Improved Always On Display functionality

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or an iPhone 14 Pro Max, you will be able to toggle the wallpaper and notifications when your Always On Display is active. This change is a pretty major one, as it allows your iPhone to still show you vital information such as the current time and your mini widgets, if you have opted for any, without distracting you with your wallpaper or any incoming notifications. Yay for more choices!


Upgrade to Home

Apple's Home hub app is getting a rather big revamp with the arrival of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2. The underlying architecture of the app is upgraded so that it is compliant with the Matter smart home standard. As a result, the performance of your connected home gadgets and appliances should be improved, though you might need to update your HomePods and other smart gadgets that you've got paired into your Home app.

ProMotion app-switching lag fix

Although ProMotion on the iPhone is not a new feature, Apple is continuously fixing bugs and addressing some shortcomings. iOS 16.2 will finally eliminate stuttering transitions between apps as SwiftUI layout changes finally score support for 120Hz refresh rates. So, expect that your iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max to be smoother following the iOS 16.2 update.

Crash Detection optimizations

After you update to iOS 16.2, your new iPhone will no longer attempt to call emergency services while you're enjoying a roller coaster ride or skiing down the slopes. Just in time for winter, perfect! The same optimizations have made their way to eligible Apple Watches as well.

iPadOS 16.2: What's new?

[FONT=Georgia]Just like iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2 scores the Freeform app, allowing you to more easily collaborate with the help of an Apple Pencil. Powerful iPads with an M1 or M2 chip on deck now also score external display support up to 6K resolution, as well as support for drag-and-drop files and windows to a connected display. You can also use four apps on your iPad and up to four on an external display at the same time, so a total of up to eight apps at the same time for the ultimate Stage Manager multitasking setup. The devices that support those features are the iPad Pro 12.9" (5th Gen) and newer, iPad Pro 11" (3rd Gen) and newer, as well as the most recent iPad Air (5th Gen). [/FONT

WatchOS 9.2: What's new?

There are lots of quality-of-life updates included in WatchOS 9.2, but nothing too fancy. When you embark on an outdoor running workout to a nearby running rack, your Apple Watch can now detect that and will automatically start a workout. You can also compete against your previous workouts on a specific route thanks to Race Route. We like features that game-ify real life! Apple has also optimized the Crash Detection feature on Apple Watch SE 2, Watch 8, and Apple Watch Ultra, as well as improved the accuracy of gesture controls.