Apple’s iOS updates are routine, with a new iPhone-focused version released every year since the iPhone’s launch to help improve the overall experience.
Customers will be able to pay for Apple Pay items in installments over time, similar to how pay later services like Klarna allow them to do. In 2022, buy now, pay later will be available.
Apple’s most recent official version, iOS 15, introduced a number of much-needed changes to the notification system, as well as the Focus system, a revamped FaceTime experience, and more, but it’s safe to believe Apple is working on iOS 16 behind closed doors.
Apple released iOS 15.5 to developers this week, and while it includes some useful additions like the addition of “Send” and “Request” buttons for Apple Pay’s Cash area, greater updates with iOS 16 are expected later. Apple’s speculated next major software upgrade has no official release date yet, but we’re expecting a disclosure at the company’s WWDC, which is now set for June 6-10.
When does iOS 16 come out?
iOS 15 was released in September 2021, thus we’ll have to wait a long time for iOS 16. However, because Apple tends to keep to the same timetable year after year, we have a very decent sense of when it’ll be announced and when it’ll be released.
What is the timetable? Apple usually announces the latest version of iOS first during its annual developer-focused WWDC event in early June, along with new versions of iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS.
Apple is also working on a hardware subscription scheme that will allow customers to pay a monthly price for an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, making purchasing a device comparable to purchasing iCloud storage or an Apple Music membership. If Apple does not cancel it outright, this might happen by the end of 2022 or early in 2023.
Apple has confirmed that this year’s WWDC will take place between June 6 and 10, with the special keynote talk likely taking place on June 6 at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT, though exact timings have yet to be determined.
Following the announcement, Apple will provide a beta version of the software to developers (and eager public beta testers) during the summer, with the next-generation iPhone following in September.
With that in mind, we expect to see the first glimpse of iOS 16 in June 2022, followed by a public release in September 2022 alongside the iPhone 14.
How much will iOS 16 sets you back?
iOS 16 will be a free upgrade for all supported iPhone owners, just like every other iOS release.
Which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 16?
While Android devices give two or three years of OS updates – and even that is a new thing – Apple excels at making its mobile operating system available to as many cellphones as possible.
Consider the iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015 at the same time as the Galaxy S6. While Apple’s iOS 15 update includes the iPhone 6s, the Galaxy S6 was not upgraded to Android 8, let alone Android 12.
Meanwhile, we have some concerns. Will iOS 16 be available on older smartphones, such as the iPhone 7 from 2016? How will it compare to iOS 15 (which introduced a plethora of new capabilities, like the ability to scan text off a piece of paper)?
Here’s what we’ve learned so far. Keep in mind that none of the features of the next operating system have been confirmed by Apple. As additional rumors and leaks emerge, we’ll update this post.
It’s possible that some older iPhones will be left out of the upgrade if it’s more demanding than iOS 15, as early reports suggest. iOS 16 will not be available for the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, or the original iPhone SE from 2016, according to iDrop News, however it’s unclear where this information comes from. Even so, with the iPhone 6S’s aging A9 CPU, it’ll happen sooner or later.
Is iOS 16 going to be compatible with your iPhone?
Even though Apple releases a new iOS every year, the operating systems are backward compatible with most older devices, with iOS 15 running flawlessly on an iPhone 6S from 2015. However, according to the French website iPhoneSoft, an Apple developer disclosed that iOS 16 will run on iPhones with an A10 chip or higher. That includes the iPhone 7 and later, not the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, or SE 2016.
We expect the list of supported devices for iOS 16 to be extremely similar, if not identical, to that for iOS 15.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13
Mini iPhone 13
Max iPhone 12 Pro
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12
Mini iPhone 12
Pro iPhone 11
iPhone 11
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Apple iPhone XS
Apple iPhone XR
iPhone X
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 6s
Plus iPhone 6s
Apple iPhone SE (2016)
When the iOS 16 beta is released, here’s how to get it.
Although it is a long way off, it never hurts to be prepared. Because installing a new operating system takes up a lot of storage space on a phone, you’ll want to get rid of old photographs, videos, and apps. Then you must back up your phone to ensure that you do not lose any crucial data if the upgrade fails. If you’re not sure how to do it, check out our iOS 14 checklist for a step-by-step tutorial.
Enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program to try out the public beta when it becomes available. (It’s worth noting that CNET blogger Jason Cipriani warned against installing the iOS 15 beta too soon last year.)
The most recent iOS 16 rumors
It’s difficult to predict what Apple has planned for iOS 16 because the release date is still a long way off. However, like with most upcoming technological launches, there are rumors and leaks that give us a general notion of what to expect. Mark Gurman recently indicated that “significant improvements should be across the system,” which speaks well for the next major OS version.
But let’s get a little more specific…
Icons for apps have been redesigned.
In macOS Monterey, we were treated (if you can call it that) to a slew of new program icons, and sources say the same could be coming in iOS 16. While the Apple Maps and Weather app icons received a makeover in iOS 15, iDropNews claims that more changes are in the works for iOS 16.
The journal does not name its sources, but it claims to have heard that Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design, has been working on the new icons with his team for about a year.
Despite the lack of specifics, the report states that the revised icons’ look will be “quite similar” to the macOS Monterey icons. This might suggest a modernized version of the original iOS app icons, which featured more depth and substance than the revamped appearance released in iOS 7.
Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt, as plans could alter at any time.
It’s worth mentioning that renowned Apple leaker Mark Gurman has stated that he “doesn’t foresee an end-to-end revamp of iOS’s layout” in iOS 16, however he does hint that “some new Apple apps” are on the way.
Widgets that interact
While Android users have had widgets since the platform’s debut, Apple was late to the widget party, releasing the feature in iOS 14 in 2020. Even even then, the app’s functionality was severely limited in comparison to its Android counterparts, with no interactive aspects. On an iPhone, tapping a widget instead launches the app, which isn’t always necessary.
According to the newest rumors, all of that will change with iOS 16. The rumor comes from leaker @LeaksApplePro, who teased the debut of interactive widgets on Twitter alongside a leaked photograph of Apple HQ’s “huge widgets,” codenamed InfoShack.
iOS 16. EXCLUSIVE:
Be on the lookout for interactive widgets! Apple is currently developing “huge widgets” internally known as InfoShack.
Soon, I’ll tell you more about them. pic.twitter.com/GZF9zYjOsw January 26, 2022 — LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro)
There appear to be interactive symbols for music, timer, flashlight, Apple TV, and other things in the image.
The leaker promises an update soon, but adds that “there is a lot of work to do therefore there could be adjustments to this in the next months,” implying that the feature is far from complete.
Is it legitimate, or not? It’s currently a topic of contention, with internet commenters pointing out that the Apple TV symbol in iOS 15 is different. While this is true, keep in mind that Apple is rumored to be changing app icons in the next major update, which could include Control Center/widget icons as well.
According to Mark Gurman’s Power On! newsletter from mid-May 2022, the next iOS upgrade would bring “new ways of interacting.” While he doesn’t confirm interactive widgets outright, it does fit with the rumor.
System of notification has been updated.
While information on what this would entail are scarce, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that iOS 16 will include “an overhaul to notifications” in addition to other significant changes. Given that Apple has placed a strong emphasis on notifications in recent iOS releases, it will be interesting to see what else it can offer to help us manage incoming notifications on our phones.
Enhancements to AR/VR capabilities
Apple’s augmented reality plans have been rumored for years, and it appears that the corporation will be ready to debut something in late 2022, if current rumors are to be believed.
While some expect full-fledged Apple AR Glasses, it appears to be a high-end AR/VR headset that merges the actual and augmented worlds into one. While there are few clues on what to expect in terms of content, rumors say you’ll be able to manage various aspects of the experience using your iPhone.
So, similar to how the Apple TV remote is accessible via the Control Centre, we expect to see some form of AR/VR headset controls included into iOS 16.
Apple may potentially upgrade ARKit, its AR app development API, to provide new features and functionality.
Oculus is adding mixed reality functionality to the Quest 2, allowing the headset to recognize and interact with items in the real world, and it would be fantastic if iOS app developers could do the same ahead of the dedicated hardware’s debut.
