review of iOS 16: let's see if it's the best Apple’s iPhone software

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iOS 16.1 introduced a number of new features, including iCloud Shared Photo Library, a new way to share photos with others, and Live Activities, a home screen alert that is constantly updated. Clean Energy Charging, the ability to use Apple Fitness Plus without an Apple Watch, and the ability to share digital keys with others were also new features in iOS 16.1.

The additions to iOS 16.2 aren't as extensive, but they're welcome. A new Freeform app has been released, allowing you to collaborate in real time with others across multiple Apple devices. If you use Apple Music, you'll appreciate the new karaoke mode in iOS 16.2.

All of these additions and improvements add to what was already available with iOS 16. As a result, the iOS update is robust and continues to improve. According to this iOS 16 review, upgrading to iOS 16 brings both new features and welcome updates to old favourites, making your phone a lot more useful.

iOS 16 review: How to get it and which iPhones support it

Whether you already have iOS 16 installed and just want the iOS 16.2 update, or you're still on the fence about upgrading to iOS 16, you can get the latest software update by going to the Settings app and tapping General. Choose Software Update, and then follow the on-screen instructions to download and install iOS 16.

You'll need an iPhone 8 or later to install iOS 16. That includes any iPhone released in 2017 and later. This rules out a few devices that can run iOS 15 but aren't compatible with iOS 16. All iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models, as well as the original iPhone SE, are ineligible for iOS 16 upgrades. (However, the 2020 and 2022 SE versions are supported.) The iPod touch 7th generation is also on the outside looking in.

Even if your phone supports iOS 16, some features may be unavailable on older devices. To use features like Live Text and Visual Look Up, both of which are new in iOS 16, you'll need a phone with an A12 Bionic processor or later, just like you did in iOS 15.

iOS 16 Review: Changes in the Lock Screen

The most noticeable change in iOS 16 is when you wake the phone from sleep. (Or, if you have one of the new iPhone 14 Pro models with always-on displays, you can use it at any time.) The wallpaper on the iOS 16 lock screen can now be changed. While adding widgets, you can change the font and colour of the date and time display.

Customizing your lock screen may be old hat for Android users, but if you prefer the iPhone, it's a brave new world. As before, you can use one of Apple's supplied wallpapers or one of your own photos — iOS 16 even suggests photos from your photo library that are particularly well-suited for lock screen wallpapers.

You can choose from eight different fonts and a plethora of colours, though I've found it difficult to find the right colour contrast so that the date, time, and widgets are all equally visible when using one of my photos.

During the iOS 16 beta process, your options for widgets were limited to Apple's own offerings. With the release of iOS 16, app developers have released their own widgets that provide glanceable information that you can see by simply looking at your iPhone display.

There's room for a single widget next to the date, but I think it's too small for anything more than a widget showing the current temperature. The area directly beneath the time has more space — enough for four square widgets, two larger ones, or a mix of the two sizes.

A calendar widget that shows upcoming appointments, a widget that controls smart home devices via the Home app, a stock ticker, a News headline widget, and one that shows your progress in iOS 16's new Fitness app are among the top widget options. A Clock widget that tells me if I have an alarm set is especially useful for reminding me to set my alarm before I go to bed, especially since I can turn on an alarm without having to unlock the phone and launch the clock app on my own.

To make room for all of these widgets, notifications now appear at the bottom of the screen, a change I quickly adapted to, despite introducing some annoyances. (On my iPhone 12, for example, the lock screen occasionally goes to sleep while I'm still trying to read notifications, which I imagine iPhone 14 Pro owners don't have to deal with because of the device's always-on display.)

Notifications are stacked on top of each other by default and fan out when you tap them, but you can switch back to the old list view to see all notifications. For any minimalists out there, a new notifications option shows only the number of notifications that have come in; tapping the number expands the notifications so that you can view them.

If you go to the Wallpaper section of the Settings app or press and hold on the lock screen to bring up customization options, customising the lock screen is fairly simple. iOS 16 walks you through the steps, and it's fairly simple to change the fonts, colours, and widgets. Customizing the wallpaper on the home screen is a little more difficult.

