Here's What's New in iOS 16.3 for Your iPhone So Far

[MacRumors]

Apple released the second beta of iOS 16.3 earlier this week, and so far only one new feature and two other minor changes have been discovered in the software update. It's possible that iOS 16.3 will also include various bug fixes and security updates.

iOS 16.3 should be publicly released within the next month or so, and it is possible that more features will be added in later beta versions. In the meantime, we have provided additional details about the three changes discovered so far below.

Security Keys for Apple IDs

The first iOS 16.3 beta enabled a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that Apple said will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple does not plan to release its own hardware security keys. The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico, such as the YubiKey 5Ci, which has both Lightning and USB-C connectors for use with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

HomePod Handoff Prompt

As noted by Max Weinbach on Twitter, the first iOS 16.3 beta added a new prompt to transfer/hand off music from an iPhone to a HomePod. Only the prompt itself is new, as the HomePod audio handoff feature already existed.

Emergency SOS Settings Rewording

In the second beta of iOS 16.3, Apple has tweaked the wording for some Emergency SOS options in the Settings app to be even clearer.

"Call with Hold" is now "Call with Hold and Release," "Call with 5 Presses" is now "Call with 5 Button Presses," and "Countdown Sound" is now "Call Quietly." The descriptions for each have also been updated. "Call Quietly" is toggled off by default, which is equivalent to "Countdown Sound" being toggled on.

Article Link: Here's What's New in iOS 16.3 for Your iPhone So Far

 

[Justin Cymbal]

The HomePod handoff prompt will be a great feature to have in the new iOS

I use my HomePod every day to listen to music and podcasts and have accidentally transferred music from my iPhone to my HomePod when it was nearby but this new prompt will now prevent that from happening

 

[McKodiak]

I wonder if HomeKit updating will be re-enabled and fixed.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Seems like there's not much to offer. Extremely minor but it's better than nothing. I'll take it as long as stability and performance have been improved.

About the recent bug attached... yeah... What to do? 😣

 

[Frantisekj]

I see security keys support as Apple answer to pushed security breaches by EU by USB C and alternative Appstores requirements.

 

[RalfTheDog]

iOS 14.3, now with rainbow colored boot lines!

 

[riverfreak]

I see security keys support as Apple answer to pushed security breaches by EU by USB C and alternative Appstores requirements.

I totally dont follow this. care to elaborate?

 

[BorisDG]

16.3 feels very small for major version update... it's weird. I hope there are many under the hood changes to improve stuff.

 

[riverfreak]

Run far away from the Yubikey 5ci. I've now had six of them break. Some were replacements from Yubico.

Mine have broken from just normal day-to-day use on my desk, not even on a keychain.

And although it might seem like a good idea to have both lightning and USB-C in a single key, the 5ci doesnt balance well on a keychain or lanyard.

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

Homekit upgrade reboot?

 

[riverfreak]

16.3 feels very small for major version update... it's weird. I hope there are many under the hood changes to improve stuff.

I'd argue that adding security key support is a pretty major update. aperhaps they want to denote that regardless of how extensive the implementation is.

 

[WaxedJacket]

Does it fix the gapless audio breaking in 16.2?

 

[surfzen21]

Seems like there's not much to offer. Extremely minor but it's better than nothing. I'll take it as long as stability and performance have been improved.

About the recent bug attached... yeah... What to do? 😣

Your eyes are orientating wrong 🤣

 

[PauloSera]

"Call with Hold and Release," "Call with 5 Button Presses,"

Good grief. Good luck remembering which of these your phone is set to in an actual emergency.

 

[AppliedMicro]

If they spend most time and dev work on security and reliability fixes, I'm happy.
Especially with the security key support for Apple IDs.

I totally dont follow this. care to elaborate?

There's no logic behind that (it's not as if you'd authenticate with your password or security key every time a rogue app accessed your data). He was just being sarcastic.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Good grief. Good luck remembering which of these your phone is set to in an actual emergency.

You can have both on.

 

[maryland]

Run far away from the Yubikey 5ci. I've now had six of them break. Some were replacements from Yubico.

Mine have broken from just normal day-to-day use on my desk, not even on a keychain.

And although it might seem like a good idea to have both lightning and USB-C in a single key, the 5ci doesnt balance well on a keychain or lanyard.

And you only need Lightning if you have an iPad without USB-C. With iPhones you just use an security key with NFC, like Yubico’s blue keys which are much cheaper than all the black Yubikeys proper, including 5ci.

 

[No5tromo]

so excited for the emergency SOS rewording, can't wait

 

[ackmondual]

iOS 14.3, now with rainbow colored boot lines!

Put them into the shape of an apple, and we can pass it off as the Apple logo!

Seems like there's not much to offer. Extremely minor but it's better than nothing. I'll take it as long as stability and performance have been improved.

About the recent bug attached... yeah... What to do? 😣

So the bug here is you can't properly view what you're typing in? I've gotten this sort of thing on Android, but only when going through the task/app switcher.

 

[oneMadRssn]

The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico, such as the YubiKey 5Ci, which has both Lightning and USB-C connectors for use with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

I wish Macs and iPads had NFC for this feature.

 

[_Spinn_]

Seems like a very small update. Though the security keys will be nice.


Hopefully Apple has a lot of bug fixes in this one. Just name a few of my major annoyances:

• Fixing the HomeKit Architecture can’t come soon enough
• Every day I have to set the Fitness focus to turn on when starting an exercise. Then then next day it is turned off again. Edit: seems like others are having this issue as well.
• Turning on the Sleep focus from an automation is broken.

 

[Kylo83]

Most boring point release ever, nothing worth installing for

 

[Realityck]

iOS16.3/IPadOS16.3 beta 2 brought Safari 16.3 use https://www.whatismyip.com/user-agent/
iOS16.3/IPadOS16.3 beta 1 was still version 16.2

Same for MacOS 13.2 betas.

 

[spartan1967]

Could we get a “here’s what’s fixed for iOS 16” to go along with what’s new?

 

[tothemoonsands]

Hopefully HomeKit bug fixes are at the center of this release! New architecture worked out well for me, yet there's definitely still some quirks (i.e weird delays when changing a device's name or room, etc.)