As MacRumors’ analytics log shows, Apple has been testing iOS 16.5 internally over the past few weeks, and there is a growing amount of evidence that Apple is testing the update internally. Apple is said to be planning to announce iOS 17 at WWDC23 in June, which is expected to be the last major update before the release of iOS 17.
There is still no clarity on what features iOS 16.5 will introduce, but the wait continues for some previously announced features, such as Apple Card savings accounts, Apple Music Classical classical music app and the iMessage contact key verification security option, which was all announced previously. A server-side update is also expected to be able to enable Apple Pay Later, but this will need to be done via an update on the server side. In addition to Apple Pay Later, there will also be a server-side update that will enable Apple Pay Later to function.
In regards to iOS 17, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has recently stated that he isn’t aware of “anything particularly game-changing” planned for the iPhone, implying little change, but stressing that the update is still a long way off, so it is unlikely to come any time soon.
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As part of iOS 17, Apple will introduce its next-generation CarPlay platform, which will allow deeper integration with vehicle features, such as air conditioning and FM radio, as well as support for multiple displays on the dashboard as well as enhanced customization. According to the company, Apple has announced that the first cars with next-generation CarPlay will be available in late 2023, with a number of automakers committing to the project, including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, among others.
A new app store is also expected to be added to iOS 17 in Europe as required by EU law. This is a change that Gurman previously confirmed would be implemented as part of the iOS 17 update, due to be released by mid-2024, as part of the Digital Marketplace Act.
Meanwhile, Apple has also announced that the first iOS 16.4 Beta is now available for developers and public testers to try out. There have been several updates to the podcast app, including a range of new emoji, support for Web push notifications, and improvements to the podcast app itself.
It is generally agreed that Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) (which is actually referred to as the Worldwide Developers Conference in its entirety) is usually held in early June. This year, Apple is also planning to release macOS14 and watchOS10 during its developer conference, as well as tvOS17, and maybe even realityOS / xrOS for its AR / VR headsets.
