iOS 16 official version is coming: six new features are amazing

According to foreign media Macrumors, Apple is scheduled to release iOS 16 on Monday, September 12, local time, as a free update for iPhone 8 and later. iOS 16 includes many new features, from a customizable lock screen to the ability to temporarily edit or cancel sending iMessages.

To install iOS 16 when the update is released, open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap General → Software Update. Once you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 16, check out our list of six useful new features to try below.

Customize your lock screen

The first new feature in iOS 16 is the ability to personalize your lock screen with layered wallpapers, widgets, custom fonts for the date and time, and more. You can also select a set of photos to shuffle throughout the day on your lock screen.

The new Lock Screen Gallery showcases a range of Lock Screen options, including new Weather wallpapers with real-time weather conditions and Astronomy wallpapers that provide views of the Earth, Moon, and Solar System. iOS 16 supports multiple Lock Screen designs, allowing you to switch between favorites with just a swipe.

Edit or cancel a message

iOS 16 introduces the ability to temporarily edit or unsend an iMessage, as well as the ability to mark an iMessage conversation as unread after opening it.

Apple allows you to edit an iMessage up to 15 minutes after sending it, and up to five times per message. Recipients will be able to see a record of edits made to the message, and on devices running iOS 15 or earlier, edited messages will be received as new messages with "Edited as [new message]" displayed.

To edit or unsend a message, simply tap and hold the bubble and select the appropriate option in the menu that appears. Edited iMessages will be marked as "Edited" below the message bubble. Text messages (green bubbles) cannot be edited or unsent.

Use full screen music player

iOS 16 reintroduces the full-screen music player on the lock screen, complete with large album art and color-matched wallpapers.

The last time Apple offered a full-screen music player on the lock screen in iOS 10 was in 2016. If you don’t like the feature, you can tap the bottom of the display to minimize the music player and revert to the standard lock screen wallpaper.

Play games with Nintendo Switch game controller

iPhone supports many other Bluetooth game controllers on iOS 16, including the Joy-Cons pro controllers for Nintendo Switch. An iPhone running iOS 16 can be used with a single left or right Joy-Cons, or both can be used simultaneously as a single controller.

This is on top of the iPhone's existing compatibility with the PS5 Dual Sense and Xbox Series X controllers since the release of iOS 14.5 last year.

Track Apple Pay Orders

Apple Pay on iOS 16 offers new built-in order tracking information in the Wallet app for online orders placed through Apple Pay. The tracker provides an estimated delivery date for the order and indicates when the package will be delivered.

You can use exercise monitoring without an Apple Watch

The Fitness app is now available to all users on iPhone, even without an Apple Watch, starting with iOS 16. The app features daily activity rings that rely on the iPhone's motion sensors to estimate a person's daily calories burned and steps.

During the iPhone 14 event, Apple announced that its Fitness+ service will be available to iPhone users without an Apple Watch later this year in the 21 countries where the service is available. Fitness+ will be priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.