2023 is upon us and it’s going to be another busy year for iPhone software. While details about iOS 17 remain thin, Apple previously announced several features that will be available this year as part of upcoming updates such as iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.4.
Below, we’ve summarized seven iOS features that are expected to launch or expand to additional countries in 2023, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account that will allow you to earn interest with Daily Cash.
Web Push Notifications
Apple said that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will add opt-in support for web-based push notifications in 2023. This feature will allow iPhone and iPad users to receive notifications from websites through Safari, as well as notifications sent by apps.
Apple Pay Later
Announced at WWDC 2022 last June, Apple Pay Later is a financial feature that will allow qualifying customers in the United States to split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into the Wallet app and will be available for purchases online and in apps on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple says the feature is coming in a future software update for eligible 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 of iOS 16.3. BloombergMark Gurman suggested that the feature could launch with iOS 16.4 this year.
Security Keys for Apple ID
The first iOS 16.3 beta enables a new Security Keys feature for Apple ID, which Apple said will be available worldwide in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use device security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple’s two-factor authentication by requiring a device security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.
Apple has no plans 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 will “soon” be able to open a new Goldman Sachs high-yield savings account and have their Daily Cash rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits and no minimums. balance requirements. The account would be managed through the Wallet application on the iPhone.
Once the account is set up, any Daily Cash received from that point would be automatically deposited into it and start earning interest, unless a user chooses to continue having Daily Cash added to their Apple Cash balance. Apple Card provides 2-3% Daily Cash back on purchases made with Apple Pay and 1% on purchases made with the physical card.
The savings account was listed in the release notes for the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate, and Goldman Sachs has updated its Apple Card customer agreement for the feature, but it hasn’t launched yet. The savings account is not yet available in the first iOS 16.3 beta released last month, and it is unclear when it will launch.
Next-generation CarPlay
At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of its iPhone-based software platform CarPlay, which will have support for multiple screens, widgets and integration with vehicle functions such as the instrument cluster, climate controls and FM radio.
Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with automakers involved including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo and others . . Apple plans to share more details about the next generation of CarPlay later this year.
Advanced Data Protection in More Countries
Apple recently introduced optional Advanced Data Protection, which expands end-to-end encryption to many more areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, 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 additional countries, but given Apple’s early 2023 timing, it’s possible that the feature will be expanded to more iPhone users with iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.
Emergency SOS by Satellite in More Countries
Apple announced last month that the life-saving Emergency SOS via Satellite feature of the iPhone 14 will be supported in additional countries next year. However, Apple did not provide a list of countries where the feature will roll out to 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 with iOS 16.1 or later. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland and the UK last month, with iOS 16.2 or later required for some local emergency service numbers.
The feature allows iPhone 14 users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when out of range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years from the moment of activation of an iPhone 14 model.
