back on specific devices only. Initially, the iPhone 11, the iPhone XR, and the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini don’t have this feature, but it will be coming for these devices with a newer update.
- Focus Mode
You can choose your choice of Lock Screen, Widgets, and Notification settings in focus mode. Apple suggests that you use a “data rich Lock-Screen when you’re using the Work Focus mode, and a photo lock screen when you’re using Personal Focus. By swiping on a particular Lock Screen, you can start Focus Mode.
There are even filters on the Focus mode. If you’re in a work Focus Mode, you can choose to see tabs on Safari that are related to work or the current project.
- Dictation
Apple has also made improvements to the dictation feature. According to users, the dictation feature is better than ever.
The new Dictation supports both your voice and keyboard to add and edit texts. You will be able to automatically add commas, periods, and question marks as you want and add emoji with just your voice.
- Live Text and Visual Look Up
You can use the Live Text feature on video images and still images. Pause a video and the text will be available for copying or for translation. According to toApple, Live Text is going to offer faster and almost instant translation.
The Visual Look Up is a related feature that was introduced in iOS 15. It uses AI to identify plants, animals, and even buildings in your photos. This feature also got an update with the iOS 16. You can now use it to recognize birds, insects, and statues. That’s not all, the AI enables users to tap and hold an item from the image and drop it into messages, and other apps.
