Apple’s iOS updates are like clockwork, with a new iPhone-focused update every year since the iPhone’s inception to help improve the experience on offer.
Apple’s latest official release, iOS 15, brought a number of much-needed changes to the notifications system, along with the introduction of the Focus system, an overhauled FaceTime experience and more, but Apple is sure to be tough to work on iOS.16 behind closed doors.
Here we collect all the latest rumors and leaks regarding Apple’s next big iOS update, iOS 16.
When will iOS 16 be released?
iOS 15 was released in September 2021, so it will be some time before iOS 16 hits our iPhones. But that said, we have a pretty good idea of when it will be announced and when it’s likely to launch, as Apple tends to stick to the same schedule every year.
What’s the calendar ? Apple usually first announces the next version of iOS at its annual developer-focused WWDC event in early June, likely alongside new releases of iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS.
Apple has confirmed that this year’s WWDC will take place June 6-10, with the keynote taking place on June 6, likely at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT, although varying times have yet to be confirmed.
Following the announcement, a beta version of the software will be distributed to developers (and public beta testers) over the summer before launching in September, typically alongside the next generation iPhone.
That said, we’re confident we’ll get a first look at iOS 16 in June 2022, with a general release in September 2022 alongside the iPhone 14.
How much will iOS 16 cost?
Like all iOS updates, iOS 16 will be a free update for compatible iPhone users.
Which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 16?
While the smart phones Android offers two or three years of operating system updates – and even that is relatively new – Apple knows very well how to make its mobile operating system accessible to as many people as possible. smart phones.
Take the iPhone 6s as an example; it was released in 2015, alongside Samsung’s Galaxy S6. While Apple included the iPhone 6s in its iOS 15 update, the Galaxy S6 did not receive an update to Android 8, let alone Android 12.
Of course, it’s too early to know for sure which iPhones will be able to receive the iOS 16 update. We imagine that will depend, in part, on how much power the operating system needs to run.
If it’s more demanding than iOS 15, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus may be left out of the list, but even if that happens, many iPhones will almost certainly get the update.
This is the list of compatible devices for iOS 15, and we imagine it will be very similar, if not identical, for iOS 16.
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 7Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (2016)
Latest iOS 16 Rumors
With the reveal of iOS 16 still a ways away, it’s hard to say exactly what Apple has planned. But, as with most tech releases coming in 2021, there are already whispers and even leaks giving us a rough idea of what to expect.
Redesigned app icons
In macOS Monterey, we’ve been offered (if you can call it that) a slew of new app icons, and sources suggest we might see the same in iOS 16.
While Apple’s Maps and Weather app icons got a makeover in iOS 15, bigger changes are reportedly coming for iOS 16 – or so iDropNews says.
The post doesn’t reveal its sources, but suggests it was told Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of human interface design, has been working on the new icons with his team for about a year.
Although no details were given, the site claims that the design of the updated icons will be “very similar” to macOS Monterey icons. That could mean a modern take on the original iOS app icons, which had more depth and texture than the revised look introduced in iOS 7.
Of course, it’s worth taking this with the usual pinch of salt, as plans might change at this point.
Interactive widgets
While Android users have been able to take advantage of widgets since their inception, Apple came quite late to the widget game, not introducing the feature in iOS 14 in 2020.
Even then, functionality was noticeably limited compared to its Android siblings, with no interactive elements available. Tap a widget on an iPhone to access the app, which isn’t always necessary.
Well, if we follow the latest rumors, that’s all going to change with iOS 16. The rumor comes from leaker @LeaksApplePro, who teased the introduction of interactive widgets on Twitter with a leaked image showing the “big widgets” with the name from InfoShack code to Apple Headquarters.
🔴EXCLUSIVE: iOS 16.
Get ready for interactive widgets! Apple is now working on these “big widgets” internally named InfoShack.
I will tell you more about them soon. pic.twitter.com/GZF9zYjOsw— LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro)
January 26, 2022
From the image, it looks like there are interactive icons for music, stopwatch, flashlight, Apple TV, etc.
The lessor says they will provide an update soon, but noted “there’s a lot of work to do, so there might be changes to that over the next two months,” so that’s a long way off. to be a finished feature at this point.
The question is: is it legit? This is currently the subject of some debate, with comments online pointing out that the Apple TV icon looks different than iOS 15. While that’s true, don’t forget that Apple is also supposed to redesign the app icons in the next big thing. update, which could also extend to ‘Control Center/widgets’ icons.
Improved AR/VR capabilities
Rumors about Apple’s augmented reality plans have been circulating for years, and it looks like the company might be ready to announce something in late 2022 – if current rumors are to be believed, anyway.
But while some are betting on Apple’s augmented reality glasses, it looks like it will be a high-end AR/VR headset that merges the real world and the augmented world into one. While details are scarce on the content, rumors suggest the iPhone will be used to control various elements of the experience.
So we expect to see some form of AR/VR headset control built into iOS 16, similar to how you access the Apple TV remote through Control Center.
Apple may also update ARKit, its API for developing AR apps, to include new features.
Meta-owned Oculus is rolling out mixed reality support to the Quest 2, allowing headsets to recognize and interact with real-world objects, and it would be great if iOS app developers offered something similar earlier after the launch of dedicated hardware.
Original article published on our sister site TechAdvisor UK.
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