At the very end of the iPhone 14 press release, Apple shared the last missing details about iOS 16. We now know that the company plans to release the final version of iOS 16 on September 12.
iOS 16 is the new version of iOS, the company’s operating system for the iPhone. It is a free download and it works with the iPhone 8 or later, the second-generation and third-generation iPhone SE.
Apple originally unveiled iOS 16 at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). It includes a revamped lock screen with more personalization features and glanceable widgets right next to the current time.
In addition to the new lock screen features, there are some welcome changes across the board. For instance, users will be able to edit messages sent via iMessage, or even unsend them altogether. SharePlay, the feature that lets you watch a movie in sync with a friend, now works with an iMessage conversation, not just over FaceTime.
Many apps are receiving major updates, such as the Weather app with more detailed hourly forecasts, Reminders with better list management or Mail with the ability to snooze conversations.
Another big change in iOS 16 is a new way to share photos with your family and closed ones thanks to shared libraries. In addition to your personal photo library, you will be able to add photos to a shared library and view photos added by other members. It’s a nice way to avoid sending each other photos via AirDrop or iMessage.
Developers also get many new APIs that they can leverage for their apps. So expect some improvements with third-party apps as well.
As always, there are also many small refinements, such as a new way to dictate and type text at the same time, a brand new design for the Home app, some nifty changes here and there and, yes, the ability to display the battery percentage in the status bar for all iPhone models. And I’m sure many people will update to iOS 16 for this reason alone.
As for iPadOS 16, the company has already announced that it would be released after iOS 16. The main new feature in iPadOS 16 is Stage Manager, a new multitasking paradigm that could have a big impact on the way that you use your iPad.
iOS 16 will be available on September 12 by Romain Dillet originally published on TechCrunch