Get ready for an update iOS 16. iOS 16.3 is coming to your iPhone this week, bringing some new features, some bug fixes, and a few more links to Black History month.
The impending release of the Word of iOS 16.3 comes from Apple itself, which makes the launch date slip within a range Press release highlighting the company’s efforts on behalf of Black History Month (Opens in a new tab) in feb. Besides highlighting curated content in the Music, TV, News, and Podcasts apps, Apple is adding a Unity watch face and iPhone wallpaper that incorporates the colors of the African flag.
Unity 2023 watch face and Unity iPhone wallpaper will both require iOS 16.3. And in the exact copy of Apple’s Black History Month announcement yesterday (January 18), the company says that the watch face and wallpaper will be “available next week.” It could apparently mean that an iOS update is also coming.
Another sign that iOS 16.3 is on its way: A beta of a build candidate became available to developers this week. Usually, this means that a full release is not far off.
If you have been following the iOS 16.3 beta process, then you know that there are not many major features planned for this version. But Apple has some additions set to go live once iOS 16.3 hits your iPhone. Here’s what you can expect.
iOS 16.3: Security Key Authentication for Apple ID
Users looking for an extra layer of security between what’s new and their Apple ID data will be able to add Security Key Authentication Lockers to iOS 16.3.
Apple announced it (Opens in a new tab) At the same time revealed an addition iCloud Advanced Data Protection, which arrived for iPhone owners in the US in iOS 16.2. At the time, Apple said it was targeting an early 2023 launch of Security Key authentication, which tracks with the release of iOS 16.3.
Physical security keys are intended to augment Apple’s existing two-factor authentication of the Apple ID, especially for iPhone owners whose public profiles make them potential targets for hackers. Think of celebrities, politicians, and – He looks around nervously – Journalists.
When this feature is enabled, you will need a physical security key as one of two factors to sign into your Apple ID account.
HomePod delivery improvement
There’s an improvement to the Handoff feature that transfers control of music playback from the iPhone to the HomePod speaker, which is an especially timely addition given the arrival this week of Apple HomePod 2. While Handoff has been around for a while, iOS 16.3 introduces a new guide that more clearly shows HomePod owners how to use the Handoff capability.
The guide tells you to bring your iPhone within range of the HomePod to view playback controls or pass audio playback on your phone to the smart speaker. It also tells you to do it again if you want to see the controls or turn the audio back on again later.
New emergency SOS via satellite communication modes
iPhone 14 Users already have access to SOS emergency via satellite If they need assistance while at a remote location, iOS 16.3 adds two new ways to reach it.
The Call Hold and Release option replaces the existing Call Hold function, giving you access to Emergency SOS and Alert after holding down the power button and volume button. The previous Call with Hold functionality required you to use the calls slider to place an emergency call, something that wouldn’t necessarily be possible depending on your situation.
The other new option is Call Quietly. This allows you to place an emergency call without triggering an alarm, in case it isn’t helpful or could put you in further danger.
iOS 16.3 Global Advanced Data Protection
As mentioned above, the iOS 16.2 update gave US iPhone owners access to advanced data protection. This is a new security feature that provides end-to-end encryption for Apple’s iCloud storage service, protecting information that’s stored in the cloud (excluding mail, contacts, and calendar data).
Apple promised to bring global advanced data protection to other parts of the world with a future iOS update, and based on Reviews from people using the iOS 16.3 beta (Opens in a new tab)That time has come. As before, to enable Advanced Data Protection, launch Settings, tap your name, followed by iCloud. From there, you can turn on the security feature.
iOS 16.3 bug fixes
The iOS 16.3 release notes detail several fixes coming through this software update. The biggest one includes a bug where the horizontal lines appear over each other iPhone 14 Pro Max Phone models were waking up. Additionally, iOS 16.3 fixes various issues involving Siri, Car Play, and the iPhone lock screen.
iOS 16.2 included a new architecture for the Apple Home app, but once that feature arrived, Apple pulled it from the iPhone software. Users have complained that some HomeKit devices became stuck in an “updating” or “configuring” state, while other devices were completely missing from the Home app, among other errors. The new build returns in iOS 16.3, presumably now that Apple has fixed this issue.
What is still missing
Although iOS 16 has been around since the fall of 2022, not all of the features promised by Apple have taken effect yet. We are still waiting for a dedicated software launch classic Apple Music app, despite the existence of Reports indicate that the iOS 16.3 release candidate contains code (Opens in a new tab) Hint at such a service.
Apple Pay at a later time, which lets you split payments with Apple Pay into four installments, hasn’t launched yet. Perhaps this will be part of iOS 16.4, which will most likely appear in beta form shortly after the release of iOS 16.3.
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