WWDC22: Apple Debuts New iOS 16 Lock Screen With Widgets And More

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference WWDC22 has kicked off and you know when Apple shows up, it shows up with a bang. One of the key highlights tonight is the reveal of the iOS 16 operating system and its numerous possibilities. iOS 16 has been marked to debut later in the fall, but before then, the operating system will be spending this summer in beta testing. The operating system comes with a lot of incredible offerings, firstly more personalization options, an improved lock screen with widgets, and some welcome updates to Messages for the typo-prone users, which a number of us considerably fall under. 

Let’s start with the lock screen of Apple’s latest update, at the centre of it is the ability to customize fonts and colours used. Now more than ever it will be possible to add widgets and configure multiple lock screens, users can switch between by swiping across the screen. Apple explains that different focus modes can also be assigned to different lock screens. Apple-supplied wallpapers also get an update that is refreshing too, with animated and Pride-themed choices.

The lock screen of iOS 16 adds a new appearance for the notifications panel as it appears differently. Instead of piling up across the screen that every user is used to, they will now “roll in” at the bottom of the screen, interesting right?. Also available is a “live activities” feature that would display notifications associated with an event. For example, say there is like an Uber ride or sporting event, you get to see them in a single tile in your notification panel.

That’s not all, major updates would be coming to the messages too. iOS 16 will be giving users the ability to edit typo errors in sent messages. Users can also recall messages that weren’t intended to be sent. Then, there is the ability to mark a message thread as unread should you decide you want to come back to them. SharePlay is also coming to messages.

Apple’s Live Text feature has been updated and will be coming to video. Apple didn’t just stop there, additional actions are available when Live Text is used in photos or videos. Expanded features are available for the Wallet as well, a way to share saved IDs securely are now provided, with this feature a user supplies the only necessary information. It’ll be easier to share saved keys, too. 

Apple Pay introduces a new feature called “Pay Later,” this feature is said to allow users to have the payment option of splitting a bill into four equal parts without interest or extra fees. iOS 16 will be introducing multi-stop routing to the Apple Maps, and six more cities will be added to the “detailed city experience” the company introduced to the iOS 15.

In an effort to make sharing certain photos easier across family and friends’ accounts, Apple is now adding shared iCloud photo libraries. Photos will include sharing suggestions, and image edits and keywords will be synced for all users.

Also coming is a very new feature that is referred to as the Safety Check. This feature is aimed at protecting users that may be exposed to abusive situations, a user can easily revoke access to certain information, like location, that might have been previously shared with someone else. iOS 16 has been marked to debut later in the fall and will only be available to the iPhone 8 and older devices. When the iOS 16 eventually debuts, chances are it will debut with iPhone 14 series which rumours have said will offer an always-on display, the first of its kind in an iPhone.