There is a new iOS on the horizon, and a boatload of changes and new iOS features to look forward to along with it. And as Apple’s new iOS 16 preview has shown us, they are set to take our favourite features to the next level. Further personalisation, greater intelligence, and seamless communication, who can say no? Join us as we dive into the new iPhone operating system and the key additions you can expect…

 

iOS 16 Lock Screen Changes

 

iOS 16 is kicking off with a heap of new personalisation options for the lock screen. Starting with the ability to create multiple lock screens on your iPhone. And it is super simple how. By long pressing on your iPhone’s lock screen, you can now bring up a wallpaper selection menu. By pressing on create new wallpaper, a new lock screen gallery that is full of options when it comes to photos, wallpapers, styles and more will appear. Then you can easily switch lock screens whenever you feel like it.

For those who hate having to keep going into and out of your phone to check your widgets, the iOS 16 helps with that too. Not only can you create multiple lock screens, but you can now add widgets directly to your lock screen. Whether you want to check the weather, any calendar events you may have, or the date, you can add it straight to your screen.

Your lock screen notifications will be getting a neat change as well. Rather than notifications flying up your screen whenever you open your phone, they will now be stored in a small stack or hidden view that you can open when you choose. These views will also be right at the bottom of the lock screen too, so they do not get in your way. This works hand in hand with the new live activities’ addition. You can keep an easy track of your deliveries, and real-time changes in a match or game, all straight from your lock screen.

 

Focus

 

The new iOS is taking productivity to the next level, especially with the new streamlined setup for the Focus feature. With iPhone Focus, you will be able to filter out notifications from unwanted apps or people by selecting specifically what notifications you want for each focus. You can set up your work focus to make sure you only get notifications for meetings and tasks, a personal focus for messages, and more. These can connect straight to your lock screens, so you can easily swap between them.

 

Photo Changes

 

Sharing photos on your iPhone is about to become smarter with iOS 16. And it is all through your iPhone’s shared library. Now you can automatically share images based on the date or people in the photo if you choose to. And once you have set up your shared library, you can instantly share photos straight from the camera, share photos instantly when library members are close and get other smart suggestions for adding photos to your library.

That is not all for the iPhone shared library changes either. With the new iOS, everyone in your shared library will have equal permissions for adding, editing, and removing photos. Along with access to favourites, captions, and keywords too. This means that one change someone makes will benefit all others in the library.

 

Messages

 

Hate it when you make a mistake in your message and cannot get rid of it. With iOS 16, you now can! The option to edit and remove messages from your iPhone will be added with the new iPhone operating system. By long pressing the message you want to change, you will have the option to either edit or delete it. And even mark a message as unread if you want to come back to it later.

And for those who love movie night, the SharePlay feature is now also making its way to messages. Meaning that you can easily share the TV show or song that you want to play, and easily sync it with your friends. Or even message them while watching!

TV shows and songs are not the only things that will now also be easy to share through messages though. You will now be able to share notes, reminders, presentations, website tabs and more in messages and easily collaborate.

 

Mail

 

Messages are not the only feature being treated to sending changes. Mail will also benefit from several changes too. You will now be able to unsend an email on your iPhone, schedule various messages, set up reminders and give you the option to add rich links. And if you have forgotten something, the mail app will remind you as well.

But one of the biggest changes to mail is the improved search capabilities. The search option will now be far more accurate and provide more complete results when you are searching for something in your mail.

 

Safari

 

As mentioned with messages, you will be able to share tabs on safari directly to messages. But that’s not all. Not only can you share tabs and bookmarks straight from Safari, but you can start FaceTime as well or share all desired tabs in one place. Then whoever you share them with can also add tabs too.

 

Passkeys

 

Passkeys are the first of several new security additions being made with iOS 16. These new passkeys offer a new sign-in method that is not only encrypted from end to end but is also safe from data leaks and phishing. A sign-in method that is even stronger than common two-step authentication methods. These passkeys will also be able to be used on non-Apple devices.

 

Privacy and Security

 

On top of the new passkey sign-in method come several more security and privacy changes. Including rapid security response. Your iPhone will be able to get key security improvements between the normal software updates, keeping you quickly and automatically up to date and safe against any security problems.

