Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicked off on Monday and, as expected, brought out the hype over the new features coming with iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9 software updates.
iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9 features coming to Apple users
Touted to release later this year — slightly before summer — Apple’s software upgrade is expected to be the biggest in recent times, with a slew of new exciting features on the cards.
“iOS 16 is a big release with updates that will change the way you experience iPhone,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of software engineering said.
Here is a complete list of features coming to Apple’s software systems.
iOS 16
Personalised lock screen:
- New multilayered effect where subjects of photos are artfully set in front of the time on the Lock Screen, creating a sense of depth
- Users can also change the look of the date and time with expressive type styles and colour choices
- Widgets that take inspiration from Apple Watch complications ( weather, battery levels, alarms, time zones, activity ring progress etc.)
- New Lock Screen gallery features a range of options for inspiration
- Live Activities (new feature that helps users stay on top of things that are happening in real-time)
- Notifications have been redesigned to roll up from the bottom.
Focus upgrade
- More powerful, easier to set up, and now connects to the Lock Screen
- Simply swipe to the corresponding Lock Screen to activate Focus
iCloud Shared Photo Library
- iCloud library for up to six users to share photos seamlessly
- Choose to share existing photos from their personal libraries, or share based on a start date or people in the photos
- Users will receive intelligent suggestions to share a photo that includes participants in the Shared Photo Library
iMessage updates
- Edit or recall recently sent messages
- Recover recently deleted messages
- Mark conversations as unread so they can come back to them later
- SharePlay is coming to Messages
Mail updates
- Schedule emails ahead of time
- Cancel delivery of a message before it reaches a recipient’s inbox
- Mail detects if the user forgot to include an important part of their message
Upgrades to Live Text and Visual Look Up
- Recognise text in images across iOS, including video
- Pause a video on any frame and interact with text
- Quickly convert currency, translate text, and more
- Tap and hold on the subject of an image to lift it from the background and place it in apps like Messages
Apple Pay Later (US only)
- Split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with zero interest and no fees of any kind
- View, track, and repay Apple Pay Later payments within Wallet
See more iOS16 features here.
iPadOS 16
Messages updates
- Collaborate and manage shared content across Files, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, Notes, etc.
- Same upgrades applied to iOS 16
Freeform upgrades
- See, share, and collaborate all in one place
- View others’ contributions as they add content or make edits
- Start a session from FaceTime and see the updates from others right in the Messages thread
Weather app
- See the most important weather information
- Be notified when a severe weather alert is issued
See more iPadOS 16 features here.
watchOS 9
- New upgrades on Watch Faces
- New performance metrics and measurement tools coming to Workout App
- More data and tracking systems for runners
- Sleep insights upgraded with new signals
- State-of-the-art atrial fibrillation (AFib) detector to track irregular heart rhythm and anticipate strokes
- Medications app to track prescriptions and medical treatments
See more watchOS 9 features here.