Apple has finally released the news of iOS 16, the new version of the iPhone operating system. Although in recent months we have indeed begun to learn some details through the inevitable leaks, it was not until WWDC 2022 that those from Cupertino cleared up any doubts about the update. If no unforeseen event arises, it will be available to everyone between September and October of this year. Thus coinciding with the presentation of the new generation of the aforementioned smartphone.

With each version of iOS that Apple introduces, the following question quickly arises: is this a significant leap?

IOS 15 was indeed considered by many to be a “minor” update. Although iOS 16 does not come to revolutionize the operation of the terminal —and much less in the mobile phone industry—, it does introduce some features that users have been waiting for years and that, for one reason or another, Apple had not been encouraged to offer.

In this sense, the biggest novelty of iOS 16 is found in the lock screen, which had barely changed in the long history of the terminal. But, also, Apple is taking advantage of the update to enhance widgets, whose use has become widespread; largely thanks to the excellent use of the developers. So, we review every one of the new features of iOS 16 below.

The lock screen is completely renewed

The iPhone lock screen is a section that we constantly interact with, and with iOS 16 it has been renewed like never before. Not only in design, but also in functionality. Best of all, its new features are subject to the user’s choice, since it will be completely customizable in many ways.

First of all, we have to talk about the wallpaper, something that gives our personal touch to the iPhone. With iOS 16 you can make the image change throughout the day. But, also, photos taken in portrait mode can be divided into layers. This will allow, for example, to show the time behind the people that appear in the shot, but in front of the background —as you can see in the image above—.

“The lock screen becomes more personal, beautiful, and useful with iOS 16. With a new multi-layer effect, photo subjects are cleverly placed in front of the time on the lock screen, creating a sense of depth.”

Manzana

Users will also be able to change the font —from a selection of predetermined fonts— and the color of the time and date. In the same way, you can establish filters that modify the look of the background. Apple is letting us make the lock screen look whatever we want. But what about functionality?

Before iOS 16, to access the widgets we had to slide the lock screen to the right, the weight is over. From now on, widgets can appear on the lock screen to show you really useful information. Apple showed us some examples, such as seeing the route of your Uber to your position or looking at the score of the game played by your favorite sports team. The possibilities, of course, are left to the developers’ imagination.

It is possible that, on some occasions, you need some widgets more than others. For this reason, iOS 16 will allow us to create multiple custom lock screens and tie them to Focus Mode. For example, if you are going through your daily exercise routine, the lock screen can show you widgets related to your physical activity and a completely different background. Did you just wake up? The lock screen will show you a relevant news widget and a calendar with the tasks you need to do for the rest of the day.

You should also know that notifications will be displayed from the bottom instead of the top. According to Apple, this change was made so that there are no issues with the display of widgets.

Shared Photo Library in iCloud

The next big thing in iOS 16 has to do with iCloud. Specifically, you will be able to create a library of shared photos with your family members. This proposal is ideal, for example, when you go on a trip with them and everyone has their catches. It is worth mentioning that this library can be formed with completely new photos, or with those that you already had in your gallery.

“A user can also choose to send photos to the Shared Library automatically using a new option in the Camera app. Additionally, users will receive smart suggestions for sharing a photo that includes participants from the Shared Library.”

Shared Photo Library in iCloud will accept a maximum of 6 users. Everyone is free to decide what to share —and what not—. In addition, everyone will have permission to add, delete, edit or mark images as favorites. If you use this last option, the photos appear as highlights or in your memories.

News in Messages and Mail

The messaging application will have some additions thanks to iOS 16. It will now be possible to edit recently sent messages, a feature that many users have been requesting for a long time. You can also recover deleted messages —recently sent, of course— and mark conversations as unread. The main new feature in Messages, however, is SharePlay, which debuted on FaceTime the year before. With this feature, you can share content —movies, series, or music— and enjoy it simultaneously with the recipient.

Regarding Mail, you can finally schedule emails. Did you accidentally send an email? Don’t worry, there will be an option to cancel it as they already offer third-party apps. You can even identify if the message is incomplete. “Users also have the option to repost a message at any date and time with ‘Remind me later,’ and follow-up suggestions automatically remind users to follow up on an email if they haven’t received a response”, mentions Apple.

The live text makes the jump to videos

Live Text became a must-have for iPhone owners. With this function, as you surely know, it is possible to extract the text from an image to translate it or save it in a note, among other options. However, with iOS 16, you will also be able to get the text of videos. To achieve this, you just have to pause the content that is playing and, if the frame shows the text, the operating system will automatically identify it.

Extracting elements from photos

Beyond extracting text from images, iOS 16 will also be able to identify relevant elements that appear in your photos. For example, you could extract your pet and turn it into a sticker to send through Messages. At the moment, yes, it does not seem that it is possible to use it in the same way in other messaging applications.

To take advantage of this feature, all you have to do is press on the desired element and the operating system will do the cropping automatically. Apple points out that iOS 16 can recognize birds, insects, and statues.

Funding payments with Apple Pay Later

Yes, financing, so popular in many regions of the world when making purchases, reaches the payment system of those from Cupertino. With Apple Pay Later, you can defer payment up to four interest-free installments. The most interesting thing is that the process does not involve the participation of a banking institution. Therefore, it is entirely Apple that is responsible for carrying out the process in a transparent manner.

Likewise, shops or businesses do not need to adapt to implement this feature. Mind you, Apple Pay Later will be available only in the United States, at least initially. The company did not mention if it has plans to extend it to other regions of the world.

“Integrated into Apple Wallet and designed with users’ financial health in mind, Apple Pay Later makes it easy to view, track and pay Apple Pay Later payments within Wallet. Users can request Apple Pay Later when they’re paying with Apple Pay or in Wallet. Apple Pay Later is available everywhere Apple Pay is accepted online or in the app, using the Mastercard network.”

More iOS 16 Features You Should Know About

As usual in previous versions of the operating system, Apple offered us a list of features that, despite being minor, cannot be ignored. We collect them below:

The new generation of Apple CarPlay is so significant that we have made a separate publication.
The Fitness app is now available on iPhone even if you don’t have an Apple Watch. If this is the case, the smartphone will use its sensors to record physical activity.
You will be able to share groups of Safari tabs with family or friends.
Passkeys, Apple’s bet to forget about passwords, is now integrated into Safari and makes use of Touch ID or Face ID for biometric verification.
Apple Maps will allow you to plan up to 15 stops on your trips. In addition, you will be able to see information about traffic and how it can alter your journey.
Family Sharing will give you suggestions about parental controls from the moment you activate a new device for a child. You can also grant more screen time from Messages.
Dictation will make it easier to move between the text you are dictating and the text you are typing. Now you can dictate emojis and punctuation.
Siri will be able to run shortcuts when it detects that you have downloaded a certain app. You will also be able to send messages or give orders such as hanging up calls and skipping the annoying confirmation process.
The Home app comes with improvements that make it easier to navigate and organize your connected devices.
The Game Center debuts a redesign of the Dashboard to show information about the activity of your friends and the achievements you have obtained. All in the same place.
The Spatial Audio experience can be personalized with the help of the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera. It will be possible to create personalized profiles based on where you are.
With Security Verification, people who are victims of domestic or intimate partner violence will be able to remove any access they have granted to others.