Seven iOS Features Launching or Expanding in 2023

2023 is upon us and it will be another busy year for iPhone software. While details about iOS 17 remain slim, Apple has previously announced several features that will be available this year as part of upcoming updates like iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.4.

Below, we have recapped seven iOS features that are expected to launch or expand to additional countries in 2023, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account that will allow for interest to be earned on Daily Cash.

Web Push Notifications

Apple said iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will add opt-in support for web-based push notifications in 2023. This feature will allow iPhone and iPad users to receive notifications from websites through Safari, just like notifications sent from apps.

Apple Pay Later

Announced at WWDC 2022 last June, Apple Pay Later is a financing feature that will let qualifying customers in the U.S. split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into the Wallet app and will be available for purchases online and in apps on the iPhone and iPad.

Apple says the feature is coming in a future software update for qualifying applicants in the U.S. and may not be available in all states. Apple Pay Later is not available with iOS 16.2 and is not present in the first beta of iOS 16.3. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that the feature might launch with iOS 16.4 this year.

Security Keys for Apple ID

The first iOS 16.3 beta enables a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that Apple said will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple does not plan to release its own hardware security keys. The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico.

Apple Card Savings Account

In October, Apple announced that Apple Card users would "soon" be able to open a new high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash cashback rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. The account would be managed through the Wallet app on the iPhone.

Once the account is set up, all Daily Cash received from that point on would be automatically deposited into it and start earning interest, unless a user opts to continue having Daily Cash added to their Apple Cash balance. Apple Card provides 2-3% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay and 1% on purchases made with the physical card.

The savings account was listed in the release notes for the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate, and Goldman Sachs updated its Apple Card customer agreement for the feature, but it has still not launched. The savings account is still not available in the first iOS 16.3 beta released last month, and it's unclear when it will launch.

Next-Generation CarPlay

At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of its iPhone-based software platform CarPlay, which will feature support for multiple displays, widgets, and integration with vehicle functions like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.

Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others. Apple plans to share additional details about the next generation of CarPlay later this year.

Advanced Data Protection in More Countries

Apple recently introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to many additional areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, and more. The feature was added in iOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, and other recent software updates for U.S. users only and will start rolling out to the rest of the world in early 2023, according to Apple.

It's unclear exactly when Advanced Data Protection will be available in additional countries, but given Apple's early 2023 timeframe, it's possible that the feature will be expanded to more iPhone users with iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.

Emergency SOS via Satellite in More Countries

Apple last month announced that the iPhone 14's life-saving Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be supported in additional countries next year. However, Apple did not provide a list of countries where the feature will be expanding to next.

Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the U.S. and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16.1 or later. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK last month, with iOS 16.2 or later required for some local emergency service numbers.

The feature allows iPhone 14 users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years starting at the time of activation of an iPhone 14 model.