All the Big Features iOS 16.3 Gives Your iPhone - Gadget Hacks

The latest bundle update for iPhone hasn't yet revealed each its secrets, but there's inactive thing to beryllium excited about: an enhanced information diagnostic to support your Apple ID relationship from phishing and different attacks. Keep speechmaking to spot everything iOS 16.3 has successful store for your iPhone.

The iOS 16.2 update was released connected Dec. 13 with astir 40 caller features and changes. Like clockwork, Apple pushed retired the archetypal iOS 16.3 beta conscionable 1 time aboriginal connected Dec. 14. There is nary authoritative merchandise day for the iOS 16.3 unchangeable build, but we're apt looking astatine March 2023, February astatine the earliest. Until then, immoderate iPhone that supports iOS 16 tin install the iOS 16.3 beta to get a leap connected everyone else.

Apple announced connected Dec. 7 a caller information diagnostic for the Messages app called iMessage Contact Key Verification, which volition fto you cognize if you're truly chatting with the idiosyncratic you deliberation you are. This diagnostic is not unrecorded connected iOS 16.3 but could travel successful a aboriginal update.

While I'll beryllium focusing connected the caller features for iPhone, galore of the items listed beneath besides use to iPadOS 16.3 for iPad and macOS 13.2 Ventura for Mac, besides successful beta.

1. Security Keys for Apple ID

In Settings –> Apple ID –> Password & Security, you'll present find an "Add Security Keys" option, a hotly anticipated information enhancement.

Third-party information keys are carnal devices you tin usage to verify your individuality erstwhile you motion successful to accounts connected a caller device. On iOS 16.2, they tin springiness beardown extortion against phishing and unauthorized attempts to entree your Apple ID account.

According to Apple, hardware information keys tin regenerate each the two-factor verification codes it sends to each the trusted devices you're already logged successful to erstwhile trying to motion successful oregon reset your password.

This diagnostic is designed for users who, often owed to their nationalist profile, look concerted threats to their online accounts, specified arsenic celebrities, journalists, and members of government. For users who opt in, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware information cardinal arsenic 1 of the 2 factors. This takes our two-factor authentication adjacent further, preventing adjacent an precocious attacker from obtaining a user's 2nd origin successful a phishing scam.

Apple's caller diagnostic lone works with information keys certified by the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance, which is the norm crossed the industry. Apple has a nexus to take compatible information keys during the setup process and an all-encompassing "Learn More" link, but these webpages bash not beryllium yet.

Apple besides states that you won't person to re-authenticate with a information cardinal erstwhile utilizing the built-in device-to-device transportation protocol erstwhile getting a caller iPhone.

2. New Splash Screen for HomePod Handoff

If you person a HomePod, you tin usage Handoff to transportation the existent audio connected your iPhone implicit to the HomePod, whether it's a song, podcast, oregon telephone call. IOS 16.3 includes a splash surface usher explaining the process successful lawsuit you person ne'er utilized it oregon understood what you could do. The prompt, titled "Transfer Music and Control HomePod," states:

Bring iPhone adjacent to HomePod to presumption controls, oregon erstwhile playing music, to determination euphony betwixt iPhone and HomePod.

You tin bring iPhone adjacent HomePod again aboriginal to presumption controls oregon transportation music.

Anything Else?

So far, iOS 16.3 looks similar a insignificant update, and the different changes we've seen are insignificant from a idiosyncratic perspective. We volition surely spot much added oregon recently discovered features arsenic the beta progresses, particularly since the unchangeable physique isn't expected until sometime successful February oregon March. Until then, enactment tuned. And fto america cognize if you find thing we missed.

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Cover photograph and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks