Apple distributes the beta version of iOS 16 to developers.

A week after releasing the eighth developer beta, Apple seeded the release candidate version of a future iOS 16 upgrade to developers today for testing purposes. The final release candidate of iOS will be made available to the whole public the following week.

 

The iOS 16 profile is available for registered developers to download from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be sent wirelessly.

 

With the release of iOS 16, the Lock Screen has been updated and now enables a higher level of personalization and customization thanks to widgets, redesigned notifications, and customizable fonts and colours. Similar to watch faces, multiple Lock Screens are supported and can be connected to Focus modes.

 

Focus is simpler to set up and more adjustable than before, and Focus filters are available to remove distracting items from apps. The Messages app now has tools for editing iMessages, sending them again after being sent, and marking them as unread. It also supports SharePlay, which is similar to FaceTime.

 

The expanded search capabilities of the Mail app come with functions like undo send, schedule send, and follow up, which let you set a reminder to check in on an email if you haven’t heard back. Apple is trying to replace passwords with Passkeys, a more biometrically secure method of logging into accounts, and Safari allows shared tab groups.

 

Users can more quickly exchange images with family members via iCloud Photo Library, and video can feature Live Text. In Visual Lookup, there is a useful new tool for quickly removing the topic from a background.

 

The Home app has been completely redesigned with a new style, Maps now enables multi-stop routing, Apple Pay Later allows you to split up purchase payments, and dictation has been improved. In addition to reintroducing the battery level to the status bar on iPhones with notches, iOS 16’s fifth beta also featured new noises for finding an iPhone via Find My or the Apple Watch.

 

There are a tonne of additional new features in iOS 16; a complete list of all of them is accessible in our dedicated roundup.