The same photo or design you chose for your lock screen background will appear on your home screen by default, but you can blur it or replace it with a solid colour or gradient if you prefer. You can also choose another image if the one on your lock screen isn't suitable for displaying app icons and widgets on your home screen.

You can set up multiple lock screens and switch between them at any time, but instructions for doing so are only available in the Wallpaper section of Settings. When your lock screen is active, simply tap and hold on the photo; an array of the lock screens you've created will fan out, and you can select one. There are also options for editing or creating a new lock screen. If you're sick of a certain lock screen, simply swipe up to reveal a delete button.

A nice touch is that you can associate a specific lock screen with a Focus mode to further block out distractions when you want to buckle down and work (or vice versa, if you don't want work distractions interrupting your free time). That way, you can activate a Focus mMode simply by switching lock screens — when you unlock your phone, you'll be taken to the home page with the apps and widgets associated with that Focus mode.

Aside from a few minor annoyances, the customizable lock screen in iOS 16 is a welcome addition to the iPhone. It allows you to customise the look of your phone in a productive and useful way, and creating a lock screen takes no time at all. Third-party widgets are on the way, which should add even more variety to the mix.

It's worth noting that while Apple did not extend the same customization benefits to classic wallpapers, users will now be able to add widgets to their classic iPhone wallpapers with the iOS 16.3 update.

iOS 16 Review: New Messaging Editing Tools

You'll also notice some changes in Messages, which isn't surprising given that Apple's texting app is one of the most popular built-in apps on the iPhone. The ability to edit text messages in iOS 16 Messages is a welcome addition, ideally to remove embarrassing or confusing typos. You can also cancel text messages in Messages.

The ability to recall a text is especially useful when you send a text only to realise you messaged the wrong person, such as when I text my wife that dinner is ready, only to discover I'm actually telling a group of friends. However, you can undo your mistake by tapping and holding on the message in question and selecting Undo Send from a pop-up menu. (An indication that a message has been recalled will appear.) Text editing is the same — tap and hold, then select edit from the same pop-up menu.

People are concerned that bad actors will use editing and unsending texts to threaten or intimidate people, only to delete any evidence of their abuse. That is a valid concern that cannot be completely eliminated as long as there are editing and unsend tools available, though Apple has placed some restrictions on this feature. In addition to the notices that appear when a text has been edited or recalled, you now only have a two-minute window to unsend messages, down from 15 earlier in the iOS 16 beta process. Messages still has a 15-minute window for text editing.

iOS 16 Mail now has the ability to unsend emails, and the window is even shorter. You have anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds to stop an email from being sent — you choose a time in the Mail section of Settings, where you can also disable the feature completely. Some people will appreciate the ability to undo hastily sent emails, just as they will appreciate a new feature in iOS 16 that detects when you forget to attach an attachment or add a recipient before sending an email. The best addition to iOS 16 Mail, in my opinion, is the ability to schedule an email to be sent later — an improvement that adds a long-standing feature from Gmail to Apple Mail's toolkit.

iOS 16 Review: Live Activities

An even more change to your lock screen came with iOS 16.1, when Apple made Live Activities available to third-party apps. Live Activities are a new type of alert designed to keep you up to date on things that are changing, such as the score of a basketball game or the status of a food delivery. Instead of bombarding you with updates, there is one constant alert that remains at the bottom of your lock screen, displaying the current status.

Live Activities now appear in the Dynamic Island area of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max's home screen. It's yet another way for Apple to keep you up to date with that ingenious iPhone feature.

iOS 16 Review: Photos and Focus Simplified

Many of the changes in iOS 16 are aimed at streamlining tasks that, while not complicated, still took up some of your time. There is no better illustration of this than iOS 16 Focus.

Last year, Apple introduced Focus as a tool for blocking out distracting notifications and apps so you could focus on the task at hand.

It's a useful feature, but I imagine the process of configuring Focus modes for work or leisure (if you don't want to be distracted by alerts and incoming messages from your employer) discouraged people from giving it a shot.

You won't have that excuse in iOS 16, as Apple has greatly simplified the Focus setup process. Allowing or blocking notifications from specific contacts or apps is now guided by Focus. You can also create a lock screen tied to a specific Focus mode or choose a home screen that only contains apps relevant to the mode you're in. Even better, Focus will recommend apps for that home screen, and I've found its recommendations to be spot on — for my Work mode, Focus recommended Slack, Gmail, and a handful of iOS 16's built-in apps that I use during the workday.

