Ever since Apple’s iOS 16 announcement at its WWDC keynote in June, the company has been releasing beta versions for developers and users to test. The final beta version for iOS 16 brings back a plethora of nostalgic features for regular iPhone users. This includes a percentage number within the battery symbol that shows your iPhone’s exact battery charge.
The whole ordeal was announced at the launch of iPhone 14. Apple announced that iOS 16 will be available to compatible iPhones from today. The iOS beta promises several upgrades, mainly focused on communication, personalization and privacy. Noticeable changes are coming to the iPhone lock screen, iMessage app and Wallet.
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iOS 16 Cheat Sheet: The New iPhone Features
These are the immaculate new features embedded into the new iOS 16:
Support of Third Party Browser For Apple Pay
Apple Pay on iOS 16 will finally support third-party browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox. This was indicated in iOS 16 beta 4 so far.
Memoji Customizations
iOS 16 introduces new Memoji customizations and features to your iPhone.
Lock Screen Overhaul
The lock screen in iOS 16 is also getting a major surgery. Now, you can change the clock font, font color, and wallpapers. There is an option of adding widgets and repositioning photos. Users will be able to create new lock screen modes, such as work and play, each with their customizations and widgets.
SharePlay
iMessages adds the ability to edit/delete messages. SharePlay also will work in Messages and you can collaborate on documents, spreadsheets and more straight from the message app.
Contactless Payments
Apple Pay will now allow you to use contactless payments with merchants using just iPhones, there will be no need for extra hardware needed. Apple Pay Later will make it possible to split a purchase into four payments over six weeks with no interest or fees.Â
iCloud Shared Photo Library
Users can now share pictures seamlessly in a separate iCloud library. Furthermore, family sharing has gotten an upgrade, allowing parents to set up children’s devices much quicker and easier.
Understanding Compatibility of iOS 16
It’s important to know which Apple devices can install iOS 16. Basically, any from the past five years – owning an iPhone 8 or newer model means you will be able to run iOS 16. The headline is this: Which iPhones can get iOS 16? But, keep in mind that older devices may not give you a full iOS 16 experience. A prime example of this is the new Live Captions accessibility feature is available only on iPhone 11 and later. Similarly, Door Detection and People Detection require the LiDAR scanner on the iPhone 12 Pro and later.Â
At WWDC 2021, Apple announced that iOS 15 would run on very old models, even iPhone 6s, going as far as the first-generation SE. They have now dropped off the supported list, and the iPhone 7 is gone too. If you’ve got one of these iPhones, it may be time to upgrade.
List Of Phones Eligible For iOS 16
The following iPhones can get iOS 16:
- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (second generation and later)
- iPhone 14-series
Additional Features of iOS 16
In this article, we’ve covered the highlights from Apple’s WWDC keynote and our iOS 16 beta testing. But there are other features that deserve applause as well. One feature making rounds on social media is an update that allows Face ID to unlock your iPhone in landscape mode. Furthermore, iOS 16 has added support for Nintendo Switch controller connectivity.
The new update is also fixing one of the most annoying things about surfing the web. Finally, iOS 16 will make transferring an eSim stupidly easy, which is good since the iPhone 14 is going entirely eSIM with no physical SIM tray for US model.
What To Expect From iOS 16?
This year spells major changes for the iPhone and its features. The new update brings multiple improvements to the existing aspects while revamping and reintroducing old features like battery percentage display. The aim is to attract more users using the factor of nostalgia while offering enough new incentives. For more, check out everything Apple announced at its Sept. 7 “Far Out” event. Plus, here’s how to download iOS 16.
