After a month of beta testing, Apple is now seeding the Release Candidate version of iOS 16.1, which is expected to be released next week. This update brings a ton of features that supposedly should’ve been made available with the launch of iOS 16 in September. Here’s what you need to know.
With iOS 16.1, Apple will add the long-awaited Live Activities feature, which helps you stay on top of things that are happening in real-time right from your Lock Screen.
As first discovered by 9to5Mac, Apple is readying the ability to delete the Apple Wallet app. This feature comes as international watchdogs raise antitrust concerns over Apple Pay. It’s not clear whether Apple will ever add third-party Wallets to the iPhone, but at least users will be able to choose not to use the Wallet app.
In addition to that, Apple is readying Matter support, which is a new smart home connectivity standard that will enable compatible accessories to work together across platforms.
Another feature being made available with iOS 16.1 RC is iCloud Shared Photo Library, which is a new way for families to share photos seamlessly with a separate iCloud library that up to six users can collaborate on.
Alongside iOS 16.1 RC, Apple is seeding iPadOS 16.1 RC, macOS 13 Ventura RC, and tvOS 16.1 RC.
BGR will bring the latest updates on these operating systems as we learn more about them during the day.
More Apple coverage: iOS 16.0.3 now available with more bug fixes for iPhone 14 Pro models
