With iOS 16 being released sometime this fall, we wanted to get you all pumped up and ready to spill the tea on what to expect. And lucky for you, we’ve been trained in the art of brewing up hot takes that are sure to be shared on all the main networks! Let’s take a look at some of the biggest changes in iOS 16 and what they mean for you and your iPhone...

When can I get it?

As is tradition, Apple first released the developer beta for iOS 16 at its WWDC 2022 event. The public beta was released on July 11th, and you can sign up for it now if you just can't wait. However, most people are cautious of bugs from downloading the beta version and want to wait until the official release in the fall. 

So, what's new? Here are some of the best features coming to your iPhone with iOS 16.

The most exciting features

Lock Screen

Your lock screen will be extremely customizable (changing colors and fonts, for example), and will have a plethora of widgets that can track your weather, keep an eye on your easy access information, and even track your activity, etc.  We believe the best feature will be that we will now enjoy different Lock Screens, each with its own wallpaper and widgets, and you can easily switch between them.

iMessage

First up, there's a new iMessage app that lets you customize your messages with different colors and fonts. You can also now pin your favorite conversations to the top of your list, so you never miss a beat. Expect new emojis, like new hairstyles and poses, but best of all…. You can erase that message you regret hitting send to!

Apple Maps

Apple Maps is getting an update too- with a new feature that allows you to see how much your journey will cost you and that will allow you to add a transit card to your Apple Wallet to replenish, review your balance, and pay when needed. Additionally, Apple Maps is including multi-stop routing.

Notifications

Apple announced a feature in Notifications called Live Activities, which will keep you in the Loop on your favorite sports games, workouts, Uber journeys, and more. Notifications are also getting a position change and will be rolled out from the bottom of your screen, making more sense for us all.

Your lock screen and notifications can all be organized into focus modes, that will help you concentrate at work, ignore work when you have logged off your computer, and sleep without even thinking about your phone.

Safety features

It is a consensus within our team, here at Loop, that perhaps the most important feature we expect to see Apple roll out when the iOS 16 is released, is Safety Check. This powerful feature will deny and revoke permission from other people and other apps to your location and also perform a security review.

You will not have to jump around hoops in a moment of panic to try to go through all your settings to try to activate it, you just have to push the panic button and it will immediately disconnect your phone from all apps, devices, and people.

This imperative privacy feature is designed to provide immediate help to those experiencing domestic violence or high-risk violence situations.  It also can restrict Messages and FaceTime to the device you’re currently using, as well.

Will it work on my iPhone?

Absolutely...if you own an iPhone 8 and above, that is. The iOS16 is saying "toodles!" to older models of iPhone, including the iPhone 7, which not long ago, was this writer's personal iPhone.

However, remember that you can get refurbished iPhone models here at Loop Mobile without having to choose technology over, you know, food and utilities. We have amazing discounts and our certified refurbished devices come with a 1-year warranty and free shipping. Why not install the iOS 16 on a brand new, reused, pristine iPhone 12 Pro Max? Get yours now!