The iPhone 14 looks set to launch with iOS 16 and the update is compatible with the iPhone 8 and newer, meaning most Apple fans will benefit from the new software. This is good news, as there’s a lot to look forward to – here are our five favourite feature to make life easier.
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1. Personalized Lock Screen
iOS 16 allows users to personalize their Lock Screen. There’s whole host of new features here including a new multi-layered effect which allows the subjects of photos to be set in front of the time on the Lock Screen, which adds some depth. As well as a Lock Screen gallery, there expressive type styles and color choices for the date and time, there are also Lock Screen widgets, which make it easy to get information at a glance – upcoming calendar events, the weather, battery levels, activity ring progress etc.
Live Activities is another new feature that helps users stay on top of things that are happening in real time – keep tabs on sports, workout, ride-share, or food delivery, directly from the Lock Screen.
2. iCloud Shared Photo Library
The addition of iCloud Shared Photo Library allows families, of up to six users, to contribute to, and enjoy a separate shared Photo Library, contributing existing photos from their personal libraries, or share based on a start date or people in the photos. Users can also choose to send photos to the Shared Library automatically using a new toggle in the Camera app. Photos in a Shared Library will appear in Memories and Featured Photos so that everyone can get maximum enjoyment from them.
3. Apple Pay Later
US iPhone users with iOS 16 will benefit from Apple Pay Later, where you can split the cost of a purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with no cost at all to yourself. Available everywhere Apple Pay is accepted online or in-app, Apple Pay Later is basically Apple’s answer to Klarna. Better still, the Order Tracking feature means users can receive detailed receipts and order tracking information in Wallet for Apple Pay purchases.
4. Ahead of time email
New tools offered in mail by iOS 16 will allow users to schedule emails ahead of time, which will come in very handy indeed. Furthermore, users are even given a moment to cancel delivery of a message before it reaches a recipient’s inbox. There are other clever features too, including the option to resurface a message at any date and time with Remind Later, and Follow Up suggestions automatically remind users to follow up on an email if they have not received a reply. Less time spent on emails – result!
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5. Live look up
iOS 16 brings a host of enhancements to Live Text and Visual Look Up, where it uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in images across iOS, and now it works with video, too! Users can pause a video on any frame and interact with text. Live Text also adds the ability for users to quickly convert currency and translate text, which will make light work of once lengthy tasks.
iOS 16 and also iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS Ventura will be rolled out in the Autumn.
Read more:
iPhone 14: everything we know so far
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