Apple engineers wrapped up development of the initial version of iOS 16 last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This likely means that Apple has few to no major new features or changes planned for the remaining iOS 16 betas and will instead focus on bug fixes in the final weeks before the software update is publicly released.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reiterated that iOS 16 and watchOS 9 are planned for release in September alongside new iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 models, while he expects iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura to be released in October.
Here's the exact quote from Gurman's newsletter:
The iOS 16.0 update, which Apple engineers finished work on this past week, is due to launch in September alongside watchOS 9. Those updates will correspond with the new hardware. The macOS Ventura and iPadOS upgrades, on the other hand, are now scheduled for October (after Stage Manager-related delays to the iPad software) to match the new hardware lineup.
iOS 16's major new features include a customizable Lock Screen with widgets, the ability to temporarily edit or unsend an iMessage, iCloud Shared Photo Library for sharing photos with family and friends, a revamped Home app, and more. Apple also reintroduced a battery percentage icon in the status bar on most iPhones with a notch.
Gurman recently reported that Apple is planning to hold an event on Wednesday, September 7 to unveil new iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 models. Apple would likely also announce release dates for iOS 16 and watchOS 9 at the event, which Apple has yet to officially confirm. Gurman believes Apple is likely to hold another event in October focused on new Macs and iPads, including updated iPad Pro models with the M2 chip.
