A big update is coming iOS 16 October 24th.
the launch of iOS 16 in September brought some big changes to iPhones, including customizable lock screens which now support widgets, new editing tools for Messages and a new Fitness app along with updates to many existing iPhone apps.
But iOS 16.1 is an important update, offering more than improvements and bug fixes. We get features that Apple promised with the iOS 16 preview over the summer, but were delayed from the initial release.
These include the new iCloud Shared Photo Library and live activities; we are also getting a new clean energy charging function that appeared during the beta version of iOS 16.1.
iOS 16.1 is released alongside the releases of iPad OS 16 Y macOS Ventura. Here’s an overview of all the new features and updates coming to iPhones running iOS 16.1.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
iOS 16.1 brings a new way to share photos with family and friends. iCloud Photo Sharing Library will be a separate library where users can share photos and videos with up to five other people. Anyone with access to the shared library can share, edit, caption, and delete photos. Additionally, the Camera app now features a switch that lets you add photos to the iCloud Photo Shares library as they’re taken.
Shared iCloud Photo Library was briefly part of the iOS 16 public beta this summer before Apple postponed the feature to later in the year, presumably to fine-tune it. We’ll soon see what changes Apple has made to its new way of sharing photos.
Live Activities for Third Party Apps
Here’s another feature that Apple showed off earlier in the year, but was kept out of the iOS 16 release (although its absence was planned all along to give app creators time to work on adding support). Live activities are interactive notifications that stay up to date on your lock screen. Think of sports scores, delivery status reports, and other activities you’d monitor from your phone’s lock screen.
iOS 16.1 opens up the feature to third-party apps, so expect plenty of app updates on Monday that include live activity alerts.
Live activities are not limited to the lock screen if you have a iPhone 14 Pro either iPhone 14 ProMax. On those phones, Live Activities will join other alerts and notifications in the Dynamic Island that the notch replaced on the iPhone.
clean energy charging
Included with Battery Settings in iOS 16.1, Clean Power Charging is designed to reduce your iPhone’s carbon footprint by optimizing charge times for when the power grid uses cleaner energy sources. This feature will only be available for US users. Apple first promised the feature in September.
Apple Fitness Plus
Once iOS 16.1 arrives, Apple Fitness Plus will now be available for iPhone even without an Apple Watch. That’s in keeping with Apple’s earlier move to add the Fitness app to iOS 16, regardless of whether you owned one of the company’s watches or not.
During workouts, users without Apple Watch won’t be able to see real-time metrics like heart rate and calories burned. Instead, they’ll see estimated calories burned (based on information provided in the Fitness app).
Anyone running iOS 16.1 in one of the 21 countries where Apple’s fitness subscription service is offered will be able to access all of Apple Fitness Plus with over 3,000 studio-style exercises and meditations.
Changes to Apple Card and Wallet
Apple Card users will be able to open a Goldman Sachs “high yield” savings account with iOS 16.1. You can then manage that account from the Wallet app and get daily cash back rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements.
As promised during the iOS 16 preview, Apple’s Wallet app will also allow people to securely share keys like car keys, hotel room keys and more with friends and family using messaging apps like Messages and even Whatsapp. , though that feature requires support from carmakers and hotels.
Accessibility support for dynamic island
We noticed Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro models when it came to live activities. iOS 16.1 brings another improvement for that specific feature: accessibility support. Basically, iOS 16.1 will make it easier to access Dynamic Island with one hand. You can enable the feature within Settings.
