Our wish list for iOS 16: Every iPhone feature we want to see on WWDC

Apple’s 2022 World Developers Conference starts on Monday, and we expect to see it for the first time iOS 16 – Probably the name of Apple’s next major iPhone software update. There is also a good chance that we will see software update reviews for other Apple major products: iPadOS 16, WatchOS 9 and MacOS. But iOS 16 will likely be the star of the show as it provides insight into new features coming to the iPhone in the fall.

The last three versions of iOS were similar. iOS 15 looks like a riff on iOS 14, which felt like a continuation of iOS 13. All visual changes can be turned on and off instead of being forced on your iPhone. For example, if you don’t like the home screen widgets or focus mode, you don’t have to use them. Even if you give up on more noticeable changes, launching iOS 15 brings a bunch of background enhancements to keep your iPhone running smoothly and securely. And that will probably be the case with iOS 16.

iOS 15 has been out for seven months and the operating system is relatively stable with very few bugs. Some features, such as Universal Control and SharePlay, took some time to introduce, but everything seems to be working now. iOS 16 is likely to continue where iOS 15 ends, adding new features to the existing design.

But that doesn’t mean Apple doesn’t have to add or improve things. My colleagues and I have come up with a list of improvements, additions and fixes that we would like Apple to make for iOS 16. Some are big, like adding support for Apple Pencil, and others are small but significant, like giving home screen widgets more functionality. We’ll have to wait to see what Apple actually does.

iOS 16: Photos need to be copied and pasted for editing

We use iPhones to take photos and videos all the time, and editing photos is just as satisfying as taking them. The place for most people to edit is the Photos app for iPhone: the interface is simple and there are plenty of tools to achieve the exact look you want.

But the MacOS version of Photos has one useful feature that would improve editing on the iPhone: the ability to copy and paste edits between photos. This is especially useful when taking several photos in the same place, for example in a restaurant or party. Since all photos were taken under the same lighting and conditions, you can only edit one photo and then copy and paste those settings onto others.

Instead, in iOS 15, all you have to do is make these settings one at a time for each photo on your iPhone. That’s tedious.

In iOS 16, it would be great to see a similar copy and paste feature on the iPhone. We would give iOS 16 bonus points if the changes you made in the Photos on Mac app can be applied to the Photos on iPhone app, and vice versa. But step by step.

Always turn on the iPhone lock screen

Imagine being able to take a look at your iPhone when the screen is off to see the time, notifications and missed calls. Such a feature has been available for years on Android phones, where only important information is highlighted and the screen is otherwise black. This is called the always on screen. Apple offers an always-on display option for the Apple Watch Series 5 and later, but it’s still not on the iPhone.

But Apple could soon change that with iOS 16, which is said to bring future support for always-on screen functionality, according to Bloomberg. The update would allow the iPhone to reduce the refresh rate of the lock screen to display pieces of information, but a Bloomberg report suggests this feature could be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.

Bring iPad’s split-screen view to iPhone Pro Max models

The iPhone Pro Max has been part of Apple’s lineup since 2019 11 Pro Max has a 6.5 – inch screen while 12 Pro Max i 13 Pro Max both have a 6.7-inch screen that makes watching videos, playing games and reading articles an absolute pleasure.

But those big screens look worn out when it comes to software. Some iOS apps like Mail and Messages can use that extra screen space in landscape mode to display a message preview column next to the currently open message. But otherwise, there isn’t much more in iOS that takes advantage of those larger screens.

Apple could bring some features from iPadOS to iOS 16 just for Pro Max models, especially its multitasking split-screen display. It would be wonderful to have Safari open on one side of the phone screen and then run Messages on the other side.

Read more: iOS 15 could make the iPhone 12 Pro more professional

Apple Pencil support for iPhone Pro Max models

The large screen on iPhone Pro Max models requires support for the Apple Pencil. Samsung has proven that there is a significant audience for the phone pen through its Galaxy Note and S Ultra devices. Hell, there are even $ 300 phones like the Moto G Stylus that support one.

The Second generation Apple Pencil is an outstanding pen that currently works with iPad Mini, Air and Pro models. But imagine you can use it on the iPhone 13 Pro Max and its 120Hz screen for sketching and recording. Better yet, what about the Apple Pencil Mini (which you think is the size of a golf pen) that can be attached to the side of the iPhone Pro Max? Technology journalists can dream, right?

iPhone widgets need more functionality

When home screen widgets came to the iPhone with iOS 14, many of us rejoiced. Apple’s widget implementation is clean, and even Samsung has started to emulate them. Widgets fit like a grid anywhere on the home screen. But there is one drawback: widgets on the home screen are passive. Aside from viewable information or smart widget stacks, the biggest functionality they provide is the ability to open the appropriate app.

For example, the Apple Music widget displays the song currently playing. Touching the widget brings up the Apple Music app. But what if you can tap the widget to skip to the next song? What if you can swipe in the weather widget to change your location? Hopefully, the iOS 16 home screen widgets will give more functionality.

We won’t know for sure until Apple announces iOS 16. But Bloomberg says the company could introduce new lock screen options that have functionality like widgets in iOS 16. It may not be exactly what we’re looking for, but a Bloomberg report suggests Apple may have planned some kind of widget enhancement in iOS 16.

Let us place applications wherever we want

In recent years, Apple has improved the home screen with new elements such as widgets and application libraries. You can have multiple app pages and even include the same app on different home screen pages (which is important if you’re an advanced user of Focus mode).

But when it comes to rearranging the app icons on the app page, nothing has changed. The applications are glued to the invisible software magnet in the upper left part of the screen. So if you want to keep only a few apps on a particular home screen page, those apps start filling the screen from the top left corner. You can’t put them at the bottom of the screen without filling in the top of the page first.

Apple, give us the freedom to move apps wherever we want. This would be a great boon in making it easier to access apps with one hand without using accessibility. Also, if you have a home screen wallpaper that you like, you can edit the apps so you can see your photo better.

Multiple default application choices

You can currently set the default browser app and the default mail app on iPhone to be anything other than Safari and Mail. In iOS 16, Apple could open system defaults for multiple apps, especially folders and messaging apps. If you’re a regular Google Maps user, it’s a good idea to set it up as your main mapping app instead of Apple Maps.

What do you want to see in iOS 16?

These were a few things we would like to see in the next version of iOS. But what about you? Are there any features or bugs that you want Apple to add and fix? If you want to investigate some of the leaks for the following iPhone software, read our review of rumors about iOS 16.