iOS 10 Tidbits: Individual Read Receipts, Wake Alarm, Music Storage Optimization, and More

Monday June 13, 2016 3:56 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced iOS 10, the next major version of its iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch software platform. The update is available in beta for Apple developers starting today, allowing early adopters to update and take a closer look at what's new. A public beta will be available in July, followed by an official launch in the fall.

iOS 10 includes a number of changes that Apple neglected to mention in greater detail on stage during its WWDC 2016 keynote, including a new Wake Alarm in the Clock app, individualized read receipts, a new option in the Music app to optimize storage, and many other features outlined below.

Remove Stock Apps

iOS-10-delete-stock-apps
iOS 10 enables users to remove the following built-in apps from the Home screen on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

• Calendar
• Compass
• Contacts
• FaceTime
• Find My Friends
• Home
• iBooks

• iCloud Drive
• iTunes Store
• Mail
• Maps
• Music
• News
• Notes
• Podcasts

• Reminders
• Stocks
• Tips
• Videos
• Voice Memos
• Watch app
• Weather

The apps are now available as standalone downloads on the App Store, meaning that Apple can issue updates for each app independent of iOS updates.

If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, removing an app from your Home screen also removes that app from your Apple Watch.

Removing apps can unsurprisingly impact related functionalities such as CarPlay and Notification Center widgets.

Wake Alarm

Wake-Alarm-iOS-10
A new Bedtime tab has been added to the Clock app with a Wake Alarm function that can help you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. When enabled, the recurring wake-up alarm will remind you when it is time to sleep, track how many hours you slept, and provide detailed sleep analysis.

Individual Read Receipts

iOS-10-individual-read-receipts
Read receipts can be toggled on a per-person or per-conversation basis on iOS 10, rather than be simply turned on or off entirely.

Music Storage Optimization

Music-Storage-Optimization-iOS-10
New Keyboard Sound
Other tidbits can be found in our iOS 10: All The Little Things and iOS 10 beta 1 discussion threads.

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Haxley
47 months ago
Now the flashlight has different intensities


Rating: 44 Votes
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ipodlover77
47 months ago
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS YOU CAN FINALLY TAKE PHOTOS WITH MUSIC PLAYING. YES YES YES.
Rating: 23 Votes
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Andres Cantu
47 months ago
Game Center has been removed!?! Whatever will gamers do now? ;)
Rating: 22 Votes
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allanfries
47 months ago
Finally!! we can remove stock apps. Now thats reason to update right there. Celebration time!!
Rating: 18 Votes
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Haxley
47 months ago

Sorry if this has already been asked; if you remove the maps app and have Google maps installed, will this essentially make google maps the default mapping app?

If so, will this also let us use Google maps in CarPlay?


Unfortunately, it will still try to open the Apple Maps app and prompt you to re-download it. I'm hoping they'll let you set default apps in the future.



Another note, when I re-downloaded the Apple Maps app from the AppStore, it was instant. This leads me to believe that you don't actually delete the apps, just hide them. It was seriously instant; I tapped the cloud-like download button, and the 'open' button instantly appeared.

UPDATE: I can confirm that the app isn't actually deleted and is instead hidden. You can test this yourself by having the Maps AppStore page open, delete the Maps app, go back to the AppStore page and see the cloud-like download icon, turn on airplane mode, still able to download the app instantly

Rating: 17 Votes
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DevNull0
47 months ago
So instead of realizing that in 2016 flash memory is insanely cheap, Apple adds a "feature" to automatically delete stuff you haven't used in a while.
Rating: 17 Votes
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saudor
47 months ago
Avoid tolls

^ FINALLY
Rating: 16 Votes
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dannys1
47 months ago
Some nice little tweaks there - its the little stuff i'm always more interested in.

Voip API is my favourite new feature - drove me mad having normal calls, Facetime Audio, Skype Audio, WhatsApp and Facebook calls all in different apps.
Rating: 15 Votes
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dontwalkhand
47 months ago
Thank god for the removal of Game Center and tips!
Rating: 15 Votes
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Carlanga
47 months ago
the best part was not in the conference...
being able to delete first party apps!
I guess they didn't want people to stand up and wohooo celebrate this point lol
Rating: 15 Votes

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