iPhone Tricks > TILs
Posted in TILs by Patricia on December 4, 2022
iOS 16.2 release date
iOS 16.2 release date is approaching fast and most iPhone and iPad users are looking forward to this update! New features like Freeform app, Lock Screen widgets, as wells as improvements to Stage Manger. Lots of bug fixes are also expected!
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iOS 16.2 Release Date
At the moment we can only anticipate when this 2nd major iOS 16 update of the year will be released.
Based on Apple’s habits, patterns and available info we know the following:
- 1. Apple has confirmed that apps like Freeform, which is included as a new 16.2 feature will be updated by the end of the year. This makes December the iOS 16.2 release month.
- 2. The Cupertino-based tech giant has never released a scheduled public software update between Christmas and New Year (only betas). More, App Store app validations for developers are paused between Christmas and New Year.
- 3. Public software updates aren’t released during the holidays either, which means that Apple will release iOS 16.2 before Christmas Eve.
- 4. We had four iOS 16.2 betas released so far with build numbers: 20C5032e -> 20C5043e -> 20C5049e -> 20C5058d -> a(b) -> RC.
Fact: Apple usually seeds 5 betas + the Release Candidate version (RC) before the public release. And betas are released once per week the soonest.
- 5. Betas are usually released every Tuesday. This means that we can expect iOS 16.2 Beta 5 on December 6 and the RC version on December 13.
Conclusion: If our estimations are correct iOS 16.2 should be released on Tuesday, December 20. December 19 is 1st Hanukah day and Apple will avoid a release on that date for sure.
Important: Apple has skipped one week of beta releases during Thanksgiving and Black Friday week. So, it might cut corners and seed directly the RC version on Tuesday December 6. This would mean that we can expect 16.2 in the week of December 12 – 16.
Most likely iOS 16.2 Release Dates: December 13 or December 20. Same dates for iPadOS 16.2, watchOS 9.1, tvOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 and HomePod OS 16.2.
iOS 16.2 Release Notes
The full update log will be updated here a couple of days before the public release. Apple includes the release notes in the Release Candidate version and we will update them here as soon as available.
iOS 16.2 Features
We’ve covered all changes expected in this update during the beta testing stages. Here are some of the highlights:
- 1. Freeform App – Will be available on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It’s a whiteboard app for sketching, drawing, notes and more. It emphasizes collaboration between participants. It is available in the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac betas.
- 2. Sleep Widget for Lock Screen – available for those that use Sleep on Apple Watch.
- 3. Medication Widget for Lock Screen added to the Health app.
- 4. New Home App Architecture – provides faster and more stable performance in homes with many smart accessories. It comes hand in hand with the new Matter standard.
- 5. Stage Manager for iPad with External Display – Stage Manager is back to M1 and M2 iPads connected to an external display. Up to 8 apps can be used for multitasking. A new option allows you to drag a window from iPad to an external display and vice versa.
- 6. AOD Improvements – New toggles that allow you to disable wallpaper and notifications when Always On is enabled.
Tip: You can review all new features here (1, 2, 3 and 4).
iOS 16.2 Bug Fixes?
There are still lots of day-one iOS 16 bugs that need to be fixed. Expectations are high for this update:
Are you waiting for iOS 16.2 release to finally update from 15.x? Waiting for day-one iOS 16 bugs to be fixed? Or you’re more interested in the new features? Share your feedback in the comments.
Related: iOS 16.2 beta is ongoing and we cover every version. You can get all the info from our iOS 16 timeline post!