Apple could fix a major iPhone pain point by introducing some “fairly significant enhancements” to notifications in iOS 16, according to a reliable source. Further, the company could make major improvements to health and activity tracking in watchOS 9.
The Cupertino company also supposedly will debut a new multitasking interface in iPadOS 16.
Don’t expect iOS 16 to bring a major redesign
Code-named “Sydney,” iOS 16 will not introduce a major redesign, according to Bloomberg. This is in spite of the current design being nearly a decade old. Instead, Apple will focus on an updated notification management system, though there are no details on what they might be.
Despite minor improvements over the years, managing notifications on the iPhone is still notably inferior to Android. Perhaps Apple could finally put this problem to an end in iOS 16.
Apple simplified multitasking on the iPad with the addition of a multiwindow shelf in iPadOS 15. The company could make further improvements in this area and debut a new multitasking interface in iPadOS 16. Admittedly, multitasking in iPadOS is still not as straightforward as it should be. Any changes in this regard should be welcome.
As for watchOS 9, code-named “Kincaid,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter that Apple could introduce “major upgrades to activity and health tracking.”
Apple could preview its mixed-reality headset OS at WWDC22
Gurman’s unnamed sources reveal that iOS 16 beta builds come filled with references to Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset and how it will interact with the iPhone. This indicates the company intends to announce its mixed-reality headset “during the iOS 16 cycle,” i.e., sometime before iOS 17 shows up in 2023.
There’s even a possibility that Apple could demo rOS, the mixed-reality’s headset operating system, at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9 are coming at WWDC22
Apple is set to announce iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9 and the next version of macOS (code-named “Rome,” according to Bloomberg) and tvOS (code-named “Paris”) at WWDC 2022. The event will be held virtually from June 6 to 10. Apple also will host a special event for a some developers, students and journalists to watch the opening WWDC keynote live from Apple Park.
