iOS 16: The most important innovations of the new iPhone operating system

If you own an Apple iPhone, you can probably look forward to a completely new operating system this fall. At WWDC 2022, the company presented iOS 16, which comes up with numerous exciting innovations. These include widgets on the lock screen, live notifications and a new CarPlay interface. We have summarized the most important innovations.

iOS 16: These innovations await you

The iPhone operating system launches in a new version this fall. iOS 16 comes up with many exciting innovations and improvements. The always-on display, which has been speculated about recently, is not (currently) one of them, though.

It starts, for example, on the lock screen, which can additionally be expanded by widgets with the new version. These remind us a bit of the Apple Watch’s complications and show, for example, the battery status of connected devices, temperature, activity rings or upcoming events. Lock screen widgets can be selected and configured in a menu.

In addition, iOS 16 finally lets you customize the design of the clock on the lock screen. Background images taken with the iPhone’s portrait mode partially move in front of the clock with the new operating system, creating a three-dimensional effect. Images can also be given various filters, and multiple lock screens can be created, which can be switched back and forth between.

New notifications and live updates

Also new to the lock screen in iOS 16 is the display of notifications. From now on, these will be displayed in the lower third of the screen so as not to cover the background image and widgets. Notifications are additionally grouped, while live notifications can also be displayed if desired.

These inform, for example, about the current music playback, the progress of training, live results of a sports event or the arrival time of a called cab. Thanks to API, developers themselves can offer live activities for their apps.

Focus modes, messages and SharePlay

Also revised in iOS 16 are the focus modes that Apple introduced last year. Lock screen and widgets can be assigned to a specific focus mode, for example, to display only widgets that show the calendar or the to-do list in work mode. Thanks to focus filters, the content within apps can also be restricted. As an example, Apple shows the Safari browser, which only displays the tabs that are relevant for work in work mode.

The Messages app has also been revised, allowing you to delete iMessage messages that have already been sent. Messages can also be edited to correct spelling mistakes. Thanks to SharePlay, you can enjoy various activities with friends or family at the touch of a button via FaceTime or iMessages. New features include support for the streaming provider Disney+.

The dictation feature has also been improved, allowing on-the-fly switching between voice and touch input. For example, while you dictate an email to the iPhone, the keyboard stays open, allowing you to add additional words or quickly fix an error. For longer messages, the dictation feature automatically adds punctuation.

Innovations also await you in iOS 16 with the Live Text feature, which could previously recognize and read text from images. The whole thing now also works in videos. In addition, there are new quick interactions with which you can convert a currency or translate a language directly in the image or video.

Apple Pay Later: New payment option with iOS 16

Those who like to pay via Apple Pay with the help of the Wallet app can also enjoy a new feature. Apple Pay Later does exactly what the name suggests, allowing you to make purchases immediately but pay later.

And it does so without incurring interest or other fees. The purchase made via Apple Pay is split into four equal payments over six weeks. According to Apple, this is possible “everywhere Apple Pay is accepted”. So presumably also in Germany, although here the confirmation is still pending.

Pending payments are displayed within the Wallet and Calendar app, providing an overview of when and how much payments are due. In addition, the Wallet app will henceforth display order and delivery information.

Maps and CarPlay

The Maps app also receives an update. Thanks to multi-stop route guidance, up to 15 stops can now be created in advance. Presumably USA-exclusive, the Maps app also shows departure times and ticket prices for public transport and allows the purchase of tickets directly within the app.

Much more interesting for us is the overhauled interface of CarPlay. Here, Apple relies on a brand-new design and new widgets that let you use significantly more functions within a vehicle. In addition, there are more customization options and the option to adapt the layout to different display sizes and formats.

More iOS 16 News

iOS 16 comes to the release in the fall of 2022 with many other news. Among them, new Memojis, personalized Spatial Audio, Quick Notes and a redesigned Home app.

Which iPhones will get iOS 16?

It is now also known which iPhone models will be compatible with iOS 16. Here the compatibility goes back to iPhone 8. iOS 16 supports the following iPhone models:

• iPhone 8 (Plus)
• iPhone X
• iPhone XR
• iPhone XS (Max)
• iPhone 11 (Pro, Pro Max)
• iPhone 12 (mini, Pro, Pro Max)
• iPhone 13 (mini, Pro, Pro Max)
• iPhone SE (second and third generation)
• (and of course the upcoming iPhone 14 generation)

Release iOS 16 will be in the fall of 2022, presumably coinciding with the new iPhone 14 devices. However, developers can already plunge into the iOS beta.