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From the things we know by heart every year: iOS 16 is on its way! If iOS 15 focused on optimizing areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), well-being, and a more open ecosystem, in 2022 the hopes are for more visual changes in Apple’s mobile software. With that in mind, here is an overview of what to expect of iOS 16 new features in the months ahead.
The next iOS version is expected to be introduced at WWDC in June, and although the rumors around iOS 16 are only a few at the moment, we already have some interesting reports based on the next iPhone generation, the Apple Glasses, and a very nice video-concept.
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iOS 16 rumored features
Design changes in the status bar
With the rumors around the new iPhone series coming to the market without a notch, the iOS UI will have some room for creativity. According to some sources, Apple will drop the rectangular notch on the iPhone 14 Pro and bring the punch-hole notch to its iconic phones for the first time.
A small hole for the front-facing camera means also more space for changes to the layout of the top of the iPhone, maybe even bringing the most expected battery percentage to the status bar.
Emergency Satellite Features
One of the most intriguing rumors related to the iPhone 13 series was to come with a satellite communication system. Do you remember it? As we all know, that didn’t happen, so the industry rumors now are that Apple is planning to bring the satellite-based emergency feature to the iPhone 14 lineup.
It’s uncertain if this could be mentioned as a future iOS 16 feature since the ability to use a satellite communication system will probably rely on bespoke hardware, but some tech outlets are considering this possibility. With that, iPhones would be able to send emergency messages (or more) when there is no cellular coverage.
New VR/AR integrations
We are all very excited about the Apple Glass, mostly because the company has been working on this project for a while now. But even more special than that, Apple already showed some nice and innovative approaches with Virtual and Augment Reality features integrated into iOS.
It’s true that we still don’t know if the Apple Glass will see the light in 2022, but Tim Cook certainly has some plans on building a bigger and better ecosystem of VR/AR apps and games. And since the iPhones will probably support some integration with the smart glasses, we expect new features in the operating system to support it.
Interactive Widgets
Since iOS 14, widgets have been playing a more important role in the operating system UI. With iOS 15, Apple introduced a great number of new widgets for popular Apple apps and services. And now, with iOS 16 the expectations go beyond design and functional shortcuts, the iOS widgets should also be smarter with more interactive options.
For instance, currently, the Apple Music Widget displays the album image, the name of the music, and the artist, but you can not really browse between tracks or switch quickly between albums. In short, it only works as a shortcut to the Music app. With interactive Widgets, you would be able to do more actions without leaving the home screen.
A new UI experience: from Always-on display to Split Screen
It’s been a while since Apple revamp the iOS experience. Last year, Google decided to bring a new concept to Android 12 and introduced Material You, a more colorful and shape diverse user interface, so many fans believe that’s time for Apple to shake some UI around.
In this matter, a concept that got more than one million views on YouTube looks like gathering all the fans are asking for quite some time now. Features like an Always-on display, Split Screen, and a redesigned control center were collected in the video concept below.
On the other hand, however, Apple doesn’t give as much freedom as Google when it comes to personalization, so it’s possible that many users that are counting on a design revamp will be disappointed.
That’s all we know from rumors, leaks, and expectations regarding the iOS 16 for now. In the next weeks and months, we will probably see much more leaks making the rounds on the internet, and we will update this round-up article.
iOS 16 release date
Even though Apple still didn’t confirm the exact days for its 32nd annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the iOS 16 is expected to be announced at WWDC 2022, in June. As we saw in the last years, the developer beta version (for registered app developers only) should be released right after the keynote. When we will have the chance to test it and share our first impressions with NextPit Community.
Over the course of the months following the beta phase — including the public beta release — the next generation of iOS will be tweaked, fixed, and updated until we reach a stable iOS 16 version, and the official release should be available to everybody in September 2022, timed with the release of a new iPhone line.
iOS 16 supported devices
When it comes to software updates, Apple is the brand to use as an example. By the time iOS 15 was officially released, even the iPhone 6s series from 2015 got the operating system update. However, according to rumors, the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE (1st generation) will not receive any updates from 2022 onwards due to critical A9 and A9X chip limitations, for which Apple is withdrawing support.
With that in mind and Apple’s update support history, the iOS 16 will probably be available from iPhone 7 models up to the new iPhone 13 series. To keep informed about which iPhones will be updated to the next version of Apple’s mobile software, take a look at our iOS 16 update tracker guide.
Conclusion
Apple’s popularity increased in the last few months. According to Counterpoint Research Monthly Market Pulse in January 2022, “Apple sold the highest number of iPhones in a single year since its inception.” One of the main reasons for it was Apple’s largest growth in China since October 2021, fulfilling the gap that Huawei left in the country due to the ongoing US sanctions.
Overall, this means that the number of iPhone owners across the planet has never been bigger, putting some pressure for novelties on iOS 16. Since 2020, Apple software engineers did not invest in big visual changes, and it’s about time for that to happen. With the introduction of Widgets, the company gave more customization options to the users, offering a way to personalize the iOS interface, but still lags behind Android.
That said, Apple will have the chance again to rethink some key visual characteristics in the iPhones and I would like to see that happening already with iOS 16.
What are your expectations related to iOS 16? Do you believe Apple will play safe in 2022 or is it time for some bold changes?
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