Edit and 'unsent' messages
Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past, said Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app. First, in iOS 16 you'll be able to edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you'll be able to edit the message after the fact. A tiny "edited" appears in the status under the message. Next, and this might be my favorite new feature, you can immediately recall a scent message. If you accidentally send an unfinished message, you can use the Undo Send tool to prevent it from being read and hopefully look less chaotic to your friends and family. Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This could be an excellent tool for when you don't have time to respond to a message at the moment but want to make sure you come back to it later.
A new Customizable lock screen
One of the things you look at the most on your iPhone is the lock screen, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. IOS 16 brings the most substantial update to the iPhone's lock screen yet. Press and hold to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out "several" different styles. Each style changes the color filter for the background photo and the font on the lock screen so everything complements each other. This feels a bit like Apple's take on Google's Material You, which launched with Android 12. You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings, and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen. You can even set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them. There's even a photo-shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen. One feature we hoped to see Apple add was an always-on display. It's something nearly all Android phones have; even the Apple Watch does. There's hope it'll come out with the iPhone 14.
Notifications and live activities
Sometimes notifications can cover up your lock screen's photo, so iOS 16 moves notifications to the bottom of your display. As you receive them, instead of being compiled into a list, they appear like a vertical carousel. This not only looks better but should be a big help for one-handed use of your iPhone. IOS 16 also aims to solve another notification problem. Sometimes you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, like the score of a basketball game. A new tool for developers called Live Activities makes it easier to stay on top of things happening in real-time from your lock screen, instead of getting a series of interruptions. Live Activities should make it easier to follow sporting events, workouts, or even the progress of an Uber ride.
Wallet and Apple Pay Later
ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app, along with more security and privacy features. In iOS 16 you can also protect your identity and age. So rather than showing your exact birthdate, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you're over 21. IOS 16 makes sharing keys easier with apps like Mail and Messages. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it's working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.
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