Apple’s Far Out event was jam-packed with one announcement after the other. We saw the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods Pro all get a refresh. The iPhone 14 series is the major announcement, and the lineup will ship with iOS 16 out of the box. But current-gen iPhone users need not wait long to experience the stable iOS 16 update. In fact, you can get iOS 16 starting next week.
Apple’s iPhone 14 and 14 Plus launch press release reads: “iOS 16 will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 12.” So if you are an iPhone 8 and above user, Apple will roll out the latest iOS version for you on September 12.
The upcoming iOS 16 is one of the biggest updates to the iPhone’s operating system in recent years. It includes improvements to the overall UI, including a new way to reach Spotlight Search, updates to Messages and other apps.
Another standout feature is the ability to lift subjects from the background of photos. As we noted in one of our features, iOS 16’s background remover does a brilliant job in well-lit scenarios. It will be one of the most-talked-about features when the stable update goes live and as people discover they can tap and hold an image to remove the background. It works well on pets and objects to clear out the background from the edges. It’ll be interesting to see how much it’s improved with the A16 Bionic chipset on the iPhone 14 Pro series, as Apple seems to be relying on the portrait mode data to lift the subject from the background.
Big changes in iOS 16 are coming to the lock screen. You can now add a touch of personalization to your iPhone’s lock screen, including widgets and a revamped wallpaper selector. Apple is also including more sharing features with SharePlay on Messages so users can watch movies and listen to music together while using the Messages app to chat. Finally, iOS 16 will end captchas, thanks to Apple’s Automatic Verification system. You’ll no longer need to prove your humanity to a computer.
Apple doesn’t say what time on September 12 it’ll roll out iOS 16, but at some point that day, you can expect the update to land on your iPhone.
Related Posts
OnePlus 15T leak spills details on a curious camera situation
According to the Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station (via Weibo), a "small-screen phone powered by the Snapdragon 8E5 is ready," translated from simplified Chinese. This phone, believed to be the OnePlus 15T, could feature a dual-camera setup "with a 50MP main sensor and a 50MP telephoto lens."
WhatsApp has begun testing a long-overdue group chat feature
The Meta-owned messaging platform is testing a new feature called "group chat history sharing" (via a WABetaInfo report). As the name suggests, the feature lets a WhatsApp user (likely the admin) share the chat history (up to 100 messages sent within 14 days) with someone while adding them to a group.
Google Photos introduces a fun new way to turn yourself into a meme
According to a recent post on Google's support forums, Me Meme is a generative AI feature that lets you star in trending memes using a template and a photo of yourself. It's rolling out in Google Photos for Android in the US, and you can try it out by tapping the "Create" button and selecting the new "Me meme" option.