2023 is upon us and it’s going to be another busy year for iPhone software. While details about iOS 17 remain scant, Apple previously announced several features that will be available this year as part of upcoming updates like iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.4.
Here’s a roundup of seven iOS features expected to launch or expand to other countries in 2023, including the Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account that will earn interest on Daily Cash.
web push notifications
Apple said that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will add optional 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 this past June, Apple Pay Later is a financing feature that will allow qualified customers in the US to split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be integrated into the Wallet app and will be available for online and in-app purchases on iPhone and iPad.
Apple says the feature will arrive in a future software update for qualifying applicants in the US 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 version of iOS 16.3. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has suggested that the feature could launch with iOS 16.4 this year.
Security keys for Apple ID
The first beta version of iOS 16.3 enables a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that Apple says will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to protect even more your 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 “soon” will be able to open a new Goldman Sachs high-yield savings account and have their daily cash-back 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 thereafter would automatically be deposited into the account and begin earning interest, unless the user chooses to continue adding Daily Cash 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 included in the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate release notes, and Goldman Sachs updated its Apple Card customer agreement for the feature, but it hasn’t been released yet. The savings account is not yet available in the first beta version of iOS 16.3 released last month, and it is not clear when it will be released.
Next Generation CarPlay
At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of its iPhone-based CarPlay software platform, which will feature multi-screen support, widgets, and integration with vehicle features like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and navigation. 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 backup, photos, notes, reminders, voice memos, and more. The feature was added in iOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, and other recent software updates for US users only and will begin 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 other countries, but given Apple’s early 2023 schedule, it’s possible the feature could roll out to more iPhone users running iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.
SOS emergency via satellite in more countries
Apple announced last month that the iPhone 14’s life-saving satellite emergency SOS feature will be supported in other countries next year. However, Apple did not provide a list of countries where the feature will be expanded next.
Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the US 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, and iOS 16.2 or later is required for some local emergency services numbers.
The feature allows iPhone 14 users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when they are out of the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years from the moment of activation of an iPhone 14 model.
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