Apple iOS 16 was released to the public with a customizable lock screen, editable iMessages, improved focus mode and more. And in the coming months, iPhone and iPad users have even more new features to look forward to.
MacRumors has rounded up 10 new features coming to iPhone and iPad later this year. Many of these features are part of the iOS 16.1 Beta currently underway, but some are not expected until later this year.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
iCloud Shared Photo Library will make it easier for users to share photos with family or friends in the Photos app. The feature allows up to five people to add, edit or delete photos in a shared library accessible through iCloud.
Apple has delayed the launch of iCloud Shared Photo Library and now says it will be available later this year.
Real-time activity in third-party apps
iOS 16.1 will extend Live Activity to third-party apps in the App Store. This feature allows iPhone users to stay on top of real-time events, such as sports games or food delivery orders, on the lock screen or in Dynamic Island.
Live Events appears at the bottom of the lock screen on iPhone 13 and earlier models, as well as iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. On iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activity appears in the Dynamic Island when the device is unlocked and on the Lock screen when the device is locked or in AOD display mode.
Once the iOS 16.1 release candidate is available, developers will be able to submit apps with live activity to the App Store.
The feature will also support specific sports leagues in the Apple TV app, including MLB games in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Korea, as well as the NBA and Premier League in the US and Canada only.
Emergency SOS via satellite
All four iPhone 14 Series models include the new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, which will be available in the US and Canada in November.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is designed to allow iPhone 14 models to connect directly to a satellite, allowing users to send a text message to emergency services from outside the range of their phone and Wi-Fi. When launched in the US and Canada, the service was free for the first two years, suggesting that Apple may plan to charge for the service at some point in the future.
Apple says that a message can take 15 seconds to send via satellite in “ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and horizon”, but that a message can take more than a minute to send “in trees with light or medium density foliage”.
Apple Music classical app
In August 2021, Apple announced the acquisition of the classical music service Primephonic, at which time it said it planned to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022, combining Primephonic’s user interface with other features.
Apple continues to prepare for the launch of the Apple Music Classical app, but details and exact release date are still unknown.
Clean Energy Charging
iOS 16.1 includes a new Clean Energy Charging feature that Apple says is “designed to reduce the carbon footprint of iPhone by optimizing charging times when the grid is powered by clean energy”. This feature is only available in the US.
Apple Fitness + services without Apple Watch
Starting with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1 and tvOS 16.1, iPhone users without an Apple Watch will be able to use Apple Fitness + services. However, without an Apple Watch, iPhone users will not be able to see real-time metrics such as heart rate and calories burned during workouts.
Launched in December 2020, Apple Fitness + has a library of over 3,000 workout and meditation videos, with new content added weekly. The subscription-based service is available in 21 countries through the Fitness app on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV and is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year in the US.
Freeform
Apple said it will release Freeform, a new digital whiteboard app for iPhone and iPad, later this year. Described as a “flexible canvas”, the app will allow users to “view, share and collaborate in one place without worrying about layout and page size” and will fully support the Apple Pencil.
Freeform will allow users to start a session from FaceTime and see updates from others directly in the iMessage conversation thread.
Matter accessories in the Home app
The matter is an upcoming connectivity standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. on iPhone, iPad and Mac, Apple says Matter support will be available in an update to the Home app later this year.
Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri requires HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD to run as a Home Hub.
More iPhone phones support the battery percentage icon
Apple has finally made battery percentage visible again in the status bar on the iPhone, no longer requiring a swipe down. This optional feature is being extended to iPhone 11, iPhone XR, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini devices starting with iOS 16.1.
More iPad Pro support for front-of-stage scheduling
Apple recently announced that iPadOS 16.1 will extend front-of-the-counter scheduling to older iPad Pro models in the 2018 (A12X chip) and 2020 (A12Z chip) models.
Front Desk Scheduling will not support external displays on older iPad Pro models, and the feature limits the use of four apps to the built-in display. Apple has also delayed external display support for Front Desk Scheduling on iPad Pro and iPad Air models with the M1 chip and said the feature will be reimplemented in a software update later this year.
