Apple Event highlights new iOS 16 features — how they make iPhone 14 better

Dynamic Island
Dynamic Island (Image credit: Apple)

The Apple event today shed some light on the new features coming to iOS 16 that will add some spice and somethin' nice to the iPhone 14 line that was announced this Wednesday.

The most striking iOS 16 perk announced at the Apple event is "Dynamic Island," a perk reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Even if you have no intentions of getting the iPhone 14, there are still some exciting iOS 16 features coming to iPhone that you can look forward to.

iOS 16 highlights from iPhone 14 Apple event

  • The iPhone 14 Pro models feature something called "Dynamic Island," which boasts uniquely crafted animations and transitions that decorate the devices' new pill-shaped design. The Dynamic Island expands when you receive notifications and alerts. This iOS 16 feature keeps you updated on incoming info without distracting you from the app you're in.

Dynamic Island

Dynamic Island (Image credit: Future)

Here are some examples of Dynamic Island in action!

  • Confirming your AirPods are connected

Dynamic Island AirPods

(Image credit: Apple)
  • Muting your iOS device

Dynamic Island

Dynamic Island (Image credit: Apple)
  • Charging your phone

Starting a charge

Starting a charge (Image credit: Apple)
  • Playing music, which can be expanded for quick-and-easy management
  • Taking calls
  • Keeping track of your Lyft rides

Dynamic Island

Dynamic Island (Image credit: Future)
  • Live Activities, a new feature on iOS 16's lock screen, works "seamlessly with Dynamic Island," according to Apple. It includes support for third-party apps. Live Activities, by the way, helps users stay on top of what's happening in real-time. It's a single, widget-like notification that can be updated in a timely fashion. For example, sports apps will benefit from Live Activities, keeping users up-to-date on games' current score.

Live Activities demo on iPhone 14 Pro

Live Activities demo on iPhone 14 Pro (Image credit: Apple)
  • Women's fertility and menstruation tracking was a show-stopping topic at the Apple Event with the introduction of Apple Watch Series 8. Apple announced that "all users on iOS 16 and WatchOS 9 can now be notified of possible cycle deviations based on log-cycle data."

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple Watch Series 8 (Image credit: Apple)
  • The new AirPods Pro got announced! Personalized spatial audio is one of the new features of the next-gen earbuds. "With iOS 16, you can use the TrueDepth camera on iPhone to create a personal profile for spatial audio." 
  • Spatial audio is a feature that makes it sound like you're on stage with the musician as the music booms in your ears. Personalized spatial audio, on the other hand, takes things to the next level. It constructs sound in a way that is uniquely optimized for you based on the size and shape of your head and ears!

AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 (Image credit: Apple)
  • Apple boasted that the new iPhone 14 Plus has a large, stunning 6.7-inch screen, making it a striking panel to view iOS 16 features like the new lock screen and iCloud shared photo library. "You can even get more workout details in the fitness app with the new enhanced workout summary."

Thanks to iOS 16, the next major update coming across iPhones, Apple fans should expect new lock-screen widgets and customizations, improvements to Live Text, Visual Look Up and Dictation, as well as updates to Messages. One of the most-talked about iOS 16 features is the option to rescind and edit texts.

"When is the iOS 16 release date?" you ask. Traditionally, Apple releases the new major iOS update shortly after the iPhone event, so chances are high we'll get iOS 16 by Sept. 13.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!