Apple brings Massive Improvements and Changes to its LockScreen and Messages with the New iOS 16

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2022 got off to a good start, with plenty of information regarding the company's upcoming operating system upgrade, iOS 16. After spending the summer in beta…

By Nivedita Bangari

June 7, 2022

3 min read

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Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2022 got off to a good start, with plenty of information regarding the company’s upcoming operating system upgrade, iOS 16. After spending the summer in beta testing, it will be released this fall, with more customization choices, a better lock screen with widgets, and some welcome Message changes for the typo-prone among us.

Apple’s iOS 16 upgrades focus on the lock screen, starting with the option to change the typefaces and colors used. You’ll be able to add widgets and set up different lock screens, which you’ll be able to move between by swiping across the screen. Different lock screens can be assigned different focus modes. Apple’s wallpapers have also been updated, with animated and Pride-themed options

Apple is now showing Notifications with a different look on the lock screen

They “roll in” at the bottom of the screen rather than piling up across the screen. There’s also a “live activities” option that displays notifications for a single event, such as an Uber journey or a sporting event.

In addition, there will be a big upgrade to messages: iOS 16 has the option to correct mistakes in sent messages, recall texts you didn’t want to send, and mark a message thread as unread so you can return to it later. SharePlay is coming to messaging as well.

The video version of Apple’s strong Live Text feature will be released soon. When you use Live Text in photographs or videos, you’ll have access to even more actions. The wallet also gets some new capabilities, including the ability to securely transfer stored IDs by providing only the information that is required.

It will also be simpler to distribute saved keys. Apple Pay now has a “Pay Later” feature, which allows users to split a bill into four equal instalments without incurring interest or fees. In iOS 16, Apple Maps will provide multi-stop routing, and the “detailed city experience” offered in iOS 15 will be expanded to include six more cities.

Apple is also introducing shared iCloud photo libraries, which will make it easier to share photos with family and friends. A shared library can be accessed by up to six individuals. All users’ picture modifications and keywords will be synchronized, and photos will feature sharing suggestions.

There’s also a new tool called Safety Check, which is designed to keep people safe when they’re being abused. It allows you to quickly remove access to particular information, such as your current location, that you may have already provided to someone else.

iOS 16 will be ready this autumn for iPhone 8 and later, and it will most likely launch alongside the iPhone 14 series, which is reported to be the first iPhone to include an always-on display.