What To Expect From the Upcoming iOS 16.1 Launch
Written by: Daniel Carmo, Agile Software Engineer, TribalScale
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With iOS 16 launching to iPhone users mid-September, we saw new features come to our iPhones such as Lock Screen improvements with widgets, multiple lock screens, Focus improvements with Lock Screen integration, filters, and further customizations per app, Messages improvements with message editing, SharePlay, and improved collaboration. These are a few of the features that we saw with iOS 16’s launch just a month ago and many more came with it as well. A month later and we’ve gotten even more features packed into iOS 16.1’s launch. Let’s take a deep dive into all the cool new features you can look out for.
Battery Percentage in Status Bar
iOS 16 added support for battery percentage on majority of devices that could run iOS 16. In iOS 16.1 Apple is now allowing the battery percentage to be shown on the remaining supported devices.
Battery Status Bar Charge Indicator
iOS 16 added in showing the percent of battery life remaining onto the battery icon in the status bar, but it remained static in the look of the battery icon. iOS 16.1 has added an indication to the battery icon of the amount of charge remaining that drains over time as the battery percentage lowers as well.
Clean Energy Charging
iOS 16.1 adds a toggle to the battery options for “Clear Energy Charging” which states that your iPhone will attempt to charge your phone when lower carbon emission energy sources are available. Apple says they will still keep your phone charged based on it’s learned behaviours so that it doesn’t compromise the battery stores when you need it most.
Live Activities
These allow you to track real-time information about activities that are going on. You would be able to follow a sports game from your AppleTV subscription and have the game details and live play-by-play shown on the Lock Screen or if you have an iPhone compatible with the Dynamic Island then the information will be displayed in that area for you to see and track.
Live Activities are intended to stay on the Dynamic Island for up to eight hours and the Lock Screen for up to twelve hours. After which they would disappear from these areas. You can at any time of your choosing remove these Live Activities from the display.
Of course this required the developer of the applications to have Live Activities coded and ready to go on the day of iOS 16.1’s launch. The feature has been available for developers to test since iOS 16, but has not been available for use until iOS 16.1's release.
Download In-App Content Before First Launch
There is now a setting for the App Store to allow applications to download content before the first time you launch them. If enabled, applications can run in the background to download content before you’ve even launched the app for the first time. The app store has size limits to the files that can be downloaded, so this gives developers the option to reduce the size of their application and download needed content in the background immediately after being installed on your device.
Subscription to Fitness+ Without an Apple Watch
Before iOS 16.1 you needed an Apple Watch in order to be able to subscribe to Fitness+ in the Fitness App. You will be missing out on the health data that is shown on your Apple Watch while you workout, however if you’re just looking to get in a workout and follow along with Fitness+ then that’s now an option.
Delete the Wallet App
Previous versions of iOS allowed you to remove the Wallet app from the home screen but not delete it completely. With the release of iOS 16.1 you’ll now be able to remove the app completely from your device. It can be used for Apple Pay, Insurance slips, boarding passes, benefits cards, etc. where supported, but if you don’t use it for these purposes then you can now completely remove it.
Disable Airpods Pro 2 Volume Controls
With Airpods Pro 2 you can control the volume of your device by swiping up or down on the stem of the Airpod. iOS 16.1 allows you to toggle this feature off if you don’t want to use it.
Screenshot Editor Done Presentation
After taking a screenshot you’re presented with the sample at the bottom of the screen. Clicking that enables you to edit the screenshot. This has been common functionality for past iOS versions, the change for iOS 16.1 comes when you hit the “Done” button. You’re no longer presented with the large Action Sheet at the bottom of your screen but instead the options show as a popover presentation near the Done button.
Matter Support
Apple has begun rolling out their Matter support in the iOS 16.1 betas that have been available. Matter helps to standardize the protocol of communication for smart devices allowing for smart devices to more seamlessly connect together.
Conclusion
These are just some of the features included in the launch of iOS 16.1. There are many more Lock Screen changes, iCloud changes, Game Center changes, and more that are going to make using your iPhone easier and more fun to customize to your personal needs.
Daniel is an Agile Software Engineer with experience on a variety of platforms in both development and design. He also enjoys collaborative projects with clients, leading developer projects, and mentoring junior and intermediate developers on everything from code quality to programming knowledge. When he’s not coding, his hobbies include baking, running agility with his dog, raising chickens, and gaming.
TribalScale is a global innovation firm that helps enterprises adapt and thrive in the digital era. We transform teams and processes, build best-in-class digital products, and create disruptive startups. Learn more about us on our website. Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook!
