Apple will host WWDC 2022 on June 6 at the Apple Park in California. The company will host its annual developer event physically in a limited capacity. Those interested, however, can watch the new Apple event online through various channels. Apple will host the WWDC 2022 live stream on its website, YouTube channel and the Apple TV app. At the event, Apple will announce iOS 16, and iPadOS 16. macOS 13 and more.
The company will only give us a glimpse of what’s new in iOS 16. The new update for the iPhone will be rolled out later this year. At the event, developers and consumers will get to know some of the new iOS 16 features that will be available for the iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series and other iPhone models.
The developer preview should be live soon after the event. Apple is also expected to release the public beta a month after the event. The stable update should release in September or October 2022. While we wait for some more details about the iOS 16 release date and rollout timeline, the rumour mill has revealed some key details of the upcoming iOS update. Let’s take a look at the new iOS 16 features leaked so far.
iOS 16 new features: Expected
The upcoming iOS 16 update will not bring with it any major design overhaul. Apple is likely to stick to the current user interface design while introducing some new features. The upcoming iOS update is rumoured to bring some major updates to notifications, messages and the lock screen. Some new Health app features are also expected to be announced at the Apple event.
New Lock Screen
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously claimed that the iOS 16 lock screen will get a huge revamp. The new improvements will include wallpapers that feature widget-like capabilities. The upcoming iOS update is also said to bring support for Always-on Display (AoD). However, the feature will be available only after the iPhone 14 launch event and remain exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The status bar on the lock screen (and the home screen) could also be tweaked and show more updates at the top to accommodate for the hole-punch and pill-shaped cutout on the Pro models.
Improvements to Notifications
The Notifications tab is also rumoured to get some updates. Gurman claimed that these changes with be “significant”. However, not much is known about the same.
Messages app to receive an overhaul as it takes on WhatsApp, Telegram
The Messages app for iMessage and SMS has been getting regular updates from Apple over the years. The company is said to now introduce some new features in the app with the iOS 16 update to compete against other social media and instant messaging apps like WhatsApp. Gurman claimed that Messages would offer a more “social networking-like functionality.” Apple is also said to announce some new features for audio messages but the details are currently under wraps.
Health App Additions
The new iOS update will also have an added focus on the Health app. Gurman claimed that Apple is working on introducing an updated version of the Health app. The new version will expand its sleep tracking functionality and medicine management.
Apple is said to be working on developing a tool that will allow users to scan their pill bottles into the Health app. Initially, only limited features of the planned functions will be available. Apple is also said to focus on women’s health features.
iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9: Expected features
Alongside iOS 16, Apple will announce the next software updates for the iPad, Mac, Apple TV and the Apple Watch. The new iPadOS 16 update will include most of the iOS 16 features. In addition to this, Gurman claimed that the upcoming update for the iPad OS will feature some features for better multitasking.
A recent report claimed that Apple is also working on features that will let users perform some of the laptop-like tasks on the iPad. One of the rumoured features includes resizing app windows, which will allow users to run multiple apps at once. This will particularly be useful for the newer iPad models running the new M1 chip.
macOS 13 is said to come with an overhauled System Preferences interface that will be in line with the iPhone and iPad. Apple might also make some design changes in its native apps.
watchOS 9 will get some major updates as well. Apple is likely to introduce some “significant improvements to watchOS that affect day-to-day operating and navigation,” according to Gurman. There will be a new Low Power Mode that, unlike the current Low Power Mode, will let users have access to some of the watch’s features.
One can also expect the new watchOS 9 updates to include new Watch Faces. Of course, there will be some new health features that will be integrated with the new Health app as well. watchOS 9 is expected to be available for the public in September or October 2022.
