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iOS 16.2 Is Here: How to Use All the New Features

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Apple has officially released iOS 16.2, the second major update to the iOS 16 operating system, which introduces a number of new features, functions, and customizations for iPhones, including a karaoke-style mode for Apple Music, end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups, new options for Live Activities, and more.

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This article summarizes what's new and provides links to how-to articles that aim to help you make the most of all the new features. Keep reading to learn more.

Freeform App

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Freeform is a digital canvas app that is designed to let iPhone, iPad, and Mac users work together collaboratively in real time. Multiple people can contribute images, notes, scribbles, documents, web links, PDFs, and more, with content added visible to everyone.
Apple's Freeform app is designed to work with the Apple Pencil on ‌iPad‌, and it can be used with FaceTime for visual feedback between Freeform participants.

Apple Music Sing

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With the release of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and tvOS 16.2, Apple is introducing Apple Music Sing, a new Karaoke experience for ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers that lets users sing along to their favorite songs by adjusting the volume of the vocals in tracks.
Available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV 4K (2022), ‌Apple Music‌ Sing works with ‌Apple Music‌'s real-time lyrics feature, and gives you control over a song's vocal levels. This means you can sing along with the original artist vocals or turn the vocals down and take the lead.

iCloud Enhanced Data Protection

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With the release of iOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1, Apple is introducing Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, which uses end-to-end encryption to provide Apple's highest level of cloud data security yet. iCloud already protects 14 sensitive data categories using end-to-end encryption by default, including passwords in iCloud Keychain and Health data. For users who enable Advanced Data Protection, the total number of data categories protected using end-to-end encryption rises to 23.
The new security feature ensures users now have the choice to protect more of their important iCloud data, including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more. Note that the feature is currently only available to users in the US. Apple says it will launch globally in early 2023, but a precise date is not known.

iPhone 14 Pro Always-On Display Customizations

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When Apple debuted iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max devices, some users criticized the Always-On Display's lack of customization options. For example, in iOS 16.1, there is no way to hide the wallpaper or notifications when an iPhone is locked and not in use.
Fortunately, Apple has listened to feedback, and in iOS 16.2 it has added options to let users adjust the level of detail presented on their iPhone 14 Pro's Always-On display.

iCloud Private Relay Temporary Bypass

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Apple's paid-for iCloud+ service includes a feature called ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Private Relay, which is designed to encrypt web traffic leaving your device so that no one can intercept it or read it.
Private Relay hides your IP address from websites in the process, but Apple realizes that there may be times when you actually want your IP address to remain visible in certain situations, which is why it has added a new temporary bypass option.

Live Activities Updates

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Despite the introduction of Live Activities support for third-party apps in iOS 16.1, Live Activities integration for select sports games via Apple's built-in TV app was pushed back to iOS 16.2. Now you can enable Live Activities for Apple's TV app, as well as opt to receive more frequent updates from the feature on a per-app basis.
Note that Live Activities in the TV app are available for MLB games for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, in addition to NBA and Premier League games for users in the U.S. and Canada only. The feature will likely be expanded to other sports leagues in the future.

Article Link: iOS 16.2 Is Here: How to Use All the New Features
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/12/14/ios-16-2-use-all-the-new-features/
contacos said:
works as long as your AppleID is set to the US by the way. I am in Germany and I have the option (I am not going to enable it yet though. Seems like a dangerous "public beta test")
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Try it out. Take one for the team.

If something goes wrong not only will Apple and law enforcement not be able to access your data, you also won’t be able to access it.

Introducing Extreme Data Protection - no one, not even you, can access your data. Coming in iOS 17.
 
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I still have issues with Private Relay saying it cannot be used on certain networks that I know it should be okay with. The battery life has improved with each iteration of 16.2.
 
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a ton of people are experiencing problems with their Home now. It works fine for the ‘owner’ of the house, but anyone else invited gets blocked. When you take them out of the house and try to invite them to the house again, it never sends the invite. Major issue that Apple needs to fix asap.
 
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RUQRU said:
What does this mean?

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You can’t activate it from that particular device, because it was recently added to your account. Do you have another device such as an iPad or MacBook? If you do, try turning it on from one of those.

millerlite said:
a ton of people are experiencing problems with their Home now. It works fine for the ‘owner’ of the house, but anyone else invited gets blocked. When you take them out of the house and try to invite them to the house again, it never sends the invite. Major issue that Apple needs to fix asap.
Click to expand...
I’ve had this issue for months.
 
mystery hill said:
Try it out. Take one for the team.

If something goes wrong not only will Apple and law enforcement not be able to access your data, you also won’t be able to access it.

Introducing Extreme Data Protection - no one, not even you, can access your data. Coming in iOS 17.
Click to expand...
I was going to try this, then was like "hold on a minute..."

Yeah if anything goes sideways your icloud data is f'd. Not worth the risk imo
 
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Thank God I downgraded to 15.7 yesterday. iOS 16 was a battery-sucking-mess. Ventura is a crapload too. The new system settings is too narrow. I wonder whats going on with Apple lately ...
 
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Enhanced Data protection cannot be turned on if you have any devices in your account that cannot be updated to a version that supports it. Also, if you are using the iCloud app for Windows you cannot enable this. I had to remove all Windows devices and older Apple devices on my account that could not be upgraded in order to enable it.
 
has anyone figured out how to place any object in the upper left corner of Freeform? It always seems to randomly place the object and trying to move it to the upper left is absurd. I offered feedback to apple, but the problem is still there. I don't deem it usable for me until I can figure this out
 
johnediii said:
Also, if you are using the iCloud app for Windows you cannot enable this. I had to remove all Windows devices and older Apple devices on my account that could not be upgraded in order to enable it.
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That’s interesting. I wonder if just updating the extension just needs to be updated?
 
yellow8 said:
Great update! Can't wait to try freeform
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Whenever I can avoid 3rd party software in favor of Apple's stock ones, I don't hesitate. Well, I simply LOVE the Freeform app - and my expectations were already high.

Also, it couldn't have come at a better time for me, as I'm diving deep into sketch noting and testing apps like Concepts and Linea right at this moment.

So far, only one thing. I wish Apple would add a double-finger-tap-to-Undo gesture. For now, I positioned my tool palette to the left, so I can tap it with my left finger while remaining on the drawing with my right hand.

I say: Thanks Apple :)
 
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Pretty ****** that anyone with an iPhone 14 can't enable the icloud encryption for backups yet.
 
After updating to 16.2 and the HomeKit "architecture", my HomePod is stuck on CONFIGURING. I have already force-reset the HomePod 3 times, removed and added from my HomeKit and nothing changed. Anyone else having this issue?
 

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millerlite said:
a ton of people are experiencing problems with their Home now. It works fine for the ‘owner’ of the house, but anyone else invited gets blocked. When you take them out of the house and try to invite them to the house again, it never sends the invite. Major issue that Apple needs to fix asap.
Click to expand...

Are you absolutely certain that the people they are trying to invite have updated ALL their devices? And given them a reboot for good measure. When I went to upgrade my home, as the owner, it told me my watch wouldn't be able to access it until it was updated. But, uh, it was already updated. Rebooted everything and then got no further complaints.
 
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