Following Tuesday’s announcement of new iPad models, Apple has confirmed that iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1 and other software updates will be released to the public next week. And now, the company has released new RC (Release Candidate) builds of these updates to developers and public beta users.
Today’s build number is 20B79, compared to the previous build 20B5072b. Developers and public beta testers can now install the iOS 16.1 RC update by going to the Software Update menu within the Settings app on an iPhone or iPad enabled to get beta updates.
In addition to iOS 16.1 RC, here’s what else Apple is rolling out today:
- iPadOS 16.1 RC
- watchOS 9.1 RC
- macOS Ventura RC
What changes with iOS 16.1?
iOS 16.1 enables battery percentage for iPhone XR, 11, 12 mini, and 13 mini. Apple has tweaked the battery indicator so that it now has a dynamic icon when the percentage is enabled. The update also adds a Clean Energy Charging option, Live Activities API, and early support for the Matter protocol. For iPad users, iPadOS 16.1 brings Stage Manager for the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro.
Here’s a detailed roundup of some of the major changes in iOS 16.1:
- Live Activities: Live Activities help you stay on top of things that are happening in real-time, right from your Lock Screen;
- Live Activities API: Follow an ongoing sports game, track the progress of your ride, or order with just a glance. Glance at Live Activities from your favorite third-party apps with the new developer API;
- Apple Wallet app can be deleted: iOS 16.1 now lets users delete the Wallet app for the first time. As you’d expect, deleting the Wallet app means you won’t be able to use a number of different features, including Apple Pay, Apple Cash, and Apple Card;
- Matter support: Matter is a new smart home connectivity standard that will enable compatible accessories to work together seamlessly, across platforms;
- iCloud Shared Photo Library: A new way for families to share photos seamlessly with a separate iCloud library that up to six users can collaborate on, contribute to, and enjoy. Users can choose to share existing photos from their personal libraries or share based on a start date or people in the photos;
- Clean Energy Charging: Clean Energy Charging aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources.
Availability
According to Apple, iOS 16.1 and the other software updates will be made available to the public on Monday, October 24. It’s worth noting that iPadOS 16.1 will be the first official release of iPadOS 16.
Spot any changes in today’s release of iOS 16.1 RC? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac today and throughout the rest of the week.
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