Upcoming iPhone and iPad software features revealed by Apple for the year

Upcoming updates include new features for Apple Pay and Apple Card, as well as improvements to Safari and other areas.

Apple Pay Later

Apple is expanding its services in the personal finance sector, with the introduction of a new feature called "Apple Pay Later." This feature, announced at WWDC 2022, allows users to divide their Apple Pay purchases into four equal payments with no interest over a six-week period. The feature is similar to those offered by companies such as Affirm and Klarna, but Apple claims its platform will be "seamless and secure," with integration into the Apple Wallet application and no additional fees.

There was no clear timeline for when the feature will be available to customers. Reports indicate that the feature faced "significant technical and engineering challenges." Once launched, Apple Pay Later will be available in the United States at all locations where Apple Pay is accepted, for "qualifying applicants."

Apple Card Savings Account

Apple has announced plans to integrate a high-yield savings account directly into the Wallet application for Apple Card users. This feature will be available soon and will only be accessible to US users. With the Apple Card Savings Account, users will be able to automatically deposit their Daily Cash rewards and track the balance and growth of the account through the Apple Wallet app. The account will be operated in partnership with Goldman Sachs, the same partner for the Apple Card, and will offer interest at an undisclosed percentage rate.

Next-generation CarPlay

Apple recently announced the upcoming release of a revamped version of CarPlay at WWDC 2022, which they described as the "next generation" of the feature. Despite the announcement, the company acknowledged that the new version will not be available for some time. The new CarPlay interface is a significant update compared to the current version and will allow for multiple screens within vehicles and deep integration with the car's hardware.

With this update, CarPlay can potentially replace a car's manufacturer's digital interfaces. The new features include: the ability to view speed, fuel level, temperature and more on the instrument cluster, control the radio or adjust the climate through CarPlay, personalize the driving experience by selecting different gauge cluster designs and access to weather and music widgets directly on the dashboard. The update requires close collaboration with car manufacturers and Apple has stated that more information will be shared in the future, with the first vehicles expected to have support for the new CarPlay design by the end of the year.

Apple Music Classical

Apple had announced the launch of "Apple Music Classical" feature in 2022 which was supposed to be a dedicated classical music app that combines Primephonic's classical user interface with more added features. However, this feature was not launched in 2022 and the company has not provided any updates on its release. Given the silence on the matter, it is unclear whether the project has been scrapped or scaled back. Although, references to the service have been found in iOS code, which raises hope for its release in the near future.

Web push notifications

Apple announced at WWDC last year that Safari on iOS and iPadOS would support web push notifications for the first time, however, this feature has received little attention. Support for web notifications in Safari has been available on Mac for several years but has not yet been introduced on iPhone and iPad. Recently, an Apple Evangelist on the company's Web Developer Experience team, Jen Simmons, posted on Mastodon asking users to share their "favorite web apps" added to their iPhone's Home Screen, which could indicate that Apple is working on web push notifications and other improvements for progressive web apps on their platforms. Apple plans to release this feature in 2023, but it has not yet appeared in the beta versions of iOS 16.

New Home architecture

In October, Apple presented a new opt-in structure for HomeKit with the release of iOS 16.2, claiming that it would enhance "performance and reliability of the accessories in your home." Unfortunately, this was not the case and the new structure led to decreased performance for many users who chose to adopt it. At this time, it is unclear when Apple plans to reintroduce the new HomeKit architecture, but recent beta releases of iOS suggest that the company is still actively working on the platform.

iMessage Contact Key Verification

Apple has announced the release of a new feature, iMessage Contact Key Verification, which will be available globally in 2023. This feature is aimed at providing enhanced security and privacy for individuals who may face extraordinary digital threats, such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials.