Early this morning, Apple pushed the iOS 16 RC version (build number: 20A362) update to iPhone users. Apple also released a number of new products today, including the Apple Watch Series 8, AirPods Pro 2, and the iPhone 14 series. While the iOS 16 RC release has no major new features, it does bring some interesting changes.
Car Crash Detection API: One of the new features on the iPhone 14 series and Apple Watch Series 8 is car crash detection. It uses new accelerometers and gyroscope sensors to detect potential car crash collisions, so the device automatically calls emergency services.
As analyzed by 9to5Mac, iOS 16 RC includes a new car crash detection API so that third-party apps can request access to the feature. It's unclear exactly how the API will work, but Apple may let developers integrate car crash detection with their apps (useful for remote diagnostics, for example).
Unsurprisingly, there will be new privacy switches in the iOS Settings app so users can choose which apps have access to crash detection data.
AirPods Pro 2 new settings: AirPods Pro 2 adds a touch function to the earbud handle. Users can not only tap to play or pause, but also slide up and down to adjust the volume. iOS 16 RC features a new accessibility setting that lets AirPods Pro 2 users change the wait time between swipes to prevent accidental volume adjustments.
Apple has also added new video guides to the system to help users disable Find My on a single AirPod or the new AirPods Pro charging case as an anti-tracking measure.
Detect counterfeit AirPods: Code found in internal system files shows that iOS 16 can detect counterfeit AirPods. Some of these knockoffs look identical to the official AirPods, and they can even trigger some system functions, such as automatic pairing and battery lights.
With iOS 16, Apple iPhones and iPads will alert users when they try to pair counterfeit AirPods. "These earphones cannot be verified as genuine AirPods and may not function as expected," the message reads.
Turn off AOD Always On Display: The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max feature an AOD display that works very similar to the same technology currently available on the Apple Watch. However, users willing to save some battery power can disable AOD Always On Display by going into iPhone settings.
iPhone 14 Pro boot sound: Another new feature on the iPhone 14 Pro models is the power-on beep. More specifically, as part of iOS accessibility features, users can choose to have the iPhone play a sound every time the device is turned on or off.
Since a boot sound is played during boot, the chime is part of the bootrom for the new A16 chip - which is probably why other iPhone models don't offer this option.
Find My Smart Island Animation: The iPhone 14 Pro has a brand new Smart Island Pill Screen, which not only replaces the notch groove but also brings a new interactive concept to the area. In the notification and media controls, Smart Island also has cool animations to show the "Find My app" interaction.
iOS 16 availability: According to Apple, iOS 16 will be officially released for iPhone users on September 13, suitable for iPhone 8 / Plus and newer models.
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