iOS 16: All about the big 2022 iPhone update

A completely revamped lock screen

In iOS 16 you get a lot more options to personalize the lock screen. There is a whole gallery of backgrounds in various themes for inspiration. Nice are the variants where the clock partly blends into the background, for example in the official iOS 16 wallpaper. And you can create patterns with emojis.

The clock and the date can also be personalised. You choose the style yourself and you can use all possible colors. And… there are widgets for the home screen. Can’t choose? You can create multiple designs and switch at any time.

iOS 16 widgets on the Lock Screen

iOS 14 introduced the widgets for the home screen, and from iOS 16 you can also place them on the lock screen. This way you can quickly see the most important information from your favorite apps. Also new on the home screen are ‘Live activities’: in this interactive widget you can, for example, check whether your pizza delivery is on its way.

Then there is another ambiguity: will the iPhone finally have an always on display? iOS 16 has hints in that direction, but it seems it only works on the iPhone 14. That has yet to be announced. Read all about it in our article Always on display iOS 16.

Edit messages

You will soon be able to edit sent messages in the Messages app. You have two minutes to, for example, correct an ugly spelling mistake or withdraw a not-so-nice photo. Also new: you can now mark messages as unread, so that you know to come back to them at a later time.

Cool things with pictures

Remember Live Text, the iOS 15 feature that lets you copy text from photos? It has been further expanded. You can now also copy text from videos. And it doesn’t stop with lyrics! There are also some practical improvements in Photos. For example, there is a shared iCloud Photo Library for your family, so that all family snapshots are combined. Edits you’ve applied to one photo can be applied to another photo with a single tap. And your iPhone finally helps you clean up duplicate photos!

iOS 16 Cut Photo

You can now also copy and paste complete objects into photos – so you can make a nice sticker of your pet, for example. Your iPhone is flawlessly able to separate the subject from the background. You used to need a lot of hours of Photoshop for that.

Improvements for your Mailbox

Mail in iOS 16 also has some nice improvements, the biggest common denominator being that you don’t send your mail too early. For example, you can now also retrieve a sent email, in case you still need to check something. Does your iPhone notice that you forgot to add an attachment? Then he warns you. And from now on you can also schedule emails. Also handy: you can snooze an incoming email and be reminded of it at a later time.

Your emails also look more visually attractive due to enriched content. Add a link and you will get a preview. It makes it clear at a glance what kind of website you are linking to. The enriched content is also visible in the improved search function: it shows previews of links and documents.

Manage medications

Do you take any medications, vitamins or supplements? From now on, iOS will help you to keep an overview and to take your doses on time. New in the Health app is ‘Medicines’. Here you enter which medicines you use and at what time. You will then receive a signal when the time has come, and immediately indicate whether you have actually taken your medication. Do you add a medication and is that not a good combination with another medication you are already using? Then your iPhone warns you. In time, it will also be possible to add medicines by scanning the label with your camera, but that only works in the United States for the time being.

Share stuff in Safari (or keep it private)

In recent years, Apple has tinkered with Safari a lot. This year they’re taking it a bit easier with your favorite browser. We mainly worked on the tab groups introduced last year. The most notable change is that you can now share entire tab groups: useful if you go on holiday with a group of people and are already making some plans. Or if you share a hobby with someone. The tab groups are now also more recognizable: if you work in a tab group, you will see the name of the group at the top of the screen. And to avoid overwriting your tabs, you can now pin them.

Another improvement in Safari concerns Passkeys, which allow you to log in more easily and securely. Passkeys are a kind of digital keys for logging in to websites and apps. They replace passwords and use biometric authentication. In other words: you log in with your face (Face ID) or fingerprint (Touch ID). No more 14-character codes with capital letters, numbers and inverted exclamation marks. If you want to log in on your Mac, grab your iPhone. The Passkeys are stored locally and, according to Apple, they are “almost impossible to crack.”

Fitness app also without Apple Watch

The best way to monitor whether you are moving enough is the Apple Watch. But in iOS 16, Apple accommodates those without such a smart watch. The Condition app is also available for people who don’t have a Watch. Sensors in the iPhone register the number of steps, the distance walked and the number of stairs walked. This way you can still fill up that red movement ring. Do you track your workouts manually in a third-party app? This is also linked to the Condition app!

iOS 16 fitness app: you no longer need an Apple Watch!

Freeform

Freeform is the new app of this year. Not only for your iPhone, but also for your Mac and iPad. The app was not in the first version of iOS 16 – we don’t expect it until December. Freeform can best be compared to a Whiteboard on which you can write and draw. Ideal for brainstorming or drawing up projects. And Apple has made the app so that it is very easy to collaborate.

iOS 16 secrets

There are also a lot of small functions:

And also read our iOS 16 review!

What is the latest Apple update?

The very latest version is iOS 16.4. Below you can see all (interim) iOS 16 updates so far. We also show what new features Apple adds per update.

• Monday, September 12, 2022: iOS 16
• Friday, September 16: iOS 16.0.1. This update contains bug fixes and improvements. For iPhone 14 series only.
• Thursday, September 22: iOS 16.0.2. This update contains bug fixes and improvements.
• Monday, October 10: iOS 16.0.3. This update contains bug fixes and improvements, specifically for the iPhone 14.
• Monday, October 24: iOS 16.1. This update includes several new features, including:
• Wednesday, November 9: iOS 16.1.1. This update contains bug fixes and improvements.
• Wednesday, November 30: iOS 16.1.2. This update contains bug fixes and improvements. Crash detection is improved for the iPhone 14.
• Tuesday, December 13: iOS 16.2. This update contains bug fixes and has new features.
• Monday, January 23, 2023: iOS 16.3. This update contains bug fixes and new features:
• Monday, February 13, 2023: iOS 16.3.1. This update contains bug fixes and improvements.
• Monday, March 27: iOS 16.4. This update contains bug fixes and new features, including:
• Friday, April 7: iOS 16.4.1. This update contains bug fixes and improvements.
• Monday, May 1: iOS 16.4.1(a). This is an interim security measure.
• Thursday, May 18: iOS 16.5. This update contains bug fixes and a new feature

Learn more about the latest update in our article iOS 16.5 new features!

What is iOS?

iOS was once short for ‘iPhone operating system’. It is the operating system for the iPhone (and the iPod touch). iOS is, as it were, the whole of the basic functions of the iPhone, plus the associated apps. Every year, Apple releases a major update for iOS, giving your iPhone all kinds of fun new functions and improvements.