When Apple released iOS 16.1 earlier this week, it made a lot of big changes to the iPhone. But Apple is already working on new iOS 16 updates that will add a new app to the iPhone and make other improvements.
Apple gave developers iOS 16.2 Beta 1 right after the iOS 16.1 update came out. This means that the software will soon be available to the public as a beta version, and a full version is likely to come out before the end of the year.
The biggest change in iOS 16.2 is the addition of a new Freeform app. Other apps and features also got some changes behind the scenes. Here’s what we know so far about the new features that iOS 16.2 will add.
iOS 16.2: Freeform
You might have forgotten about Freeform, an app that Apple showed off for the first time in June at its Worldwide Developer Conference. Apple advertises Freeform as a way to come up with ideas and work together. The app is like a mobile whiteboard on which people can work together in real-time.
Freeform seems to be mostly made for the iPad, taking advantage of the bigger screen on that device. Freeform also comes out for the first time with the iPadOS 16.2 Beta 1 update, which came out at the same time as iOS 16.2. But Freeform is made to work on more than one Apple device, so it’s also in iOS 16.2 and the new macOS Ventura beta.
Apple’s release notes for iOS 16.2 Beta 1 say that there are known problems with Freeform that need workarounds for deleting boards while offline and adding or removing collaborators when changing share settings. It’s a reminder that this is still very much a beta release and that iOS 16.2 will need a lot of tweaking before it’s ready for everyone.
iOS 16.2: Expanded Promotion Support
The performance of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models with 120Hz displays is improved. In the release notes, Apple says that layout changes on ProMotion displays now happen at 120Hz.
iOS 16.2: New Home App Architecture
Home has gotten a lot of attention in iOS 16. First, it has a brand-new design that makes it easier to see and control smart home accessories. The matter is a way for different devices to talk to each other. The iOS 16.1 update added support for Matter, which is backed by Google, Amazon and Apple.
Changes keep happening, and iOS 16.2 will bring a new way for the Home app to work. Apple says that the change will make the computer run faster and more reliably, but we’ll have to see it in action to know what that means in real life.
iOS 16.2: Live Activities Changes
Live Activities just came out with iOS 16.1, but iOS 16.2 will make some changes to the feature. As a reminder, Live Activities are notifications that show up on the lock screen (or around the Dynamic Island if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max) and keep you up to date on things like sports scores, delivery status, and timers.
that it has seen code that will let Live Activities ask for updates more often. This would mean that alerts would be updated more often. It looks like iOS 16.2 Beta 1 doesn’t have that feature yet, though.
Another report says that Live Activities integration with some sporting events in the TV app is back in the iOS 16.2 beta. It was in the iOS 16.1 beta for a short time.
You will be able to tap a Follow button in the TV app on supported games to get score updates on the lock screen or in Dynamic Island. Events like MLB and NBA games, as well as Premier League games in the U.S., are supported. We’ve just started to look at iOS 16.2 Beta 1, but we haven’t found that feature yet.
iOS 16.2: Accidental Emergency Sos Call Reporting
If you accidentally call Emergency SOS on your iPhone, iOS 16.2 Beta 1 seems to add a way to report an accidental call. A user of iOS 16.2 said on Twitter that they saw this feature when they accidentally made an Emergency SOS call on their iPhone.
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