Next week, Apple will release a new version of its mobile operating system iOS 16.2. With it, the company will introduce a number of functionalities and improvements, and today we will introduce you to some of them.
Apple Music Sing is a new karaoke-like option that will display the lyrics of tens of millions of songs in the app. There will also be an option to reduce the volume of the vocals. This option is compatible with A13 chipset and later.
iOS 16.2 introduces an optional feature called Advanced Data Protection. It extends end-to-end encryption to additional categories of iCloud data. This includes backing up messages, photos, notes, and more. The option will initially be available in the US.
The new version also includes the Freeform app. With it, you get an infinite canvas on which you can draw, write and paste a variety of content. It is also possible to work together from different devices, iPhone, iPad and Mac.
There are also two new lock screen additions. These are Sleep and Medications, the former showing recent sleep data and the latter a shortcut to the medication schedule.
In iOS 16.2, there will now be an option to hide the wallpaper and notifications in always-on display mode for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Also adding Live Activities support for sports scores via the Apple TV app. Thus, users can follow the results of various types of sports live on the lock screen and on Dynamic Island.
AirDrop switches to limit requests, with the option to allow requests from everyone active for 10 minutes, and then switch to only requests from the contact list. The Home app also gets a refresh with a new architecture that improves performance, efficiency and reliability when managing smart home devices.
Other new features include support for SharePlay in Game Center, compatibility with 5G networks in India, an Apple News section in the Weather app, and improved search in Messages. The latest change affects finding photos by text search for content.