These iOS 16 features are coming later
Just because Apple announces new features in June, it doesn't mean you can start using them in September or October. Apple has said some features are coming later, such as Freeform. For other functions, it remains to be seen. For example, the joint iCloud Photo Library and drug scanning are not yet in the iOS 16 beta and it is uncertain whether they can be tested before the official release. Last year, for example, this happened with SharePlay and Universal Control. All functions that we can't test yet can be found here! And the list could get longer if Apple discovers during the beta phase that certain features don't work well enough.
- #1 Matter-support
- #2 Freeform
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- #3 Live Activities
- #4 Focus Filter
- #5 Game Center
#1 Matter support
Testing Matter support is not yet possible in the current beta, as there are no products with Matter yet. The smart home standard has already been postponed three times: the planning is now for autumn 2022, but there is little chance that there will be a wide choice of Matter accessories in stores by then.
Read more about this standard you in:
- Explanation Matter
- Matter FAQ
This IKEA hub gets Matter support
#2 Freeform
Freeform becomes a kind of whiteboard on which several people can draw and write at the same time. It will be available for iPhone, iPad and macOS – but not yet. You can work on new projects, collaborate in real-time, while chatting via FaceTime or iMessage. The flexible canvas is a central place to visualize and share ideas without having to think about layout or format. It works with Apple Pencil. New material and changes made by others are immediately visible. Apple says the Freeform app will be “later this year” available, including on the iPad. You can start a session right from FaceTime and see others' updates in Messages.
#3 Live Activities
The new lock screen in iOS 16 is already and the lock screen widgets are small but nice. What you can't test yet are the Live Activities. These are widgets that are continuously updated, for example for sports competitions or keeping an eye on a taxi ride or meal delivery.
Apple itself has not yet made Live Activities available and third parties are unable to get started with them. They will have to wait for a new Live Activities API (programming interface) to be released “later this year” becomes available. App Clips will also get support for Live Activities, but that too will come later.
#4 Focus filter
In iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, it will be possible to set a focus filter within apps for apps such as Calendar, Mail, Messages and Safari. For example, you can choose a tab group in Safari that can only be seen when you're in Work focus. You can also hide your work calendar when your Private focus is active. There will also be a Focus Filter API for developers so they can take your focus mode into account. But that API isn't there yet either. According to Apple, the feature will not be available immediately when the first official versions of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 appear. It's not in the beta's yet.
#5 Game Center
Game Center is getting some love from Apple for the first time in a long time. If you forgot that Game Center still exists, we don't blame you. Not much has happened in recent years. In iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, we're getting two new features that Apple says will be “later this year” can be used:
- SharePlay: Games that offer multiplayer via Game Center can also do so with SharePlay from autumn. You can immediately start a multiplayer game from a FaceTime call.
- Game Center contacts: You can now see the Game Center profile of your friends in the address book on your iPhone. You can see what games they are playing and what achievements they have achieved. Whether you're waiting for this with business contacts is of course the question.
More about iOS 16
iOS 16 is the major update for the iPhone. If you want to know whether your iPhone is suitable for iOS 16, you will find the answer in our article. Also read our overviews with the best iOS 16 features and the best iOS 16 details and discoveries. Currently, only developers can install the iOS 16 beta. The public release date of iOS 16 is scheduled for this fall. The most recent stable iOS version is iOS 15.5.