The other feature implemented is the new safety check, designed to help people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations. People will be able to review and reset any access that they have granted to others. Along with resetting system privacy permissions for apps and restricting Messages and FaceTime.

 

Greater Intelligence

 

As mentioned at the beginning, your iPhone will only get smarter with iOS 16. And this is thanks to some new changes. Starting with your images. You will now be able to easily lift the subject directly from an image and copy and share it elsewhere. You can either lift the subject or remove the background to isolate it.

This will also be able to work for the text from videos too. When watching a video, you can pause on a particular frame containing text, and you will be able to copy, select, look up, translate, share, and do more with that text directly from that frame in the video.

With the photos and videos in your camera, you will have a greater option of quick actions for the live text. You can instantly call a number seen in an image, visit a website, translate a language and more.

And for those who love Siri, you can now also run shortcuts instantly as you install an app.

 

Dictation

 

Next up with iOS 16 is automatic punctuation. Or the dictation feature. Dictation will automatically punctuate your text with commas, question marks, full stops and more as you speak through messages. And you can also add emojis to text using your voice. Simply say “happy face emoji” or another emoji, and it will be instantly inserted into the text.

Dictation and the keyboard can now also be used together. Seamlessly switch between voice and touch to enter text by pressing the icon when it shows up. And you can also insert QuickType suggestions, type, and tap in the text, all without stopping dictation.

 

Maps

 

The Apple Maps feature is also getting a few handy additions. Including the ability to add multi-stop routing and add travel cards and fares. You can plan out your journey easily in advance and sync it across all your devices to easily keep track of directions and stops. You will also be able to add your travel cards to your wallet, check your balance, add funds, and see the cost of your whole trip without having to leave the Maps app.

 

Apple Pay and Wallet

 

While on the topic of paying and the wallet, you can now track your Apple Pay orders and view your receipts within the wallet. Not only that, but you can now also securely share the keys in your wallet to your messaging app (Messages, Mail and WhatsApp). You also have full control of these keys, with the ability to decide when they can be used, and if to revoke them.

 

Home App

 

The Home App is now also being completely rebuilt to make it even more reliable than before. Featuring a newly designed home tab, along with categories for lights, security, and more that allow for easy access and control. A new multi-camera view is also placed right at the top of the app, so you can view your home easily.

A new feature named Matter is also in the works for later this year. Matter is a new smart home connectivity standard that will allow multiple devices to work together across platforms. But this feature will not be available with the launch of iOS 16.

 

Health and Fitness

 

Apple iOS 16 also introduces two new health and fitness features. The first is a new medication feature in the health app. This feature will help you to manage and keep track of the medications you take. With the health app, you will now also be able to share information with your close ones through the health app.

The other feature is a new fitness app for the iPhone. This fitness app will help you to keep track and meet fitness goals, whether you have an Apple Watch or not. The fitness app makes use of the motion sensors inside your iPhone, to keep a track of how much you move and estimate how many calories you have burned.

 

Family Sharing

 

The next set of improvements to seamless communication comes in the form of family sharing updates. With family sharing, you can not only set up a device for your child, but you can also apply all the parental controls that you feel are necessary. Including age-appropriate media, screen time, location sharing and more. Your child can also request screen time in messages, making it easy to approve or deny.

And to make your job even easier comes the family checklist. The family checklist gives you tips and suggestions to make family sharing the most effective. Like updating children’s settings as they get older or sharing your iCloud subscription.

 

CarPlay

 

The next generation of CarPlay has also been confirmed. Said to be the ultimate iPhone experience for the car. As it provides a customisable design experience for all the driver’s screens. Including content, the ability to change car functions like radio and temperature, and a series of changeable widgets.

 

Accessibility

 

A few new accessibility features are being added to iOS 16 too. Including a door detection feature, the ability to control your Apple Watch from your phone and a way to combine two controllers into one when you need support during a game.

The door detection feature will help you to identify how far away a door is after locating it, and how to open it, while also reading aloud key details like room numbers and wheelchair-accessible symbols.

These are most of the main changes and additions that we are confirmed to see with the new iOS 16. But make sure you keep an eye out for many other slight changes that are bound to be snuck into the new OS.