As for an iPhone software update that isn’t an overhaul, iOS 16 certainly packs in a lot of features — so many that Apple only scratched the surface when previewing the update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Anyone who has installed the iOS 16 Developer Preview gets a full understanding of all the features and improvements the update will introduce when it arrives this fall. And the rest of us will get a chance next month when the iOS 16 public beta arrives.
Even the best iOS 16 features you’ve already heard about like customizable lock screens with widgets, changes to Apple Pay and improved Spotlight search features, have new capabilities you might have overlooked. To give you a closer look at some of the additions that you might not know, we highlight some hidden iOS 16 features that deserve more widespread attention.
Here are the iOS 16 features that we can’t wait to try.
Notification display options
You probably know that notifications move to the bottom of the iPhone screen as Apple explained this during the iOS 16 preview. The idea is that moving notifications down reduces some screen clutter and keeps the area around the time and date display clear for any Lock screen widget you add.
But you have some customization power over the appearance of your notifications, too. By default, notifications will appear stacked on top of one another, but iOS 16 also offers a list and view count if you prefer. You’ll even be able to change notification layouts from the lock screen itself.
Apple is giving the Home app in iOS 16 a big facelift, with the goal of making it easier to view and control smart home devices. One of the highlights of Apple’s iOS 16 presentation was the vertical scrolling menu of smart home categories at the top of the Home app to give you quick access to things like lights, climate control, and smart locks.
But what if I told you that you would never have to launch the Home app to control these things or even unlock your phone. As part of iOS 16’s ability to add widgets to the lock screen, there will be Home App Widgets that will allow you to directly access your smart devices.
Maybe this is something some people don’t think about, but when I’m thinking about lock screen widgets, I’ve been thinking about things like temperature views or upcoming appointments. Apple clearly has bigger plans for what belongs on the lock screen, and in the case of the Home app gadgets, it should make controlling your connected devices a lot easier.
The sharing switch comes in the camera app
Sharing photos directly from the Camera app in the current version of iOS is simple enough, although it does require a few clicks. Apple will simplify the process in iOS 16 by adding an auto toggle that lets you automatically share the photos you take. The switch is headed toward the new iCloud Shared Photo Library feature for iOS 16 that lets you set up albums where up to six people can contribute and collaborate on photos.
Even better, there will be a proximity-based sharing in which your phone can detect that you’re near another member of your iCloud Shared Photo Library album. (Presumably they’ll need an iPhone running iOS 16 as well for this feature to work.)
Home screen search button
While we’re talking about time-saving features, let’s take a look at the Spotlight search tool where you can quickly navigate to apps, emails, photos, web queries, downloaded songs, and more. (It’s also in Spotlight where Siri Suggestions are—these are the apps and actions you use most often at that time of day.) Searching in iOS 15 requires swiping down on the home screen—it’s easy enough but iOS 16 will make it equally easier.
The dots at the bottom of the iPhone screen above the Dock currently show you how many different Home screens you have and which Home screen you happen to be on. But this area serves double duty in iOS 16. It’s also clickable, and when you do, you’ll go straight to Spotlight search. This should be more convenient than the current method, even if it’s just a simple modification of the iPhone software.
Hands-free disconnect with Siri
Now that I’ve embraced the AirPods lifestyle, I appreciate how I can tell Siri when I want to answer phone calls, especially when I’m in the kitchen, listening to music and podcasts while I’m cooking. Siri saves me from having to rinse my hands, then fumble with my iPhone, just to see who’s calling me.
Where Siri drops the job is when the phone calls end. Unless I want to do that iPhone fumbling I mentioned earlier, I have to wait for the person on the other end of the line to hang up.
That changes in iOS 16. Now you ask Siri to end your call without having to touch your iPhone. It’s as if the person on the other end of the line would be able to hear you tell Siri to hang up, but to me this makes things even more exciting: This call is over. Hey Siri, hang up.
Siri understands emoji when you dictate text
You can currently dictate texts with Siri, but if you’re the kind of person who thinks emojis are worth a thousand words, your iPhone’s digital assistant won’t really help. Dictate a sweet message to your sweetheart that ends with a heart emoji, and Siri will literally write a “heart emoji” into the text. It really kills the mood.
iOS 16 makes Siri smarter about spelling emoji, and now, telling Assistant a “heart icon” will result in a beautiful red heart in your text message. Yes, Apple copies something Google supports on the Pixel 6, but in this case, we’re not using the Pixel 6 – we’re using the iPhone. This feature makes iPhone more useful.
Make Siri listen longer
While we’re on the topic of Siri improvements, let’s talk about the accessibility feature that Apple actually revealed in May, a month before the iOS 16 preview. At the time, Apple promised that a bunch of accessibility features were coming to the iPhone, and one of the promised additions was What caught my eye is the ability to set when Siri pauses.
Setting the pause time will cause the digital assistant to wait longer before responding to your request. It’s perfect for anyone with a speech impairment, but if you find yourself rushing to complete a Siri command before the assistant jumps into action, you’ll appreciate this iOS 16 add-on, too.
Expanded image searches
For now, enter a search term into the Spotlight search feature, and the results will include any images from the Photos app that match your query. Expect more photo results in iOS 16, as Apple will expand image search functionality to include more of its built-in apps. This includes files, as you might imagine, but notes and messages are also part of the mix as well.
Scheduling emails in Mail
More of us use our phones as everyday productivity tools, and this is reflected in Mail gaining many of the same features that Apple is adding to macOS Ventura. One feature that you will appreciate if you use the Mail app on your iPhone regularly is the new ability to send scheduled emails.
This is not a possibility in the current version of Mail, which sends any messages the moment you hit the send button (the arrow in the right corner). But long press that button in iOS 16, and you’ll get options for when to send the email — useful if you want a specific message to reach a colleague at the start of their workday.
Track your orders in Apple Pay
Let’s conclude by highlighting some of the features in existing Apple apps that have been overshadowed by other changes. For example, in the Wallet app, the big change that iOS 16 brought is Apple Pay Later, where you can split your purchases into four installments. But that’s not the only new possibility when you buy things with Apple Pay in iOS 16.
You’ll also be able to track Apple Pay purchase orders directly from within the Wallet app. The feature only works with participating merchants, but given how widespread Apple Pay has been since Apple introduced it in 2014, you might imagine there would be plenty of retailers providing order tracking information to you via Wallet.
Quick exit feature for security check
I liked the addition of Security Check, a feature designed to help people in domestic violence situations quickly cut ties with potentially dangerous people by revoking access to the site, among other steps.
Apple seems to have thought a lot about how it can help people get a clean break and stay safe, and that includes a lesser-known feature of the security check. It’s called a quick exit, and it’s a way to quickly exit the security check screen if you’re concerned that someone might see you trying to reset access to people and apps.
Once you click on the quick exit button, you are taken to the main screen. If you go back to Settings, you’ll get to the main Settings screen instead of going back to Security Check. It’s another way to prevent a potentially abusive person from spying on your activity.
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