Here's What's New in iOS 16.3 for Your iPhone So Far

Apple released the second beta of iOS 16.3 earlier this week, and so far only one new feature and two other minor changes have been discovered in the software update. It's possible that iOS 16.3 will also include various bug fixes and security updates.

iOS 16
iOS 16.3 should be publicly released within the next month or so, and it is possible that more features will be added in later beta versions. In the meantime, we have provided additional details about the three changes discovered so far below.

Security Keys for Apple IDs

Apple advanced security Security Keys screen Feature crop
The first iOS 16.3 beta enabled 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, such as the YubiKey 5Ci, which has both Lightning and USB-C connectors for use with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

HomePod Handoff Prompt

iOS 16 3 HomePod Handoff
As noted by Max Weinbach on Twitter, the first iOS 16.3 beta added a new prompt to transfer/hand off music from an iPhone to a HomePod. Only the prompt itself is new, as the HomePod audio handoff feature already existed.

Emergency SOS Settings Rewording

iOS 16 3 Beta 2 Emergency SOS
In the second beta of iOS 16.3, Apple has tweaked the wording for some Emergency SOS options in the Settings app to be even clearer.

"Call with Hold" is now "Call with Hold and Release," "Call with 5 Presses" is now "Call with 5 Button Presses," and "Countdown Sound" is now "Call Quietly." The descriptions for each have also been updated. "Call Quietly" is toggled off by default, which is equivalent to "Countdown Sound" being toggled on.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
27 months ago
Seems like there's not much to offer. Extremely minor but it's better than nothing. I'll take it as long as stability and performance have been improved.

About the recent bug attached... yeah... What to do? ?

Attachment Image
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfzen21 Avatar
27 months ago

Seems like there's not much to offer. Extremely minor but it's better than nothing. I'll take it as long as stability and performance have been improved.

About the recent bug attached... yeah... What to do? ?
Your eyes are orientating wrong ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
27 months ago
The HomePod handoff prompt will be a great feature to have in the new iOS

I use my HomePod every day to listen to music and podcasts and have accidentally transferred music from my iPhone to my HomePod when it was nearby but this new prompt will now prevent that from happening
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
No5tromo Avatar
27 months ago
so excited for the emergency SOS rewording, can't wait
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BorisDG Avatar
27 months ago
16.3 feels very small for major version update... it's weird. I hope there are many under the hood changes to improve stuff.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McKodiak Avatar
27 months ago
I wonder if HomeKit updating will be re-enabled and fixed.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)