iOS 16 arrived back in September 2022. If you still haven’t updated your iPhone you may now be considering doing so.
When a new iOS update arrives we usually recommend that, rather than heading straight over to Settings to get it on your iPhone as soon as possible, you don’t rush into it. Major iOS updates often have significant bugs at first, and some of the coolest features come in later updates.
When is the right time to download iOS 16? Are most users having a good experience, or do bugs and other problems abound? If you’re trying to decide whether to hit that update button or not, perhaps this article will provide some guidance.
iOS 16: When is the best time to upgrade
We recommend waiting for the first big update to iOS 16 before upgrading. The good news is that iOS 16.1 was released back in October 2021, so we would suggest that most users, with compatible iPhones, should now upgrade from iOS 15.
If you still weren’t sure then the new features in iOS 16.2 might be enough to convince you. This update brings with it a number of enticing features.
For more read: iOS 16.2 has arrived. Here’s why you should update right now.
iOS 16: Why you should update
Simply put, iOS 16 is full of great new features for your iPhone. The most obvious of which is the awesome new customizable lock screen. There’s new stuff in Focus, you can edit and unsend iMessages, schedule and recall email in Mail, dictation is greatly improved, there’s a haptic keyboard, you can instantly cut the subject out of any image, and more.
The release of iOS 16.1 added more useful features, including Live Activities and iCloud Shared Photo Library.
iOS 16.2 brings, among other things:
- End-to-end encryption for iCloud
- Free karaoke with Apple Music Sing
- Improvements to the Home app
- The new Freeform app
iOS 16: Why you should wait
No iOS release is bug-free, and it’s always possible that you’re going to run into problems you didn’t have before. That said, between the new features and security updates present in iOS 16.1 and beyond, we really think most users will be much better off if they grabbed the latest version. Just expect your iPhone to be a little slow and battery life to be a little worse for the first few days after the update–this is not atypical at all.
Macworld recommends: UPDATE
Now that Apple has released iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.2, with additional features, tweaks, bug fixes, and security updates, we think it’s in the best interest of everyone with a phone capable of running it to get the update.
Read our comparison of iOS 16 vs iOS 15.
Author: Jason Cross, Senior Editor
I have written about technology for my entire professional life - over 25 years. I enjoy learning about how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.