The 6 Best New iOS 16 Features From WWDC 2022

Apple has finally taken the wraps off the next major iteration of iOS at its annual WWDC event. Although WWDC22 was an online-only event, just like last year, Apple didn’t disappoint with its software releases.

The iOS 16 software update promises to bring a slew of incremental improvements to the iPhone when it comes out this fall. We could talk about iOS 16 all day, but here, we’ll focus on the most notable iOS 16 features to look forward to.

1. An All-New Lock Screen

Once you update your iPhone to iOS 16, you’ll start noticing the changes the moment you unlock the screen. The iOS Lock Screen was one of the first announcements from WWDC 2022 as it’s getting a major visual revamp, with plenty of personalization options, from customizable font styles to a wide array of widgets.

With all this personalization in place, Apple makes it easy to create multiple Lock Screens so that you can easily switch between them whenever you like. The Lock Screen houses a new gallery filled with pre-designed wallpapers ready to go with unique fonts and widgets in place.

Apple has also made changes to how your notifications appear on this new Lock Screen. Instead of showing up as a list that blocks your wallpaper, notifications now roll in at the bottom of the Lock Screen, which you can hide if needed.

2. Live Activities

Consider this as an extension of iOS 16’s Lock Screen overhaul. Live Activities comes in handy when you want to keep up with events happening in real-time without having to unlock your phone and open a certain app. It integrates with apps to deliver content straight to the Lock Screen without inundating you with notifications, whether it’s a sports game, cab ride, or food delivery tracking.

3. Quality-of-Life Upgrades for iMessage

Apple’s stock Messages app that houses its iMessage service gets some much-needed changes that users have requested for years. You can now edit a message you already sent to fix all your typos and even unsend a message that you accidentally sent to the wrong contact or saying the wrong thing. Additionally, you can mark a message you opened as unread to remind yourself to come back to it later when you’re not busy.

Besides these improvements, Apple has also added SharePlay to the Messages app, meaning you don’t have to be in a FaceTime call to watch movies or listen to music together. Now, you can text your friends while the content you’re watching remains synced up on the screen.

4. An iCloud Shared Photo Library

Sharing family photos will get a lot easier with iOS 16, thanks to the introduction of a separate iCloud photo library that you can share with up to five family members. You can either add pictures to this shared photo library manually or contribute with smart features, like a toggle in the Camera app, Bluetooth proximity, and sharing suggestions in the For You section.

5. A Redesigned Home App

If you use HomeKit for your smart home setup, you’ll be pleased to know that the Home app is getting an all-new design with iOS 16. All your smart home accessories will now be neatly organized into various rooms with new categories for climate, lights, security, speakers and TV, and water. And if you have cameras in and around your smart home, the app will display up to four camera views at once right in the center of the Home tab.

Thanks to widget integration, you can access your favorite smart home accessories or check the status of your smart home without having to leave iOS 16’s new Lock Screen.

6. Next-Gen CarPlay

With larger screens showing up on more cars recently, especially electric vehicles, Apple has chosen to overhaul the in-car experience and re-imagined CarPlay. Apple says that CarPlay will now deeply integrate with a car’s hardware and even display content for multiple screens in the vehicle.

Apple’s CarPlay feature will be able to completely digitize your instrument cluster with customizable dials, layouts, themes, and more. You can even control your car’s radio and adjust the cooling temperature with CarPlay, meaning cars with this next-generation standard can get rid of physical buttons for a completely digital interface.

Apple Further Refines iOS With iOS 16

Aside from the Lock Screen redesign, iOS 16 seems more like an incremental update rather than a visual overhaul, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Apple has made some quality-of-life improvements to iOS that most users will really appreciate.

Apple’s iOS 16 software update is set for a fall 2022 release, with the developer beta rolling out immediately and a public beta coming in July. However, you shouldn’t be too hasty to install this beta build unless you know what you’re doing.