Apple’s WWDC event, which started at 1 p.m. PST, revealed a number of intriguing new products and features in the works for Apple, including the long-awaited iOS 16 (due out this September), which will have the option to edit and unsend iMessages.
Another feature that had Apple fans excited was the unveiling of Apple Pay Later, the company’s newest buy now, pay later option.
Apple Pay will put the company on the map in a market it has yet to enter, giving it a realistic choice for consumers looking to make large purchases and investments.
Users will be able to pay for a product anywhere Apple Pay is accepted and repay the cost in four instalments over the course of six weeks, with no additional fees or charges.
Apple Pay Later is “designed with consumers’ financial health in mind,” according to Apple. “It’s easy to view, track, and reimburse Apple Pay Later payments within Wallet.”
The initial payment must be made in advance, and all subsequent purchases will be managed by Apple Wallet.
New Features in iOS 16
Apple today unveiled iOS 16, the company’s next major iPhone upgrade, which includes a redesigned, customizable Lock Screen, updates to Messages, Maps, and Home, as well as new sharing and personalization features.
For a more personalised look, users can alter a huge variety of design elements, including type styles and colours, on a brand-new, fully configurable Lock Screen. Apple claims that there are millions of conceivable design possibilities on the new Lock Screen, which features a row of widgets. Users can create various Lock Screens and effortlessly switch between them by swiping left or right.
Notifications now roll up from the bottom of the screen and can be easily concealed, allowing users to see their personalised Lock Screen in full view. When enjoying music or working out, Live Activities make it easy to keep track of happenings in real time directly from the Lock Screen.
Focus modes have been improved in iOS 16, and users may now link Focus modes to a custom Lock Screen. Swiping between separate dedicated Lock Screens can also activate Focuses. Users can utilise focus filters to exclude distracting items from apps like Safari tab groups, Calendar events, and Messages discussions.
Messages
Messages now allows you to amend and remove sent messages as well as mark them as unread. SharePlay sessions now be started easily from the Messages app, and a new Shared With You API allows developers to incorporate shared experiences into their own apps.
Siri, Dictation, and Live Text
When speaking, a new dictation experience keeps the keyboard open, allowing users to use a real-time combination of speech and typing. Dictation now adds punctuation and emojis to messages, including those sent by Siri. Siri Shortcuts can now work without any setup thanks to a new App Intents API.
In iOS 16, Live Text is extended to video, allowing users to pick text while watching a movie. New rapid actions in chosen Live Text can do tasks such as currency conversion and text translation immediately in the camera view. Visual Lookup has been improved, and users can now drag and pluck subjects from images by touching and holding them.
Maps
Enhanced Apple Maps is now available in a growing number of nations and towns around the world. Users can schedule up to fifteen stops ahead of time with multistop routing. Users can plan a trip on their Mac and send it to their iPhone, as well as use Siri to add stops to their itinerary. Users can view the cost of a travel on transport, and transit cards can be more closely linked in Wallet, with the option to detect when the balance is low.
Sports
Live Activities in the Apple TV app can now provide information about sporting events. Apple News allows users to keep track of their favourite teams and leagues for a more personalised experience. In the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, the new sports features are available.
