Six features that users won't see in iOS 16.0 this fall

There are brand new products and updates to existing ones. Apple's next operating systems are shaping up to be its biggest ever.

Matter smart home connectivity

Matter is a smart home network protocol that lets products from different companies work together. It will work alongside Apple's HomeKit protocol.

Matter requires an Apple TV or HomePod acting as the network hub. Currently, there are no Matter accessories on the market, but will likely be released around the same time as Apple's support.

Apple said that Matter support is coming in a software update later this year.

Freeform

Announced with iPadOS 16, Freeform is an upcoming app from Apple that lets teams collaborate. It's a shared whiteboard with full Apple Pencil support where people can draw, write notes, start a FaceTime session, and see updates in Messages.

Apple is likely still ironing out all the bugs and internally testing Freeform. Once it launches though, it will directly compete with similar whiteboarding apps. Maybe even Sherlocking some.

Freeform is coming "later this year," and as a brand new Apple app, it will likely appear in iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 alongside Matter.

Live Activities

The iPhone's Lock Screen got major improvements this year. Owners will be able to customize font styles for the clock, display widgets, and show live activities from apps.

Live Activities will appear in certain apps to show real-time updates about something on the Lock Screen. Deliveries, sports scores, and more can be seen without having to unlock the device.

Apple is releasing an API so developers can add the feature to their apps.

The new CarPlay dashboard

The next generation of CarPlay is set to shake up the auto industry. Arriving in 2023, CarPlay will act like an operating system for vehicles.

It will replace the traditional instrument cluster with gauges for fuel, engine temperature, and miles per gallon displayed on a screen. Fourteen car vendors are working with Apple to integrate CarPlay into their next vehicles.

SharePlay in Game Center

Game Center is getting a facelift in the next versions of Apple operating systems. The dashboard shows an aggregation of all game achievements and gaming activity.

In a future update to iOS 16, Apple will integrate phone contacts and SharePlay into GameCenter. Debuted with iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, SharePlay lets people start a FaceTime call while using other apps such as Apple TV.

Gamers on Apple devices will be able to play multi-player games that are compatible with Game Center with SharePlay.

Contacts will also be integrated into Game Center, making it easier to send and accept friend requests and see what friends are playing.

Web Push notifications

Web Push notifications weren't a major announcement, but the technology that will arrive in 2023 will improve the web app experience on Apple devices.

Web Push will allow developers to deliver better notifications for progressive web apps. These will be sent through a combination of Push API, Notifications API, and Service Workers.

Apple's Safari browser can currently display notifications on the Mac desktop, and Web Push will nudge them further. Web apps will make use of the same Apple Push Notification service that powers native push on Apple devices.