Focus also includes new filters that you can apply to iOS 16's built-in apps to only show certain calendars, inboxes, or Safari tab groups. Developers now have access to software tools that allow them to create Focus filters for their own apps.

The revamped iOS 16 Photos app receives some nice new features as well, while Focus is perhaps the best example of Apple streamlining things in iOS 16. I've used the Duplicates folder in iOS 16 to identify and merge identical photos in my library. (Photo merging combines captions, keywords, and other data into a higher-quality image.) You can also copy and paste photo and video edits to save time when making the same adjustments over and over. Undo and redo buttons are also useful for photo editing.

iOS 16 App Review: New Fitness App

There is only one new app in iOS 16, but it will be familiar to anyone who owns an Apple Watch. Your iPhone now has its own Fitness app, allowing you to set movement goals, track your activity, and close your rings just like your Apple Watch-wearing friends. There's even a Fitness widget you can put on your lock screen to see your progress at a glance.

In yet another indication that Apple recognises that a smartwatch is not for everyone, iOS 16.1 removes the Apple Fitness Plus requirement that you use an Apple Watch to exercise with the subscription service. All you need now is an iPhone (though Apple Watch owners can still track more workout data in Apple Fitness Plus).

Fitness has become one of the built-in apps in iOS 16 that I use the most. During the testing period, I found myself tracking my progress towards closing my daily move ring — you have to burn a certain number of calories per day to do so — and setting new move goals with the app's assistance.

Fitness data can be inconsistent — expect a small delay between when you finish a walk and when your move ring actually records the data. Fitness also claims to track the number of stairs you climb, but the sensors on your iPhone do a poor job of gathering this information. Every time I leave my house, I descend and ascend a flight of stairs; Fitness records me going up those stairs maybe one time out of ten.

Still, I'm moving more these days, and the Fitness app in iOS 16 is a big reason why. That alone makes iOS 16 a worthwhile upgrade for me.

iOS 16 Review: iCloud Shared Photo Library

iOS 16.1 added a new method for sharing photos with friends and family. iCloud Shared Photo Library, which was initially part of the iOS 16 public beta before being removed so that Apple could fine-tune the software, allows you to easily share photos with up to five other people, all of whom can add, delete, and edit images in the library. (The storage space is taken from whoever is hosting the shared library's iCloud storage allocation.)

Sharing photos with others is part of the fun of taking them, but you must set aside time to email or text those images to others. iCloud Shared Photo Library bakes the sharing process into your photo-taking — there's even a toggle in the Camera app that lets you route photos automatically to your shared library. When photographing something you don't want to share, you can just as easily turn off the sharing toggle, but I imagine some people will forget to do so.

Thanks to a proximity sharing feature, iCloud Shared Photo Library has other ways to overcome sharing barriers. This enables automatic photo uploads whenever you are in the vicinity of people who are members of your shared library. They'll also need to be running iOS 16.1, which is why I haven't had a chance to test this aspect of iCloud Shared Photo Library yet.

I'm still getting used to some aspects of iCloud Shared Photo Library. To begin, you configure iCloud Shared Photo Library in Settings rather than the Photos app. There is also no shared album among the Albums in the Photo app. Rather, photos from an iCloud Shared Photo Library are stored alongside your personal photos in your main library. You can switch between the two, and Apple has added a visual cue in the form of an icon to show which photos have been shared with others. Still, it's a concept that some iOS users will need to get their heads around.

iOS 16 review: Maps improvements

In iOS 16, Apple's navigation software includes more detailed city views in more cities, as well as the cost of bus and subway fares appearing when you look up a route using public transportation. With that latter feature, you can also top off your transit card if you've got it stored in the Wallet app.

Once looking up directions to a location, there is a prominent Add Stop button, and you can drag stops around to change the order of your route. You can look up a route on your Mac and send the directions to your iPhone when it's time to leave using Continuity. For the time being, multi-stop routes are limited to driving directions — sorry, cyclists — but it's still a useful tool that elevates Maps as a navigation app.

iOS 16 review: A significant improvement to the Health app

Fitness has been a significant improvement to my overall health, but it is not the only change introduced by iOS 16 in this area. The Health app now lets you log the medications you need to take; you can set up different times and days for each individual medication, and you'll get a handy notification telling you when it's time to take your medicine.

