Apple iOS 16.3: Apple Lets Slip Release Surprise For The Next iPhone Update - Forbes

Apple usually keeps the merchandise dates for its bundle nether wraps, not slightest truthful it tin alteration its caput and spell earlier oregon aboriginal arsenic it needs. But today, buried successful a property release for rather different product, Apple has told america erstwhile we should expect iOS 16.3.

MORE FROM FORBESApple HomePod 2: Stunning, If Familiar, New $299 Speaker Confirmed In Surprise RevealBy David Phelan

Today, conscionable earlier 9AM Eastern, Apple revealed caller contented to observe Black History Month. This includes caller iPhone wallpaper, a caller Watch look and a Black Unity Sport Loop for Apple Watch.

In itself, the announcement was invited but unsurprising. Apple usually celebrates Black History Month and a caller Watch strap has debuted astatine this clip of twelvemonth before.

The Watch Strap is peculiarly attractive, with the connection Unity woven into the set “abstractly”, Apple says.

Also of involvement is simply a caller Time to Walk, released connected Monday, January 30 and featuring vocalist Patti LaBelle. There’ll besides beryllium a caller Time to Run with Fitness+ trainer Cory Wharton-Malcolm, celebrating Black History Month with a tally done South LA. There’s plentifulness much connected connection and the Apple merchandise is good worthy a look.

Read down to the footnotes of it, though, and there’s a uncover of erstwhile iOS 16.3 volition beryllium coming. It says, “The Unity 2023 ticker look volition beryllium disposable adjacent week, and requires Apple Watch Series 4 oregon aboriginal moving watchOS 9.3, and iPhone 8 oregon aboriginal and iPhone SE (2nd generation) oregon aboriginal moving iOS 16.3.

“The caller Unity iPhone wallpaper for the Lock Screen volition beryllium besides beryllium disposable adjacent week and requires iPhone 8 oregon aboriginal moving iOS 16.3.”

Next week begins connected Monday, January 30. Since Apple’s favourite time of the week for bundle updates is Tuesday, I’d expect that to beryllium the time the adjacent iPhone bundle update is released, January 31. That’s mode sooner than adjacent the astir seasoned of analysts had been predicting.

It’s an absorbing release, with enactment for information keys for Apple IDs. You tin work much astir this successful Kate O’Flaherty’s station here, but it means you tin usage a hardware accessory to corroborate who you are alternatively than inputting passwords for two-factor authentication.

Other features revealed truthful acold are much minor, including caller accusation connected however to usage Handoff betwixt the iPhone and HomePod. Since Apple has conscionable announced an all-new HomePod 2^nd-generation, which is disposable from February 3, there’s different crushed to cognize 16.3 is imminent.

Emergency SOS calls, that all-new feature, whitethorn besides person upgraded wording. Of course, determination volition beryllium plentifulness of bug squishes, including possibly a horizontal enactment surface contented immoderate users person been experiencing. Some had thought we mightiness spot iOS 16.2.1 to code this sooner, but the caller knowing that 16.3 is conscionable days distant whitethorn mean there’s nary tiny update coming successful between. But you ne'er know.