When will iOS 16.2 be released?

Julie Clover

At the end of October, Apple began testing iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 updates, providing beta versions to both developers and public beta testers. We currently have four betas, the fourth beta was released earlier this week. iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 are due before the end of the year, and we thought we'd try to shorten the launch timeline.

With only four betas released since October, iOS 16.2 still has time to test before we can expect a release. We'll at least have a release candidate before iOS 16.2 launches, but chances are we'll see another beta as well.

Typically, we see five or more betas before the release candidate. , but deadlines are compressed during the holiday season. Last year, Apple only released four iOS 15.2 betas prior to RC and subsequent launch, so we may see something similar this year. If so, Apple may release iOS 16.2 RC next week, most likely on Tuesday, December 6th.

With that in mind, we could see the launch of iOS 16.2 in the week of December 12th. The week of December 19 is also a possibility if more betas are on the horizon, but that's during Hanukkah and closer to Christmas. Last year's launch of iOS 15.2 took place on Monday, December 13, after Apple provided the fourth beta on December 2 and RC on December 7.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said we can expect iOS 16.2 in mid-December. which would have coincided with the estimate for the week of 12 December. Apple has confirmed that some of the features in the update, such as the Freeform app, will indeed arrive before the end of the year.

We can even expect the first iOS 16.3 betas to arrive before the end of December.

Highlights

iOS 16.2 is a major update that brings a number of important new features to iPhone and iPad, the main ones are described below.< /p>

• Freeform Application– Freeform is a cross-platform open whiteboard application that can be used to take notes, sketch, draw, save links and more with built-in collaboration features. It is available in the latest beta versions of ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌ and Mac.
• External Stage Manager display support‌iPad‌ owners of M1 or M2 devices ‌iPad‌ again you can use the Stage Manager with external displays. You can use up to eight apps for multitasking, and there's also a useful new feature for dragging a window from ‌iPad‌ to an external display and vice versa. While older iPads can use ‌Stage Manager‌, support for external displays is limited to Apple Silicon models.
• New Home App Architecture – iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura. The 13.1 updates add support for the updated Home app architecture that Apple is introducing since the debut of Matter. The new app architecture will provide a faster and more reliable experience in homes with lots of smart accessories, but it requires all of your devices to be updated to the latest software.
• Always On Display Updates – For iPhone 14 Pro models, there are two new toggles to turn off wallpaper and notifications when Always On Display is activated. This reduces what is shown on the screen when it is off to reduce distractions.
• Sleep widget on the lock screen. A sleep widget has appeared on the lock screen for those who use sleep mode. features on your Apple Watch.
• Medications widget on the lock screen. There's also a Medication widget that lets you know when you need to take your medicine.
• < strong>Weather news. If there is weather-related news in your area, such as a hurricane or a fire, you will see the news headlines in the Weather app.
• 5G in India. iOS 16.2 will enable 5G connectivity in India.

Read More

We have a complete list of all the features that are available in the iOS 16.2 update in our dedicated iOS 16.2 guide.< /p> Related Reviews: iOS 16, iPadOS 16 Related Forum: iOS 16[ 14 Comments ]