Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

iOS 16.5 is bringing two exciting new features to your iPhone

Pride app for the iPhone in iOS 16.5.
Digital Trends

After about a month in the beta testing stage, Apple is finally rolling out iOS 16.5 to the public. This is a surprisingly nice update, as it includes a few new features and some bug fixes.

One of the headliner features of the iOS 16.5 update is the addition of new Pride Celebration wallpapers. This wallpaper can be used for the lock and home screens, and it is meant to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture. This wallpaper is being released ahead of the Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, which will be available starting on May 24.

Apple News app in iOS 16.5.
Digital Trends

The other big addition is the Sports tab in the Apple News app, which now gives you easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more. This is available for the teams and the leagues that you follow, such as the NBA Playoffs that are happening right now. Additionally, Apple News also has My Sports score and schedule cards, which will take you directly to game pages for more information about specific games.

Other bug fixes include an issue where Spotlight became unresponsive, another problem where Podcasts in CarPlay may not load content, and where Screen Time settings may not reset or not properly sync across all of your devices.

A notable change in the final release of iOS 16.5 that is different from the beta versions is the removal of a new Siri command. In earlier betas, there was a new Siri command that let you start and stop a screen recording. However, this was removed in later iOS 16.5 betas, and it has not resurfaced since.

This looks to be the final major point-release update for iOS 16, as Apple’s WWDC 2023 conference is just a few weeks away. On June 5, Apple is expected to reveal iOS 17, also dropping the new developer betas not long after the keynote. However, iOS 16 is not done — we should also expect to see iOS 16.6 enter beta testing soon, as the final version of iOS 17 should be arriving sometime in the fall, alongside the iPhone 15.

To update your current iPhone, just go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
This is what an iPhone looks like after a year with no screen protector
Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 14 Pro, with light to show scratches.

Apple says its Ceramic Shield glass over the iPhone’s screen is “tougher than any smartphone glass,” but how accurate is this statement? The Digital Trends Mobile team has each been using one of the iPhone 14 series models for the last year and two of us haven’t put a separate screen protector on, while the third member of the team has. Here’s how the screens have held up — and what we think about Ceramic Shield.

Ceramic Shield was first introduced by Apple on the iPhone 12, and it claimed it went “beyond glass by adding a new high-temperature crystallization step that grows nano-ceramic crystals within the glass matrix, increasing drop performance by 4x.” Apple worked with Corning, the same company that makes Gorilla Glass, which is used on many smartphones from other manufacturers, to produce Ceramic Shield. It’s found on all iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and now all iPhone 15 models.
iPhone 14 Pro — Andy Boxall
No light shows scratches on the iPhone 14 Pro's Ceramic Shield are invisible Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
I tried the iPhone’s new Journal app. Here’s what’s good (and bad)
Apple Journal app on iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple's Journal app in iOS 17 is like a basic notetaking app supercharged with AI. It offers prompts and suggestions based on what you do throughout the day to help you journal your daily entries.

While the app is a basic white screen with a “+” icon, it's what happens after you tap on that icon that sets it apart from Notes or other journaling apps. I've been using the app for a little while now, and while it's not perfect, it is off to a really interesting start.
Using iOS 17's Journal app

Read more
These are my 8 favorite charity apps for iPhone and Android
Best charity giving apps.

Donating to charity is a great way to make a positive impact, and it doesn't have to be limited to just the holiday season. You can donate throughout the year, but finding the right organization can be challenging. Fortunately, there are many apps available to help you with this.

No matter what type of smartphone you have, whether it's an iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S23, Google Pixel 8 Pro, or any other mobile device, various apps can assist you in selecting the right charity to support those in need. Better still, some of the apps don't even want to collect your money. Instead, they want you to exercise or walk your dog for charity, give blood, and more.
Blood Donor

Read more