Apple has today released iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 to the public.
Our experience is that the following accessibility bugs have been resolved or significantly addressed in iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2:
- When navigating a list of emails in a folder in the Mail app and previews are enabled, VoiceOver will no longer on occasions speak the wrong preview.
- VoiceOver response is no longer sluggish when navigating Find My after double-tapping a device.
- In the Shortcuts app, any list of App Shortcuts provided by a 3rd party app is now correctly spoken by VoiceOver.
- In the Messages app, the Pin option in the VoiceOver Actions menu once again works as expected.
- An Action menu item is now available to dismiss an activity from the Dynamic Island.
- In Focus mode settings, any existing app-based automation for a Focus mode is no longer announced by VoiceOver as an unlabelled button.
- When customizing a Lock screen, VoiceOver now announces the name of the widget that's in the top widget slot.
It initially appeared that these releases also resolved three bugs effecting braille displays running Humanware firmware version 2.0. However, each of these bugs has subsequently resurfaced.
At the time of writing, we are aware of the following new bugs:
- The UI control present on the Lock Screen when a Focus mode is enabled no longer works as expected. Previously, if you performed a 1-finger double Tapp on this element a dialog would be displayed from which you could disable the Focus mode or create a new Focus mode. Now it does nothing. This control still works as expected when not using VoiceOver.
- After double-tapping on a sticky note in the Freeform app that's new in these releases, it is not always possible to use the VoiceOver rotor to navigate and edit the text. When this issue occurs, VoiceOver also does not announce the position of the insertion point as expected.
- When navigating a canvas in Freeform, VoiceOver announces the types of items in focus, like file or website, but does not speak their names.
As we always stress, we can make no claims on the completeness or accuracy of our testing. We are only a small team, and it is simply impossible for us to test all devices, configurations, applications, and use cases. Accordingly, to help us ensure that the information on this page is as complete and accurate as possible, please let us know in the comments of any additional fixes; enhancements; or regressions that you find in your own use of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2.
It had previously been reported by 9to5Mac that [iOS 16.2 was to introduce ‘a Custom Accessibility Mode’ with streamlined experience. This does not appear to be the case. We shall have to wait to see if this feature has been pushed back to a future update or has been shelved completely.
iOS 16.2 Release Notes
This update introduces Freeform, an app that offers a great place to brainstorm and bring your ideas to life. This release also adds Apple Music Sing, Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, Lock Screen improvements, and other features and bug fixes for your iPhone. Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices.
Freeform
- Freeform is a new app for working creatively with friends or colleagues on Mac, iPad and iPhone
- A flexible canvas lets you add files, images, stickies, and more
- Drawing tools let you sketch anywhere on the canvas with your finger
Apple Music Sing
- A new way to sing along with millions of your favorite songs in Apple Music
- Fully adjustable vocals let you duet with the original artist, sing solo, or mix it up
- Newly enhanced beat-by-beat lyrics make it even easier to follow along with the music
Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
- New option expands the total number of iCloud data categories protected using end-to-end encryption to 23 — including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos — protecting your information even in the case of a data breach in the cloud
Lock Screen
- New settings allow you to hide wallpaper or notifications when Always-On display is enabled on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Sleep widget lets you view your most recent sleep data
- Medications widget lets you view reminders and quickly access your schedule
Game Center
- SharePlay support in Game Center for multiplayer games so you can play with the people you are on a FaceTime call with
- Activity Widget allows you to see what your friends are playing and achieving in games right from your Home Screen
Apple TV
- Live Activities for Apple TV app let you follow your favorite teams with live scores right on your Lock Screen or in Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
Home
- Improved reliability and efficiency of communication between your smart home accessories and Apple devices
This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Improved search in Messages allows you to find photos based on their content, like a dog, car, person, or text
- Turn Off Hide IP Address setting enables iCloud Private Relay users to temporarily disable the service for a specific site in Safari
- News articles in Weather display information relevant to the weather in that location
- Participant Cursors in Notes allow you to see live indicators as others make updates in a shared note
- AirDrop now automatically reverts to Contacts Only after 10 minutes to prevent unwanted requests to receive content
- Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models
- Fixes an issue that causes some notes not to sync with iCloud after updates are made
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
iPadOS 16.2 Release Notes
This update introduces Freeform, an app that offers a great place to brainstorm and bring your ideas to life. This release also adds Stage Manager improvements, Apple Music Sing, Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, and other features and bug fixes for your iPad.
Freeform
- Freeform is a new app for working creatively with friends or colleagues on Mac, iPad and iPhone
- A flexible canvas lets you add files, images, stickies, and more
- Drawing tools let you sketch anywhere on the canvas with your finger or Apple Pencil
Stage Manager
- External display support with resolutions up to 6K available on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation and later), and iPad Air (5th generation)
- Drag and drop files and windows from your compatible device to your connected display, and vice versa
- Support for using up to 4 apps on the iPad display and 4 on the external display
Apple Music Sing
- A new way to sing along with millions of your favorite songs in Apple Music
- Fully adjustable vocals let you duet with the original artist, sing solo, or mix it up
- Newly enhanced beat-by-beat lyrics make it even easier to follow along with the music
Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
- New option expands the total number of iCloud data categories protected using end-to-end encryption to 23 — including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos — protecting your information even in the case of a data breach in the cloud
Game Center
- SharePlay support in Game Center for multiplayer games so you can play with the people you are on a FaceTime call with
- Activity Widget allows you to see what your friends are playing and achieving in games right from your Home Screen
Home
- Improved reliability and efficiency of communication between your smart home accessories and Apple devices
This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Improved search in Messages allows you to find photos based on their content, like a dog, car, person, or text
- Tracking Notifications alert you if an AirTag separated from its owner is nearby and has recently played a chime to indicate it is moving
- Turn Off Hide IP Address enables iCloud Private Relay users to temporarily disable the service for a specific site in Safari
- News articles in Weather display information relevant to the weather in that location
- Participant Cursors in Notes allow you to see live indicators as others make updates in a shared note
- AirDrop now automatically reverts to Contacts Only after 10 minutes to prevent unwanted requests to receive content
- Fixes an issue that causes some notes not to sync with iCloud after updates are made
- Fixes an issue that may cause Multi-Touch gestures to become unresponsive while using the Zoom accessibility feature
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
How to Update
iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 are available via Over-the-Air Update (Settings > General > Software Update) via Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, or via iTunes on a PC or Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier.
Comments
Screen recognition issue
Not sure if I did this or it's a bug but it is happening in every app now. Turning on screen recognition will allow me to explore and read exactly one screen in an app or on Safari. Even though I turn it off and back on later, it will reread that first screen regardless of what I'm trying to read and only exiting the app and going back will let me read the new thing. Initially I would just have to tap the thing I'm trying to read a couple of times before screen recognition would acknowledge the new item, now I have to exit the app then go back to it every time. This is happening on a brand new 14 Pro Max.