Apple iOS 16 Adds Editing Options to Messages, Overhauled Lock Screen
At WWDC, Apple offers a first look at iOS 16, which includes an interest-free, pay-it-later feature in Apple Pay, multi-stop routing in Maps, and more.
Apple today showed off iOS 16, the next-gen version of its mobile operating system that adds editing options to Messages, an interest-free, pay-it-later feature in Apple Pay, and a redesigned lock screen, among other upgrades.
Messages
If you frequently fire off Messages with embarrassing or puzzling errors, Apple will now let you edit messages you just sent. Want to start over completely; an undo send option is coming to iOS 16, too. The company didn’t specify how much time you’ll have to edit or unsend your messages, but it’s likely a few minutes so you don’t rewrite history weeks later. Need a reminder to get back to that message? With iOS 16, you can mark a thread as unread.
When those messages do come in, they’ll roll up from the bottom of the screen in iOS 16 alongside other notifications so as not to obscure your lock-screen photo, Apple says. You can hide them if you need some peace.
Lock Screen
That lock screen is getting its “biggest update ever” in iOS 16, according to Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering. Press and hold to customize your wallpaper photo, text color, and font, among other things. Apple’s iOS 16 will support multiple lock screens, which you can swipe through, much like you can on the Apple Watch.
If you can’t decide which photo to feature, Photo Shuffle will let your iPhone scroll through a number of photos throughout the day for a little variety. Or the iPhone can serve up suggestions for photos to highlight.
The lock screen will also support widgets to highlight things like your calendar or Activity rings. And a new Live Activities feature will help you keep tabs on live events at a glance, from sports scores to the status of your Uber.
If that’s too distracting, an update to Focus will let you specify just what it is you’re focusing on; a work-related Focus, for example, will show your calendar and to-do list widgets, but not those sports scores. This option extends to apps inside iOS, so you can see only work-related tabs in Safari or work-related chats in Messages, for example.
Do you use Apple’s Mail app? With iOS 16, the app will support scheduled emails and detect if someone forgets to attach something they mention in the body of the email, like an attachment. It’ll also support Remind Later and Follow Up features, all of which are already available in Google’s Gmail.
Apple Pay
Apple today confirmed that its Tap to Pay on iPhone functionality, first teased in February, will roll out this month with at least six partners: Stripe, Shopify, Clover — Fiserv, Adyen, Square, North American Bancard, Worldpay from FIS, Chase, and GoDaddy. Merchants who enable it can then accept payment from customers by having them tap their credit card, or Apple Pay–enabled iPhone, on their iPhone.
If you’re making a hefty purchase via Apple Pay, meanwhile, the service will soon allow multiple payments via Apple Pay Later. Split the cost of something over four weeks with zero interest or fees anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. Upcoming payments will be managed through Apple Wallet, while the progress of orders can be monitored via the new Apple Pay Order Tracking; the latter will roll out first with Shopify.
Apple Safety Check
Apple detailed a privacy-related updated called Safety Check that allows people to revoke access to location sharing, reset privacy settings across all apps, and sign out of iCloud across other Apple devices.
The idea, according to Apple, is to prevent abusers from tracking people. The company said it worked with a variety of organizations that assist domestic violence victims. It did not, however, mention its AirTags, which have been used track people without their permission despite certain upgrades Apple rolled out recently.
Maps
For those on the go, Apple Maps is getting a few upgrades in iOS 16, including multi-stop routing for up to 15 stops. Plan your journey on Mac and send to the iPhone, and ask Siri to add extra stops when you’re already in the car.
Apple Wallet will also add support for transit cards and will alert you when your balance is low and allow you to top up without leaving the Maps app.
Also on tap? An update to Family Sharing in iOS 16 will simplify the process of creating accounts for kids and setting up new devices for them. And iCloud Shared Photo Library makes it easier to share images with friends and family right from you Camera app. The Live Text feature, which recognizes text in images across iOS, will expand to include video.
Look for iOS 16 to roll out this fall.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com.
