Since iOS 16.2’s third developer beta is already available for download, the general public can anticipate iOS 16.2’s release in the near future. Have you seen the new features in iOS 16.1 before that release? Early in October, compatible iPhones started receiving the newest iOS update. The iOS 16.1 update adds a number of new features, tweaks, and fixes to your iPhone as a follow-up to iOS 16’s new tricks, such as a way to delete messages and further customize your lock screen.
With this most recent beta, a few problems have been resolved. There was a problem with Chinese Pinyin typing, which has been fixed, and there was a problem with the TV app not functioning properly. Last but not least, iOS 16.2 beta 2 has fixed some animation issues with SwiftUI, an Apple app development tool.
Let’s discuss the new capabilities.
- iCloud Shared Photo Library
It can be a hassle to share pictures with your friends and family after a night out or a trip. However, iCloud Shared Photo Library makes it simple to send photos and videos to up to five additional people.
Anyone with access to the shared photo library is able to add, edit, and delete items from it. When you are physically present with other people who have access to the library, you can add photos to it and upload them straight from your iPhone’s camera.
But you can’t be a part of two shared libraries at once, and if you transfer photos from your private library to the shared library, those photos won’t be there when you return.
- Custom Accessibility Mode
Apple is developing a new Custom Accessibility mode that could significantly simplify the iOS layout as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure that everyone can use an iPhone.
When this mode is activated, the “Springboard” iOS home screen layout is replaced with a more straightforward grid of icons. No matter where you are on the phone, a clear Back button is always present at the bottom of the screen. The phone can also be configured to require a touch-and-hold input to unlock it.
Additionally, there are options to change specific apps and the iOS Emergency SOS service, as well as to enlarge on-screen text and disable volume buttons.
- Sleep widget and Medications widgets
Users can now view their sleep tracking information from the Lock Screen thanks to the Sleep Lock Screen widget that was added to iOS 16.2 beta 1. Since iOS 15, there has been a Sleep Home Screen widget, but as the Lock Screen becomes more crucial to iOS, the Sleep widget is being ported over.
Meanwhile, iOS 16.2 beta 2 adds its own health widget to the mix. A widget called “Medications” had previously been teased but wasn’t yet available in the most recent beta. Customers who are using iOS 16.2 beta 2 can now monitor their medications from the Lock Screen. Given the complexity of many medication schedules, if you take a lot of medications, this feature can be very helpful.
- Live Activities changes
Live Activities only recently debuted in iOS 16.1, but iOS 16.2 will bring some improvements to the feature. Recall that Live Activities are notifications that show up on the lock screen (or all over the Dynamic Island if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max) and provide you with continuous updates for things like sports scores, delivery statuses, and timers.
- Actual Activities
Live Activities for a few sports games will be incorporated into iOS 16.2 for the iPhone’s TV app. On your Lock Screen, you will be able to keep track of games in real-time. Additionally, Dynamic Island will display Live Activities if you own an iPhone 14 Pro.
- Freeform App For iPhone and iPad
Freeform, an app that Apple first showed off at its Worldwide Developer Conference in June, may have slipped your mind. Freeform is marketed by Apple as a tool for brainstorming and teamwork, acting as a sort of mobile whiteboard where users can collaborate in real time.
Freeform appears to be primarily designed for the iPad, making use of the bigger screen on that device. In fact, Freeform makes its debut on iPadOS 16.2 Beta 1, which was released concurrently with the iOS 16.2 update. Freeform, however, is included in both iOS 16.2 and the newest macOS Ventura beta because it is made to function across a variety of Apple products.
Freeform has some known issues that call for workarounds, such as deleting boards while offline and adding or removing collaborators when changing share settings, according to Apple’s release notes for iOS 16.2 Beta 1(opens in new tab). It serves as a reminder that this is still very much a beta release and that there will be a lot of fine-tuning before iOS 16.2 is made generally available.
- New Home app architecture
With an entirely new design that makes it simpler to view and control smart home accessories, Home first gained attention in iOS 16. Support for Matter, an interoperability protocol backed by Google, Amazon, and Apple, was added with the iOS 16.1 update.
In iOS 16.2, which will introduce a new architecture for the Home app, the changes keep coming. Apple claims that the change will result in faster, more dependable performance, but we must wait until it is put to use before determining what that means for regular use.
- Weather app Apple News stories
An Apple News widget will appear to let you read more about what’s happening in the News app if you open the iOS Weather app and the current weather is relevant to an ongoing news story.
Currently, it appears that this feature is only available in a few U.S. cities, but once it exits beta, hopefully it will be available everywhere.
- Updates to wallet apps.
With Messages and WhatsApp, you can safely share information about your car, hotel room, and other wallet app items. Customers of the Apple Card can increase their Daily Cash by transferring their savings to a high-yield savings account.
Conclusion
Additionally, Apple fixed a few bugs. These fixes address problems such as conversations that have been deleted showing up in Messages, some Dynamic Island content not showing up when using Reachability, and CarPlay not connecting when using a VPN app. You can wait for IOS 16.2 if you are using IOS 16.