iOS 16 now available for iPhone users — Here are the new features

After announcing its iOS 16 at Worldwide Developers' Conference in June, Apple has finally rolled out its latest iPhone operating system for all eligible devices (check list here) including the latest iPhone 14 lineup.

Unlike in 2019, when Apple announced a dark mode, and in 2021, when widgets finally arrived on iOS, this year, there are a lot of under-the-hood improvements. But that doesn't mean iOS 16 is completely bereft of new features.

iOS 16 features a couple of major features — an overhauled lock screen similar to the one in Android 13, with customisable widgets and clocks, and editable iMessage texts.

Let's break these features down.

For the first time since the first iPhone, Apple has overhauled its lock screen. With iOS 16, users can customise their iPhone's lock screen in myriad ways — wallpapers, the on-screen clock font, widgets with interactive information, and more. Further, because the main reason for customising your home screen is to be able to see your wallpaper in all its glory, Apple has tweaked the way notifications show up — in a Rolodex-like animation at the bottom of the lock screen.

Users can also hide them until they choose to expand them. What's more, users will now have the option of choosing a lock screen per Focus Mode — sleep, personal, do not disturb, and more — each with their app settings.

iMessage, which has been a staple on iOS since time immemorial, or 2007, is getting its third major upgrade since Apple allowed users to reply to a text, use Animoji and tapback (reacting with emoji to individual messages). Now, users can edit messages after they have sent a text, undo send, or mark a text or thread as unread. These features have been a part of other are present in other messenger apps, sure, but this is the first big redesign in iOS since.

Apple Photos already has a shared album option, but iOS 16 takes it a step further by creating dedicated shared libraries. Furthermore, you can opt to send a photo to either the shared photo library or personal library right from the camera app. You can also choose photos based on their subjects. Edits to any photos in shared libraries will reflect for everyone who has access to that library.

Google's Pixel devices have this brilliant feature called Magic Eraser, which allows users to remove unwanted objects from a photograph. Apple will implement a similar feature in iOS 16, except it's the other way round. Users will be able to press down on any object in a photograph and simply drag and drop them into other applications, such as iMessage, like stickers.

Until iOS 15, the Fitness app was available only on those iPhones paired to an Apple Watch. Now, the app will be available on all iPhones, with built-in motion sensors giving you an approximation of your activity, calories burnt, exercise minutes, etc.

Safety Check is a feature that allows users to revoke access to certain information, like location, that users may have shared with someone else previously. This is aimed at people in abusive relationships.

Apple introduced its Google Lens clone — Live Text — in iOS 15. With iOS 16, the experience will become more refined and, what's more, will work in videos as well Users can pause a video on any frame and interact with the text. Live Text also adds the ability for users to quickly convert currency, translate text, and more, Apple said at WWDC.

Passkeys are a replacement for passwords, so you can easily sign in to websites or apps on both Apple and non‑Apple devices. Apple says that Passkeys never leave your device and are specific to the site you created them for, making it almost impossible for them to be phished. They are also not kept on a web server, so you don’t have to worry about website leaks compromising your accounts.

While dictating on your iPhone, you can move fluidly between voice and touch. Dictation will automatically punctuate your sentences for you and can also insert emojis.