© Mac WorldOn Wednesday, December 7, Apple released the iOS 16.2 build candidate to beta testers. This means that unless something goes wrong, iOS 16.2 will hit all phones next week, probably on December 12th or 13th.
As soon as you see that it is available for your iPhone (go to Settings > General > Software Update ), you should click the Download and Install button immediately. Actually, you can use Mac, Apple TV, etc. You'll even want to update all your Apple devices before next week's OS update. This is a pretty big update with some big features that you won't want to sleep on.
End-to-end encryption for all your iCloud content
Earlier this week, Apple released several new security features in iOS 16.2, most notably the ability to end-to-end encryption for nearly all of your iCloud data. Of course, Apple had to rename everything, so this feature is called Advanced Data Protection. It is not enabled by default, but we encourage you to enable it soon. Open the Settings app, tap your Apple ID at the top, and choose iCloud. Scroll down the page until you see Advanced Data Protection and click to get started.
There are a few steps you need to go through to get everything set up, so it's probably not enabled by default. First, all your Apple devices must be updated to the latest operating system version (iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS 13.1). Then, if you lose your device or your password, you'll need to find a way to get back into your account, since Apple no longer has an encryption key for your data; it can be a trusted contact or a recovery key.
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Why go through all this trouble? It simply takes your data keys out of Apple's hands and gives them back to them. Apple currently encrypts some data on your device with keys you own but don't own , such as health, passwords and keychains, payment information, and Apple Card transactions. But many important categories, including backups, are encrypted in transit and on Apple's servers using keys controlled by Apple. This means that if a hacker breaks into your server, they can get your information. If a government agency wants to get that data from Apple, they can decrypt it and hand it over to them.
Advanced Data Protection adds end-to-end encryption (your key is only on your device) to iCloud backups, photos, notes, reminders, voice memos, bookmarks, and more. In fact, the only data in the cloud that isn't encrypted with your own key is iCloud mail, contacts, and calendar. We recommend taking your time to prepare!
Free Karaoke with Apple Music Sing
If you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can get a free update for Karaoke in iOS 16.2. The feature is called Apple Music Sing, and as before, just open the lyrics to any song and look for the little microphone icon. While watching, you can adjust the level of the vocals, even the instrumental if you want, and follow the lyrics in real time, just like real karaoke. The lyrics have also been updated with better animations, so you can keep reading.
Not all songs with lyrics are compatible with Apple Music Sing, but many are, and more will be added over time. It's based on machine learning, rather than playing a single track without vocals, so many people who have upgraded won't get it: it's limited to the iPhone 11 and later, the latest Apple TV 4K, and the iPad of the last few years.
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There is a new operational base.
You won't see this feature , but if you're using a smart home device, you probably will . In iOS 16.2, Apple rewrote the core architecture of the Home and HomeKit apps to make them faster and more reliable. If you're frustrated with long delays in turning your lights on and off, or because your automation isn't processing on time, this could be the solution you've been looking for.
You may need to initiate the update yourself, and we recommend making sure everyone in your family and all your devices, such as HomePods and Apple TVs, have updated first. Open the Start program, click the (...) button in the upper-right corner, and then select Startup preferences. Scroll down and select Software Update. At the top of the screen, you'll see a banner that says "Home Improvement Available." Start with this.
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There are more interesting things for the lock screen
A customizable lock screen is one of the best features of iOS 16. With iOS 16.2, you get several new useful widgets to choose from: Medicines to remind you when your next dose is due, and Sleep mode to see how much sleep you've had (by tracking). with an Apple Watch or other accessory).
If you have an iPhone 14 Pro, you always get a big change in the open screen: the ability to hide wallpaper and/or notifications. This is useful because it makes it easy to see and read when the phone is working.
Watch live sports events
Live Actions are advanced notifications that update in real time. So instead of getting a new notification every time the status of your grocery delivery is updated or the score of a baseball game changes, you'll see a single notification in the form of a widget to keep you informed. iPhone 14 Pro owners also get a new experience with Dynamic Island, which lets them watch while using other apps.
Sports fans have been waiting to follow their favorite teams with Live Actions since iOS 16 was released in September, and with iOS 16.2 the feature is finally here. Open the TV app, then click the Watch Now tab , scroll down to the Sports row , then click Live Sports . Scroll down and follow your team . Select your favorite team there and you'll automatically see information about them in news and account updates for the games they play.
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Possibilities and other endings
Of course, there are plenty of other little things to appreciate in iOS 16.2. In addition to regular security updates, you get advanced news search (you can find images by searching for content), the Freeform Sharing Board app, and relevant news articles in the weather app. Also, Game Center finally gets SharePlay for multiplayer games and a new home screen widget to show your friends' actions.
