New iOS 16.1 features include Fitness+ on iPhone, iCloud Photo Sharing Library, Live Activity API, Matter support, battery percentage change, and more.
Apple releases iOS 16.1 for iPhone
On October 24, 2022, Apple released the new iOS 16.1 software for iPhone. To install an over-the-air update, go to Settings → General → Software Update.
To complete the update, your iPhone must be connected to a power source and have at least fifty percent battery power. Installing an over the air update will update the operating system on your device without deleting anything.
Shared iCloud Photo Library
Now you can create a separate photo library to share media with up to five other people. Everyone can share their past photos and videos based on parameters such as the start date or the people in the photos. Changes are shared across devices, and permissions allow other people to add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos.
You can quickly switch between your personal library, the shared library, or both in the Photos app. And in the Camera app, you can save photos directly to the shared library.
Dynamic island in the landscape
Dynamic Island in iOS 16.1 works in landscape mode. And with dark wallpapers, Dynamic Island shows the outline so it doesn’t blend into the background.
Michael can confirm that iOS 16.1 fixes many of the annoying bugs he reported earlier. Quality of life settings include faster Face ID animations, an audio output icon at the bottom of the Music app that looks like your real headphones, and so on.
In addition, the share sheet in the Screenshots app has been moved to the top.
Percent change in battery charge
Battery Percentage now works on all iOS 16 compatible iPhones such as iPhone, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini. Apple has changed the style of the battery percentage in the status bar to be more legible. You will also see the battery charging indicator for a short time on the lock screen when connected to the network, as before.
Action API
iOS 16.1 also makes third-party apps better with the Live Activity API, which allows developers to implement their own lock screen live activities. It could be sports scores, live updates on apps like Lyft, and more. With Live Activity, these updates can even live on Dynamic Island, so they’re always available when multitasking.
Tidbits: tactile keyboard changes, wallet, etc.
A new switch in the settings allows you to enable automatic content downloads in the application. The tactile feedback from the keyboard is less noticeable. You can now uninstall the Wallet app if you don’t use it. In Notes, you can sort items, straighten handwriting, and find and replace text.
iOS 16.1 release notes
Apple provided the following changelog for iOS 16.1:
This update introduces iCloud Shared Photo Library, which makes it easy to update your family photos. This release also adds support for third-party apps in Live Activity, support for Apple Fitness+ on iPhone even if you don’t have an Apple Watch, and other features and bug fixes for your iPhone.
Shared iCloud Photo Library
- A separate library to seamlessly share photos and videos with up to five other people.
- Setup rules make it easy to add past photos based on start date or people in photos when you set up or join a library.
- Library filters to quickly switch between viewing the shared library, your personal library, or both libraries at the same time.
- General editing rights and permissions allow everyone to add, edit, favorite, caption and delete photos.
- The Sharing switch in Camera lets you choose to send the photos you take directly to a shared library, or turn on the option to share automatically when other members are found nearby using Bluetooth.
Live events
- Online activities from third-party apps are available on Dynamic Island and on the lock screen for iPhone 14 Pro models.
Fitness+
- Apple Fitness+ is supported on iPhone, even if you don’t have an Apple Watch.
Wallet
- Key sharing lets you securely share your car keys, hotel rooms, and other keys in Wallet using messaging apps like Messages and WhatsApp.
- A savings account allows Apple Card customers to increase their daily cash by depositing it into a high-yielding savings account.
House
- Matter, the new standard for smart home connectivity, is supported, allowing a wide range of smart home accessories to work together in ecosystems.
Charging with clean energy
- A new setting that could try to reduce your carbon footprint by selectively charging when lower-carbon electricity is available.
Books
- Reader controls automatically hide when you start reading
Error correction
This update also includes bug fixes for your iPhone:
- Deleted conversations may appear in the list of conversations in Messages.
- Dynamic Island content is not available when using Reachability.
- CarPlay may not connect when using a VPN app
Apple’s website provides detailed release notes for iOS 16 updates. For information about iOS 16.1 security content, read the Apple Support document.
Should I install iOS 16.1?
If your iPhone is running iOS 16.0, iOS 16.0.1, iOS 16.0.2, or iOS 16.0.3, you will only need to install iOS 16.1 to fix bugs. The release of iOS 16 hasn’t been smooth in terms of bugs, and Apple is looking to improve the user experience with iOS 16.1.
Your thoughts on iOS 16.1
What are your favorite changes and improvements in iOS 16.1? Let us know by giving us your thoughts in the comments section below.