iOS 16 was released three weeks ago with a customizable lock screen, the ability to edit iMessages, improvements to Focus modes and more. And in the coming months, iPhone and iPad users will have even more new features to look forward to.
We’ve rounded up 10 new features coming to the iPhone and iPad later this year, according to Apple. Many features are part of iOS 16.1, which is currently in beta testing, but some features aren’t expected until later in the year.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library will make it easier for you to share photos with your family members or friends in the Photos app. The feature will let you and up to five other people add, edit, or delete photos in a shared library accessible through iCloud.
Apple delayed the launch of iCloud Shared Photo Library and now says it will arrive later this year.
Live activities for third-party apps
iOS 16.1 will extend Live Activities to third-party apps in the App Store. This feature allows iPhone users to stay up to date with real-time events, such as a sports game or food delivery order, right on the lock screen or in the dynamic island.
Live Activities appears at the bottom of the Lock screen on iPhone 13 and earlier models, as well as iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. On iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activity appears in the Live Island when the device is unlocked, or on the Lock screen when the device is locked or in View Mode permanent.
Once the iOS 16.1 release candidate is available, developers will be able to submit apps with live activities to the App Store.
The feature will also be supported in Apple’s TV app for select sports leagues, including MLB for users in the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, as well as the NBA and Premier League for users in the United States and Canada only.
Satellite Emergency SOS
All four iPhone 14 models include a new Satellite Emergency SOS feature that is expected to launch in November in the US and Canada.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is designed to allow iPhone 14 models to connect directly to a satellite, allowing users to text emergency services when outside of cellular coverage and Wi-Fi. When it launches in the US and Canada, Apple says the service will be free for the first two years, suggesting that Apple may consider charging for the service at some point in the future.
Apple says that under “ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and horizon,” a message can take 15 seconds to send via satellite, but it can take more than a minute to send a message “under trees with light or medium foliage”. .”
Apple Classical Music
In August 2021, Apple announced the acquisition of classical music service Primephonic. At the time, Apple announced plans to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022, combining Primephonic’s user interface with additional features.
Apple continues to prepare for the launch of the Apple Music Classical app, but specific details and an exact release date are still unknown.
Clean energy charge
iOS 16.1 includes a new Clean Energy Charging feature that Apple says “aims to reduce the iPhone’s carbon footprint by optimizing charge times when the grid uses cleaner energy sources.” The feature is only available in the United States.
Apple Fitness+ without Apple Watch
Apple Fitness+ will be available for iPhone users without Apple Watch starting with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1 and tvOS 16.1. Without Apple Watch, iPhone users won’t see real-time metrics like heart rate and calories burned during a workout.
Launched in December 2020, Apple Fitness+ offers a library of over 3,000 workout and meditation videos, with new content added weekly. The subscription-based service is available through the Fitness app on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV in 21 countries, with US pricing set at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.
free form
Apple says it will launch a new digital whiteboard app called Freeform for iPhone and iPad later this year. The app is described as a “flexible canvas” that will give users the “ability to view, share and collaborate in one place without worrying about layouts and page sizes”, with full support of the Apple Pencil.
Freeform will allow users to start a session from FaceTime and view updates from others directly in an iMessage conversation thread.
Matter accessories in the Home app
Matter is an upcoming connectivity standard that will allow compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple’s HomeKit, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Home. On the iPhone, iPad and Mac, Apple says support for Matter will arrive in a Home app update later this year.
Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri will require a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD functioning as a home hub.
Battery percentage icon for more iPhones
Apple has finally made the battery percentage visible in the status bar on iPhones with a notch, eliminating the need to swipe down. Starting with iOS 16.1, the optional feature extends to iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini.
Stage Manager for more iPad Pros
Last week, Apple announced that iPadOS 16.1 will extend Stage Manager to iPad Pro models with the A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020.
Stage Manager will not have external display support on older iPad Pro models, limiting functionality to four apps on the built-in display. Apple also delayed external display support for Stage Manager on iPad Pro and iPad Air models with the M1 chip and said the feature will be reimplemented in a software update later this year.
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