iOS 16, the next major version of iPhone software, made its debut at WWDC 2022, Apple’s annual developer conference. There are actually quite a bit of new features, big, small and in-between. iOS 16 adds new ways to communicate like being able to edit messages you already sent in the Messages app, new tools to personalize your iPhone like the ability to customize the way your lock screen looks and new privacy features for those in abusive relationships. All these add up to an iOS that feels fresh and contemporary. iOS 16 will likely be released this September alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 14 and will be available for the iPhone 8 and later.
Apple’s announcement for iOS 16 took place outdoors on the lawn at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino. The iOS 16 preview comes on the heels of the release of iOS 15.5 which included updates to Apple Cash, Photos Memories and the Podcasts app. Apple also recently launched a developer’s beta for iOS 15.6 which at this time lacks any major features and seems mainly aimed at fixing bugs.
“Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past,” said Apple’s SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app.
First, you can now edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you can now edit the message after the fact. A tiny “edited” appears in the status under the message.
Next — and this might be my favorite new feature — you can immediately recall a sent message. If you accidentally sent an unfinished message, you can use the undo send tool to prevent it from being read and look less chaotic to your friends and family.
Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This is an excellent tool for when you don’t have time to respond to a message in the moment but want to make sure you come back to it later.