That strategy is extremely effective. I only missed a day or two during the iOS 16 beta process, usually when my phone was not nearby. Given how hectic my days can be, it's easy to forget to take my pills on time, and iOS 16's Health app has been a huge help in keeping me on track.

"Why not just use Reminders to accomplish the same thing?" you wonder. It's a valid point, but incorporating it into Health allows you to share it with doctors and family members. Even better, the Health app can warn you of potential drug interactions with your medications, such as when drinking alcohol may cause serious side effects.

With iOS 16.2, Apple has made Medications more useful by including a lock screen widget for easy Medications tracking. There's also a new sleep tracking widget, demonstrating Apple's commitment to health-focused features on its devices.

iOS 16 Review: My Sports Improves News

Sports fans who haven't tried Apple's News app yet should reconsider. In iOS 16, News includes a My Sports feature that allows you to select the teams you want to follow. Once My Sports is enabled in iOS 16, News will include a new section with scores, upcoming games, video highlights, and related articles. Some of the articles require a subscription to News Plus, Apple's $9.99/month service, which limits the usefulness of some of the links if you aren't a subscriber.

In iOS 16, News includes a My Sports feature that allows you to select the teams that interest you. When you enable My Sports in iOS 16, News will include a new section with scores, upcoming games, video highlights, and related articles. Some of the articles require a subscription to News Plus, Apple's $9.99/month service, which limits the value of some of the links if you don't have one.

My Sports is hidden deep within the Today tab of the News app and requires some scrolling to find. To save you some scrolling, there's a shortcut in the Favorites section.

One of the underappreciated aspects of My Sports is how well it integrates with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. If a game is being streamed, links will be provided. In addition, the TV app on your iPhone and Apple TV (if you have one) will display live games in the Watch Now section. I also receive notifications when my team is about to begin a televised game or, if the action is close, during the game itself.

iOS 16 review: New Messages and Safari features

There's one other group of changes introduced by iOS 16 that describes the enhancements to a number of different apps: — Apple has introduced new collaboration tools. Several iOS 16 enhancements aim to transform your iPhone into a collaboration tool, allowing you to collaborate with others directly from Apple's built-in apps. Apple has been working hard to ensure that the mobile and desktop versions of its apps work in tandem — in fact, many of the changes in Safari and Mail for iOS 16 are informed by updates to macOS Ventura (still in beta as of this writing, but set to arrive in October). But now there's the option to share work with others directly from within apps.

Take, for example, Messages, which includes more than just the ability to edit texts and even watch videos together via SharePlay. (This, too, has arrived with iOS 16.) In the messaging app, you can also share documents, spreadsheets, slide decks, and other types of files; tapping on one of those shared documents allows you to instantly collaborate in apps like Files, Freeform, Keynote, Notes, Numbers, Reminders, and Safari. The wording of this sentence is a bit misleading.

This is more than just a link to a file received through Messages. Collaboration features include activity updates on who changed what and links to contact your collaborators via FaceTime if you have urgent questions. So far, I've only dabbled with this feature, but it looks promising.

iOS 16 Safari adds a similar feature, allowing you to share all of the Tab Groups you've been able to create since the grouping feature debuted in iOS 15. Shared Tab Groups is ideal for collaborative research projects such as planning a family vacation or working on a school project. You can see who is viewing which tab in real time, and anyone in the group you've shared with can add their own tabs.

iOS 16 review: Siri enhancements

You can now dictate emails in Mail and texts in Messages, and the dictation feature in iOS 16 is intelligent enough to insert proper punctuation; it even recognises emoji. (Simply say "heart emoji" or "laughing emoji," and the appropriate symbol will appear.)

Apple and Google appear to be locked in a never-ending battle over who can make their mobile software smarter. It's no surprise, then, that the best feature to come out of last fall's Pixel 6 is now part of iOS 16: smarter on-device dictation.

