always on screen, interactive widgets and more

Apple will announce a new version of its iPhone operating system at a WWDC event on June 6. These are our biggest wishes for iOS 16.

iOS 16: four features that are at the top of our wish list

In about two months we’ll know what iOS 16 looks like and what new features Apple has added to the iPhone software. Until then, we may dream and speculate. In this article we list some of our iOS 16 wishes for you. Read on quick!

1. Always on screen

We’ve been asking for it for years now: an always on screen. Android smartphones have had the function for years and the Apple Watch Series 7 also has the function. An always on screen shows useful information such as the time, date and a number of notifications when you are not using your smartphone. However, to achieve a good battery life, an always on screen is not just possible.

Apple could therefore use the same technology as the Apple Watch. To save energy, the screen switches to a saving mode when idle, which refreshes itself much less often. However, this requires a so-called LTPO screen – and only the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max have that.

LTPO technology allows a screen to switch between different refresh rates. The lower the frame rate, the less power the screen consumes. An OLED screen is also necessary for an always-on screen to work efficiently. Black pixels are really off with an OLED panel, so they do not consume any power.

Because there are so many snags on an always-on display, the function is currently only available to very few iPhones. Should Apple integrate the feature into iOS 16, then probably not all existing iPhones will be able to use it. There is a good chance that only the iPhone 14 can handle it.

2. Interactive Widgets

It was arguably the most important feature of iOS 14: widgets. Widgets are like little previews of apps. They show useful information directly on your home screen, so you don’t always have to open the app yourself. Still, the iOS widgets are far from perfect.

The widgets only show information – you can’t do anything with them. How cool would it be if you could perform actions via widgets in iOS 16? Think of an interactive Spotify widget to play, pause or skip to the next track.

There have been rumors for a while about the arrival of interactive widgets in iOS 16. We therefore think there is a good chance that Apple is actually working on the interactive app previews.

Also read: First iOS 16 photos leaked? iPhone gets interactive widgets

3. Refreshed design

iOS hasn’t seen any major visual changes since iOS 7 in 2013. We therefore hope that Apple will finally give its mobile software a major design update. Think of new app icons, fonts, backgrounds and animations.

We also hope for possibilities to customize iOS. Many people regret that all iPhones are practically the same. Unlike Android, iOS offers few options to personalize the software look and feel to give.

The lock screen can also get a major makeover in our opinion. We found all kinds of concepts on the web that show widgets and shortcuts on the lockscreen. As long as Apple finds a way to secure things properly, we’re all for it.

4. Visible battery percentage

The iPhone used to have a handy battery percentage in the status bar. The current detached icon does not always give a clear picture of the battery level. That one percent can make all the difference — so we hope iOS 16 brings back the permanent battery percentage in the status bar.

With the arrival of the iPhone X, there was not enough room for the percentage. However, the iPhone 13 series has a smaller notch, which frees up more space. Apple could also process the percentage in the battery icon, for example. All sorts of options, so hopefully we’ll get the battery percentage (which we all secretly crave) back soon.

We’ll know more about iOS 16 on June 6

On June 6, Apple will unveil the major iPhone software update of the year: iOS 16. The iPad, Mac and Apple Watch will also receive updates. The event takes place during the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), an annual conference for app developers. Do you want to watch from your couch? That’s possible, because the event will once again take place entirely online, just like in the previous two years.

Also Read: WWDC 2022: Here’s When Apple Unveils iOS 16 and More

At iPhoned we will of course report live from the WWDC keynote. We will therefore again elaborate on our iOS 16 wishes, should Apple fulfill them. So sign up for our newsletter, download the free app or keep an eye on our site!