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iOS 16 has made its huge launching, first as a developer beta and now as a beta the rest of us can download.

And soon, After announcing the iPhone 14 at its September 7 event, Apple also let it slip that iOS 16 will arrive today, September 12 four days before the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 pro arrive in stores. (Apple’s other new phone, the iPhon 14 plus will arrive on the 7th of October)

(Image credit: Apple)

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Here’s every iOS 16 feature you should know about. 

iOS 16 cheat sheet: The biggest new iPhone features

  • Finally, Apple pay on iOS 16 can support third party browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox for in-browser payments. This has been seen live in the iOS 16 beta 4 so far.
  • The iOS 16 allows new Memoji customizations and features to your iPhone.
  • The lock screen in iOS 16 has a great service. You can add widgets and reposition photos to your lock screen, You can also change the clock font, font color, and wallpapers.
  • Focus can now extend to the lock screen. You can create new lock screens tied to your Focus modes, such as work and play, each with their customizations and widgets.
  • You can be able to edit/delete messages. SharePlay also will work in Messages and you can work on documents, spreadsheets and more we straight from the message app.
  • With Apple Pay, you can now use contactless payments with merchants with your iPhone, no extra hardware needed. Apple Pay Later lets you split a purchase into four payments over six weeks with no interest or fees. 
  • iCloud Shared Photo library allow people share pictures continuously in a separate iCloud library. 
  • Family sharing has gotten an upgrade, allowing parents to set up children’s devices much quicker and easier. 

iOS 16 release date

The iOS 16 developer beta and iOS 16 public beta are already out today (September 12), with updates coming from Apple throughout the summer.

iPhone users will now have the opportunity to make that move for themselves. Apple says it’s releasing iOS 16 that day, though not every announced feature will be live. (The Live Activities widget is coming later this year, as third-party developers update their apps.)

Device Compatibility

‌‌Apple says the iOS 16‌‌ is compatible with the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ 8 and newer, while ‌‌iPadOS 16‌‌ is compatible with the ‌‌iPad‌‌ (5th generation and later), iPad mini(5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), and all iPad Pro models.

iOS 16 Safety Check

Safety Check can reset all privacy permissions and it protects access to messages. Apple wants to take a stand on personal safety, so iOS 16 will have Safety Check. This allow victims of domestic abuse revoke access to their account easily such as removing location sharing or app permissions.

A new customizable lock screen

Your lock screen is one of the things you look at the most on your iPhone, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings the most important update to the iPhones lock screen yet. Press and hold in other to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out various styles. Your iPhone will become more customizable in iOS 16. You’ll be able to choose how your lock screen looks, down to the font and color.You can also set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them.

You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen. 

There’s also a photo shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen.

iOS 16 adds a feature that developers can use called Live Activities. This is essentially a mini view of the real-time progress of a workout, sporting event or Uber ride from your iPhone’s lock screen.

Wallet and Apple Pay Later

In iOS 16 you can protect your identity and age. So instead of showing your exact date of birth, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you’re over 21. However, ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app along with more security and privacy features.

With apps like Mail and Messages, iOS 16 makes sharing keys easier. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it’s working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.

The Wallet app in iOS 16 gets a bunch of small but notable updates, including the Apple Pay Later payment plan.

But Apple Pay doesn’t stop there. A new feature will also help you track Apple Pay orders and lets merchants deliver detailed receipts and tracking information. This should make it easier to stay up to date on the status of all your orders.

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