One of the new features of iOS 16 is the option to edit and unsend messages in iMessage. However, as we previously covered, these features are not backward compatible – which means that the edits have no effect on devices running iOS 15. With iOS 16 beta 2, Apple seems to be trying to fix this.
Users running the latest beta version of iOS 16, which was released Wednesday for developers, have noticed that Apple has changed the behavior of edited messages for devices running previous versions of iOS.
Now, when a user edits a message sent via iMessage on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16, other users receive a new version of that message labeled “Edited for.” Of course, this is not as seamless as the feature is when both users are running iOS 16 (since the app replaces the old message with the new one), but it’s better than not getting the edited message at all.
Unfortunately, at least for now, Apple hasn’t figured out a way to delete unsend messages from devices running iOS 15 or previous versions. This means that even if you delete a message on a device running iOS 16, it will still be available to iMessage users who haven’t updated their devices to the latest version of the operating system.
How to edit and unsend messages in iOS 16
Those who have already installed iOS 16 beta on their Apple devices can edit and unsend iMessages by long-pressing a message in the Messages app. However, these options are only available for 15 minutes after the message has been sent. After that, you can no longer edit or delete that message.
The option has also resulted in some controversy as some users believe that iMessage should provide a history of edited and deleted messages to protect victims of abuse. However, at least for now, Apple hasn’t revealed any plans to change how this works.
After a message has been edited or deleted, other users running iOS 16 receive a notification within the conversation about the actions.
More about iOS 16 beta
iOS 16 beta 2 is available exclusively to developers. According to Apple, the first public beta will be released in July, while the official release is expected this fall. Testers should still expect performance and stability issues when running the iOS 16 beta on primary devices.
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