Apple has confirmed that it will be releasing iOS 16.1 to the general public on Monday, October 24, alongside iPadOS 16 and macOS 13 Ventura. The update features a boatload of forward-facing additions that you should be excited about. If you are unfamiliar, check out the list of all the major features coming with the release of iOS 16.1 on your compatible iPhone models.
iOS 16.1 Will be Released on Monday With These Major Features on iPhone
iOS 16.1 is a major update, considering the number of additions it will bring to the table. Apple announced some of these features at its WWDC event. However, not all features were part of the big update in September. For more details, you can check out the major iOS 16.1 features below:
Live Activities
Live Activities is a major feature coming with the release of iOS 16.1 on Monday. The feature will show real-time updates on events, such as sports and food delivery time. You will be able to see the feature in work on your iPhone's Lock Screen as well as in Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro. With the upcoming update, Live Activities will expand to third-party apps in the App Store.
Clean Energy Charging
iOS 16.1 houses a new Clean Energy Charging feature that "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources." However, the feature will only be available in the United States.
Apple Fitness+
With the upcoming iOS 16.1 release, Apple Fitness+ will be available on the iPhone and work without an Apple Watch. However, take note that users will not be able to track real-time metrics, which include heart rate and calories burned during a workout.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
With iOS 16.1 release, iPhone users will be able to easily share photos with friends and family members in the Photos app. The latest addition will let you and five other users add, edit, or remove photos from the shared library.
Apple Card Saving Account
Apple Card users will be able to open a new "high-yield" savings account from Golden Sachs. Users will be able to automatically deposit rewards from their Daily Cash cashback into the saving account. The account will not charge any fee with no minimum deposits and balance requirements. You can manage the savings account on your iPhone in the Wallet app.
Reachability for Dynamic Island
With iOS 16.1, iPhone 14 Pro users will be able to use Reachability for Dynamic Island. With support for Reachability, users will be able to bring down the display for one-handed operations.
Support for Matter Accessories
iOS 16.1 will feature support for Matter, a connectivity standard that will allow compatible smart home accessories to work seamlessly across various platforms. It includes support for Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, as well as Google Home. You will be able to control your devices through the Home app and Siri.
Key Sharing
Users who have installed iOS 16.1 on their iPhones will be able to securely share keys stored in the Wallet app for cars, hotels, and much more through messaging apps.
iOS 16.1 Release Notes
Apple's full release notes for iOS 16.1:
This update introduces iCloud Shared Photo Library making it easy to keep your family photos up to date. This release also adds support for third party apps in Live Activities, support for Apple Fitness+ on iPhone even if you don’t have an Apple Watch, and includes other features and bug fixes for your iPhone.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
- Separate library for seamlessly sharing photos and videos with up to five other people
- Setup rules allow you to easily contribute past photos based on start date or people in the photos when you set up or join a library
- Library filters for quickly switching between viewing the Shared Library, your Personal Library, or both libraries together
- Shared edits and permissions let everyone add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos
- Sharing toggle in Camera lets you choose to send photos you take straight to the Shared Library, or enable a setting to share automatically when other participants are detected nearby using BluetoothLive Activities
- Live Activities from third party apps are available in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen for iPhone 14 Pro modelsFitness+
- Apple Fitness+ is supported on iPhone even if you don’t have an Apple WatchWallet
- Key sharing enables you to securely share car, hotel room, and other keys in Wallet using messaging apps such as Messages and WhatsApp
- Savings account enables Apple Card customers to grow their Daily Cash by depositing it in a high yield savings accountHome
- Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems
These are all the major features coming with the release of iOS 16.1. Apple will release the update around 10:00 AM Pacific Time on Monday, October 24, alongside macOS 13 Ventura and iPadOS 16.1. We will cover the releases in extensive detail, so be sure to stick around.
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