iOS 16.2 launches with Apple Music Sing, E2E iCloud encryption, AOD fixes, AirDrop limits, and more

Apple seeded iOS 16 to the public back in September. Since then, the company has been working on smaller updates, such as iOS 16.1, to fix some leftover bugs and deliver missing features. Though, smaller updates aren't always necessarily minor. Sometimes they're jam-packed with exciting offerings and changes that truly bring a lot of added functionality to the table. iOS 16.2 is one example of a minor version bump that offers a ton of new additions. Apple had been beta testing this release with developers and enthusiasts for several weeks. The good news is that iOS 16.2 is finally available to the public as a stable build. Those with a compatible iPhone can now take advantage of Apple Music Sing, the Freeform app, end-to-end encryption to more types of iCloud data, and much more.

iOS 16.2 Changelog

Freeform

Freeform is a new app for working creatively with friends or colleagues on Mac, iPad and iPhone
A flexible canvas lets you add files, images, stickies, and more
Drawing tools let you sketch anywhere on the canvas with your finger

Apple Music Sing

A new way to sing along with millions of your favorite songs in Apple Music
Fully adjustable vocals let you duet with the original artist, sing solo, or mix it up
Newly enhanced beat-by-beat lyrics make it even easier to follow along with the music

Advanced Data Protection for iCloud

New option expands the total number of iCloud data categories protected using end-to-end encryption to 23 — including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos — protecting your information even in the case of a data breach in the cloud

Lock Screen

New settings allow you to hide wallpaper or notifications when Always-On display is enabled on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
Sleep widget lets you view your most recent sleep data
Medications widget lets you view reminders and quickly access your schedule

Game Center

SharePlay support in Game Center for multiplayer games so you can play with the people you are on a FaceTime call with
Activity Widget allows you to see what your friends are playing and achieving in games right from your Home Screen

Apple TV

Live Activities for Apple TV app let you follow your favorite teams with live scores right on your Lock Screen or in Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Home

Improved reliability and efficiency of communication between your smart home accessories and Apple devices

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:

Improved search in Messages allows you to find photos based on their content, like a dog, car, person, or text
Turn Off Hide IP Address setting enables iCloud Private Relay users to temporarily disable the service for a specific site in Safari
News articles in Weather display information relevant to the weather in that location
Participant Cursors in Notes allow you to see live indicators as others make updates in a shared note
AirDrop now automatically reverts to Contacts Only after 10 minutes to prevent unwanted requests to receive content
Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models
Fixes an issue that causes some notes not to sync with iCloud after updates are made

As the detailed changelog above reveals, iOS 16.2 is quite packed in terms of new features and tweaks. For starters, the Apple Freeform app is finally available. For those unfamiliar with it, this productivity app was first teased during WWDC22, back in June. It allows users to collaborate on infinite whiteboards to brainstorm ideas and plan ahead. You can doodle, type, insert media and other files, and much more.

Moving on, iOS 16.2 also introduces Apple Music Sing. This addition allows users with recent iPhone models to control the vocals' volume and sing along. You get an improved lyrics view with support for duets, beat-by-beat highlights, and more. This new feature is available worldwide, and it obviously requires an Apple Music subscription.

Apart from Freeform and Apple Music Sing, iOS 16.2 allows iPhone 14 Pro users to disable the wallpaper and/or notifications when in Always-On Display (AOD) mode. This simplifies the AOD feature and reduces the battery drain. Additionally, this release limits AirDrop's Everyone visibility to just 10 minutes at a time. It also allows users to end-to-end encrypt more iCloud data types, such as photos, device backups, and more. For additional information regarding iOS 16.2's tweaks and offerings, you read the detailed changelog included above.

What's your favorite iOS 16.2 feature? Let us know in the comments section below.