Now that iOS 16 is here, you probably don’t want to wait any longer, so head over to iPhone settings and download the update as soon as possible. But don’t run too much! It may not be a good idea to rush.
Early iOS updates often have major bugs, and some of the coolest features won’t arrive until Apple releases a later version.
Considering this and the public’s experience with the latest version, we explain when is the right time to install iOS 16 on your compatible iPhone.
Why should you update to iOS 16 now?
iOS 16 comes with exciting new features for your iPhone. The most obvious is the impressive new customizable lock screen. There’s also a new “Focus” feature, and you’ll be able to edit and unsend iMessages or schedule and retrieve emails in Mail, and more.
Although no version is perfect, Apple has already released several betas of iOS 16, so the first official version of iOS 16 is pretty solid (although not bug-free).
Chances are you’ll never make a major mistake, or at least nothing big enough to make you forget everything you’re carrying with you.
Why should you wait to install iOS 16?
Despite all the betas, new versions of iOS are still released with several notable bugs. These are usually fixed quickly (within weeks), so you won’t have to wait forever to install iOS 16.
In our testing, we found no major bugs in iOS 16, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
On the other hand, it is common that some of the announced features of the new iOS do not arrive with the initial version and wait for future updates (for example, with iOS 16.1 or 16.2).
The “Live Activities” feature (a kind of live update notification for some apps) is one of the big features that we won’t see until later.
Support for the Matter smart home standard, Freeform whiteboard app, shared iCloud Photo Library, and a few Game Center features will also come in a later update.
Also, we can’t forget that iPadOS 16.0 won’t even come out. The first public release for iPad will be iPadOS 16.1, likely in October. And macOS Ventura should be released at the same time.
Verdict: WAIT
Our recommendation is to wait to update your iPhone with the arrival of iOS 16.1 as well as iPadOS 16.1 and possibly macOS Ventura, which are due next October. You will have more features and a more stable experience.
But even if you’d rather update to iOS 16 sooner, skipping the first version is usually a good idea. It’s a good idea to wait a week or two to see if Apple releases an early release (iOS 16.0.1) that fixes the bugs.
