Apple plans to release iOS 16.2 in December, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and an updated report on 5G support in India. The update is currently still in beta testing, and many new features and changes have already been discovered.
iOS 16.2 introduces many new features, including Apple’s new whiteboard app Freeform, two new lock screen widgets for sleep and medication, the ability to hide wallpapers and notifications on the iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on display, real-time activity Enhanced features, a redesigned home app, and more.
Freeform App
iOS 16.2 includes Freeform, Apple’s new digital whiteboard app on the iPhone. The app provides an infinite canvas for you to draw and insert sticky notes, text boxes, shapes, photos, videos, links, PDFs and more. The app is also available on iPad and Mac, and you can collaborate with others in real time via FaceTime and iMessage.
The Freeform is more useful on the iPad, since that device supports the Apple Pencil, but you can still use the capacitive stylus on the iPhone.
Two New Lock Screen Widgets
There are two new lock screen widgets for sleep and medications on iOS 16.2. With the Sleep widget you can view recent sleep times and sleep stages, while the Medication widget gives you quick access to your medication schedule.
New Always-On Display Options
Starting with iOS 16.2, you can hide wallpapers and notifications in always-on display mode on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This results in the lock screen having a solid black, minimal look in always-on mode, similar to Android.
The new “Show wallpaper” and “Show notifications” switches are located in the Settings app under “Display & brightness” → Always on display.
Live Activities: Sports Scores via Apple TV App
iOS 16.2 adds live action support for sports scores through the Apple TV app. The feature allows iPhone users to view live MLB, NBA and Premier League scores at a glance from the lock screen and in the live island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
For example, during the Premier League, the dynamic island displays a live-updating scoreboard with each club’s goal count. When long-pressed, the dynamic island expands to show elapsed time and actions played one by one. When iPhone 14 Pro and all other iPhone models are locked, scores are displayed in the lock screen banner.
To test the feature with an iPhone on the iOS 16.2 beta, open the TV app and tap the “Follow” button for a supported game. Apple says the feature is available for NBA and Premier League games for users in the U.S. and Canada, and MLB games for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea.
Live Activities: More Frequent Updates
Live Activities will update more frequently on iOS 16.2 when the new “Update More Frequently” option is enabled, allowing users to see more up-to-date information, but Apple warns that this setting will drain the iPhone’s battery faster.
It’s unclear what the refresh interval for Live Activities will be, but the new option will be faster, which will help track the arrival of Uber vehicles or Starbucks delivery orders once those apps support the feature.
New Home App Architecture
After updating to iOS 16.2 and opening the Home app, the app can be updated with the new underlying architecture. Apple says the new architecture improves the performance, efficiency, and reliability of app-controlled smart home accessories. This comes after the Home app gained support for Matter accessories in iOS 16.1.
Unintentional Emergency SOS Call Reporting
If you accidentally trigger an Emergency SOS phone call, iOS 16.2 lets you report the incident to Apple and share iPhone diagnostics.
5G in India
iOS 16.2 will enable support for 5G networks in India on the iPhone 12 and newer, starting with carriers Airtel and Reliance Jio.
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Hazel Yu 
