iOS 16 debuts with SharePlay for Messages, Apple Pay Later, a new CarPlay UI and more

Apple has integrated many of its latest cross-device software refinements into iOS 16. They include the new features in the OEM's native Mail app, which, as they include a time-out to delete a newly-sent message, new search optimizations and scheduled deliveries, could be said to be playing catch-up with Gmail.

Similarly, Apple has given the iPhone lockscreen an overhaul, with customization options that now approach those found in many versions of Android. Then again, its notifications now come in from the bottom of the screen, which might be welcome in terms of easy navigation and reach across larger displays.

On the other hand, Apple's Messages app stands to gain yet more advantage with new smart auto-corrections for potentially embarrassing typos, the abilty to use the OEM's new AI-powered photo-subject isolation (or "lifting") tool to copy and paste the resulting clips into other apps and SharePlay (touted as perfectly synced and co-ordinated in terms of play- and pause-times) included.

There is also Live Text in Video, by which an iPhone user will soon be able to pause a video and copy the text it contains as though it were a PDF. iOS 16 also supports new "Personal Safety" features, by which a user can dissociate from location and access-sharing in order to escape an abusive relationship if necessary.

Apple also asserts that the Pay and Wallet apps will get more powerful, with support for more digital keys compatible with the security systems of many more partner companies, locations and institutions, Walt Disney World, BYD, and WeWork included.

Similarly, Apple has announced Worldpay, Stripe and Adyen as some new Tap to Pay on iPhone partners. However, one of iOS 16's most interesting new aspects might be the new version of CarPlay. It confers a more up-to-date iPhone-like UI on a user's vehicular infotainment system, widgets and all.

The next-gen interface is also rated to fit and scale automatically to the dimensions of any in-car screen, even those along the lines of the Mercedes HyperScreen. This is just as well, as next-gen CarPlay will be capable of imposing its very own replacement instrument clusters, which will be customizable on top of that.

Apple notes that a number of car-marques have signed up to support this next-gen CarPlay on its release. They include Land Rover, Honda, Ford and Polestar (but not Volkswagen) thus far.

iOS 16 will, like its siblings for Macs and iPads, become available in the fall of 2022 - unless you are a developer, of course, in which case the first beta can be accessed from now.

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