When Craig Federighi starts to speak regarding new software features of the upcoming updates as part of the WWDC keynote, some functions naturally fall by the wayside. For example, iOS 16 shows that although Apple hardly makes any visual changes to the user interface, it does make numerous small optimizations to existing features. Many of these innovations will only become known in the days and weeks following the presentation. After our last Count the list of new features has already grown significantly.
Weather app provides more information
For iOS 15, Apple drilled the weather app properly, but the application will not stand still with the upcoming major release either: almost all elements reveal more details at the touch of a finger. The user can expect an exact diagram of the temperature profile in the 10-day forecast, hourly forecasts for the wind, the probability of precipitation, humidity and much more. There are also some small design improvements in the map view for different weather conditions. Of course, the exact breakdown of the individual parameters does not stop at the new weather apps for iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura.
iOS 16 with better Game Center, eSim transfer and push-to-talk functionality
The Game Center dashboard has undergone a major visual overhaul, and the games and success stories of friends and acquaintances can also be tracked in the Contacts app. Multiplayer games also support SharePlay, although Apple will add this function later.
For the first time, the eSIM can be transferred from one iPhone to another via Bluetooth. There are a few requirements to be observed: iOS 16 must be installed on both devices and the network operator must support the function.
A new API called “Push to Talk” is reminiscent of the Apple Watch: audio messages are transmitted in real time, iOS 16 also shows the app icon and the person who is looking for the conversation. Responses are also possible in real time, developers can even provide the function for groups.
More iMessage improvements, improvements in the Books app
Editing of photos can be transferred to other images together with all set parameters. FaceTime calls get a somewhat transparent user interface and name suggestions in an iMessage group get a contact picture: the latter is particularly useful when several participants have the same first name. Speaking of iMessage: The GUI for voice messages is completely new. A new view in the control center reveals which apps recently requested access to the microphone, camera or similar. The user interface when playing videos looks much tidier:
The books application has many more configuration options, the turning of pages borrowed from skeuomorphism gives way to a new animation. Translations of text captured by the camera now work even more easily. Six new poses and 17 new and updated hairstyles are available for Memojis.
A number of practical small innovations
Already known WiFi networks can be easily and easily managed from iOS 16 and the iCloud section in the settings is more clearly divided into several sections. New AirPods icons replace the generic AirPlay icon in Control Center and on the lock screen.
If the iPhone is regarding to overheat and stops charging, it notifies the user with a new notification. The context menu, which allows, among other things, the copying of texts, has been redesigned a little – and adapts to the dark mode. The contacts widget gets blue dots as an indicator for unread messages and the quick notes known from the Mac and iPad are now also on board on the iPhone. The activities app known from the Apple Watch has landed on the iPhone for the first time – albeit in a somewhat slimmed-down form.
