iOS 16 launch live blog – when was it released, what’s up with it?

Developer Geoff Hackworth, creator of Adaptability (opens in a new tab)contacted me to clarify that for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max range, developers will need to rebuild their apps to take advantage of the slightly larger screen of both models.

Some apps might feel a bit stretched – games come to mind, but for the casual user, that’s nothing to worry about.

Either way, it’s something that many developers will have to watch out for once the new phones are released for their apps.

I recently rearranged my office to free up some space, but at the same time some plants needed extra care.

PlantDad (opens in a new tab) seeks to solve this problem for me, but with the addition of lock screen widgets, so I can remember to water them when they need it.

Its developer Jordan Hipwell (opens in a new tab) tells me it’s slated to release as soon as iOS 16 is released.

Just to note – I’ve been testing the public beta of iOS 16 since its release in July on my old iPhone X, and found it to run very hot during use.

This would mostly happen when I was switching between different lock screens such as Earth view. It hasn’t improved throughout the beta period, so I’d proceed with caution if you have an older iPhone that you plan to use iOS 16 with.

I am a heavy user of this app as is my wife so to see lock screen widgets coming on countdowns (opens in a new tab) is something we can’t wait to try.

Its developer Stephen Hayes tells me that there will be many iterations of how you can display these widgets on your iPhone, from small widgets to large ones to better exclaim about an upcoming event in your life, be it big or small.

Again, it is currently scheduled for release as soon as iOS 16 is released.

In July, I highlighted other improvements in iOS 16, such as Messages. You go ultimately being able to unsend one, in addition to being able to edit one once it has been sent.

However, you’ll only have two minutes to do so before it’s set in stone, so make sure the error is fixed as soon as possible.

Here is an application that makes you think ‘Why didn’t I think of that?‘

lock launcher (opens in a new tab) lets you place widgets on the iOS 16 lock screen to launch a variety of apps – from Instagram to BeReal and more.

Its developer Taher tells me the app will launch as soon as iOS 16 does, so watch out. This could be a much easier way to launch certain apps without even going to your home screen.

If you find yourself tracking flights, then Flighty (opens in a new tab) is the one who is about to enjoy the new iOS 16 lock screen as well.

Once you have installed both updates, you will be able to:

• Use daily countdown timer with weather forecast
• Display reservation code, gate and seat number at the right time
• Show a progress bar in flight, even offline
• Also works well for tracking friends and family

There’s also a Live Activities widget that will use “Dynamic Island” on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models.

Here is another app ready to go once iOS 16 is launched – Personal Best (opens in a new tab) accesses your fitness and health and turns it into leaderboards, insights, and more.

On iOS 16, this now extends to the lock screen, so you can see it all at a glance without reaching for the app.

Here’s a cool feature that may relieve some frustrations from one of our great freelancers – tapping album art in iOS 16 on the lock screen will minimize it.

How about that?

Let’s not forget that watchOS 9 is also expected to arrive later today, bringing new watch faces, the ability to control your Apple Watch using gestures, and more.

If you want to make sure you’re ready to update to iOS 16 later today, our US mobile editor Philip Berne has compiled this very helpful guide on how to do it.

twitter user FloWritesCode (opens in a new tab) sent us this:

We couldn’t agree more. While I still think it’s a little weird that there’s no way to change the flashlight and camera icons on the lock screen, it’s good to have other ways to open other applications or to have information that can be consulted.

If you’ve been using Obscura 3 recently, we have good news for you once iOS 16 arrives.

As long as it’s available on the App Store (opens in a new tab) For $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99, a new update will be released very soon and will bring a redesigned lock screen widget, allowing you to launch the app much faster.

Although iOS 16 works on an iPhone 8 and above, that doesn’t mean you’ll get everything the features available to someone on an iPhone 14.

With that in mind, I wrote exactly what won’t be available on select iPhones running iOS 16.

On the contrary, the lock screen is one of the biggest changes of iOS in recent years. Our US Editor Lance Ulanoff spoke with Apple SVP of Engineering Craig Federighi in June about this.

Hello and welcome to the iOS 16 launch live blog. I’m Daryl, Software Writer at TechRadar, and I’ll be keeping you up to date throughout the day on iOS 16 and up.