As previously stated, these are features that anyone who owns a Pixel 6 already has. But I don't think iPhone users will care who first offered more advanced dictation; they'll just be glad it's available on their phone (provided that device has an A12 Bionic processor or later, that is).

My favourite iOS 16 Siri enhancement is the ability to ask Siri what you can do in a specific app; the assistant will respond with some app-specific command tips. I've long complained that the most difficult aspect of using Siri is remembering everything it can do, so I'm glad Apple is removing one of those impediments to discovery.

Siri is a little smarter in iOS 16, a phrase I believe Apple copies and pastes into the release notes for every major iOS update. This time, however, there's something to that claim, as Siri can perform the dictated emoji trick as well as hang up your phone calls for you. (The person on the other end of the line will hear you tell Siri to hang up, which may be an awkward way to end some conversations, but I still find it useful on automated calls with my daughter's school or my bank.)

This version includes updates for two of the most notable examples of Apple's intelligent software from iOS 15: Live Text and Visual Look Up. In iOS 16, Live Text can now capture text from paused video just as easily as it can from still photos. When you capture actionable text, quick action buttons appear, offering to perform contextual tasks such as translating foreign words or converting currencies.

This version includes updates for two of the most notable examples of Apple's intelligent software from iOS 15: Live Text and Visual Look Up. In iOS 16, Live Text can now capture text from paused video just as easily as it can from still photos. When you capture actionable text, quick action buttons appear, offering to perform contextual tasks such as translating foreign words or converting currencies.

iOS 16 review: Security updates

With the iOS 16 update, Apple has not forgotten about security. During the beta period, the most buzz was generated by a new Lockdown Mode, but most iPhone owners will not require it. Instead, Lockdown Mode is designed to protect iPhone users who might be the target of state-sponsored spyware by restricting certain phone functions to limit vulnerabilities.

Safety Check, a feature that can help users quickly reset their sharing permissions when they leave an abusive relationship, is more relevant to more users. The emergency reset feature in Safety Check quickly breaks those ties by disabling FaceTime and iMessage access on all your devices, securing iCloud access, resetting sharing permissions, and reviewing emergency access. You can also use Safety Check to control who has access to what information. It's a feature you never want to have to use, but Apple clearly put a lot of thought into it.

Even though it is minor, I appreciate an addition to the Wi-Fi section of Settings. There is now an edit button that allows you to go through all of the wireless networks you've connected to and delete those that are no longer needed. It's also an excellent method for copying and sharing passwords with friends who want to join the network you're on.

iOS 16 review: Other changes

It's impossible to go into detail on every change that comes with a major iOS update, but there are some iOS 16 additions you should be aware of.

• Charging for Clean Energy: This feature, included in the iOS 16.1 update, aims to make phone charging more environmentally friendly. Clean Energy Charging, once enabled in the Battery section of Settings, optimises your charging time to coincide with when your local power grid is using cleaner energy sources. The idea is that this will help reduce your iPhone's carbon footprint.
• The wording of the ad says it all: When you tap it, you are taken directly to the search screen.
• Family device setup is simplified: A number of changes have been made to Family Sharing, including easier device setup for children and the ability to field screen time requests directly in Messages.
• Apple Pay Later: Apple is entering the Buy Now Pay Later market, allowing Apple Pay users to pay for certain items in four installments. Apple Pay Later is only available in apps or online; it is not available in physical stores, and it is currently limited to the United States. (Please keep in mind that, as of iOS 16.2, Apple Pay Later has yet to be released.)
• Changes to the Home app: The Home app has been completely redesigned, with an emphasis on putting controls for your smart home accessories right at the top of the main My Home tab. Home will support the Matter smart home connectivity standard later this year.
• Percentage battery indicator: On most iPhones that can run iOS 16, you can now choose between the traditional battery indicator and a new one that displays the exact percentage on your status bar at all times.

iOS 16 Future updates

iOS 16.2 was Apple's final major iOS update of the year, released in December 2022. The addition of Freeform with that update effectively closes the books on features promised by Apple when it first previewed the iOS 16 update in the summer, though I suspect future updates will include additional features. (An example is Apple Music Sing and its fun karaoke capabilities, which will be available to Apple Music subscribers who upgrade to iOS 16.2.)