Apple has officially released the latest iOS 10.2 to the general public, adding a number of neat treats such as new emoji, a new TV app, wallpapers and more.
The new iOS 10.2 release follows the iOS 10.1.1 update that rolled out on Oct. 31, the same day that Apple pushed the iOS 10.2 developer preview. After the obligatory beta tests, iOS 10.2 is now finally ready for public release, bringing notable new features and a number of bug fixes.
What's New With iOS 10.2?
The latest iOS build brings a new TV app, single sign-on for cable TV, a slew of new emoji, new wallpapers, a videos app widget, a new "Preserve Settings" feature for the camera app, a new show star ratings feature, and more. Let's dive into the details.
More Than 100 New iOS Emoji
Apple says that iOS 10.2 brings more than 100 new emoji, including male and female versions of professions such as judges and firefighters.
"More diverse characters, new professions, expressions like face palm, shrug and fingers crossed, and new emoji representing sports, food, animals and more, can be shared today right from within Messages, the most frequently used app in iOS," Apple touts.
The emoji art style is also tweaked in the latest release, with the redesign aiming to "reveal even more detail."
New TV App
Apple's new TV app now offers recommendations for new TV shows and movies in the "Watch Now" section, while also allowing users to discover new iTunes releases and apps in the "Store" section. Meanwhile, the "Up Next" section enables users to see what TV shows and movies they're currently watching and pick up right where they left off.
Cable TV Single Sign-On
Cable TV subscribers can also log in more easily thanks to the new single sign-on feature, which allows them to sign in with their credentials only once and enjoy their content across multiple TV apps. MacRumors notes that this feature plays nice with DirecTV, CenturyLink Prism, Hotwire, Dish, Metrocast, Sling TV, Hawaiian Telcom, Service Electric, GTA, and GVTC.
Videos App Widget
To further simplify things, Apple has also added a new Videos app widget to the Lock Screen, allowing users to quickly access the latest videos in their Camera Roll.
New Wallpapers
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also get new wallpapers with iOS 10.2, with three options: Droplet Blue, Droplet Yellow and Droplet Red.
'Preserve Settings' For The Camera App
The new iOS 10.2 camera app now rocks a neat new feature called "Preserve Settings" which, as the name itself suggests, allows users to set up their preferred camera settings so the Camera app opens them by default.
To set this up, head over to Settings > Photos & Camera > Preserve Settings and choose from one of the three options.
New Screen Effects For Messages App
Apple added the ability to add background effects to texts with the iOS 10 Messages app, and it's adding more options with the latest build. With iOS 10.2, users can now add "Celebrate" and "Send With Love" effects, adding to the existing options such as "send with confetti," "send with fireworks," "send with balloons" and more. It's worth pointing out, however, that the message recipient needs to have iOS 10 as well to see the screen effects.
Press And Hold To Speak
A new "Press and Hold to Speak" feature, meanwhile, allows users to activate Voice Control or Siri when pressing and holding the Home Button. To enable this feature, head over to Settings > General > Accessibility > Home Button and set it up.
Star Ratings For Songs
A "Show Star Ratings" feature is now in the mix as well, allowing users to see star ratings for songs without taking a toll on the recommendations in the "For You" section. The ratings are from the songs' action sheets and can be accessed via Settings > Music.
Headphone Icon In Status Bar
Lastly, Apple has also added a new headphone icon in the status bar, which turns up whenever you connect your iPhone to headphones. It's not a major feature, but it's nice to finally have it.
iOS 10.2 Supported Devices
The new iOS 10.2 works with the iPhone 5 and later, fourth-generation iPad and later, and sixth-generation iPod touch and later. You can download and install the latest update either via iTunes or via the Settings menu. For more information, check out Tech Times' guide on how to download and install iOS 10.2 on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
