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Apple releases iOS 10.2 w/ new emoji, Messages effects, US-only TV app, wallpapers, more

ios-10-2-love

Apple has released iOS 10.2 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.2 includes several new features like Unicode 9.0 emoji, three new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus wallpapers, a new TV app, additional camera features, new Messages screen effects, and more.

These are the changes discovered during iOS 10.2 beta:

  • Three new wallpapers in iOS 10.2 beta (only for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus)
  • New widget for Videos app
  • New Preserve Camera setting
  • New emoji (looks like Unicode 9.0 update/also on macOS 10.12.2, watchOS 3.1.1)
  • New ‘Press and Hold to Speak’ menu under Home Button Accessibility settings
  • New ‘Celebration’ Messages screen effect
  • New ‘Show Star Ratings’ option under Music Settings
  • New headphone icon in status bar for Bluetooth audio devices (previously seen with the Beats Solo3)
  • TV app now included on iOS 10.2 beta, Videos app still present
  • TV widget joins Videos widget
  • SOS feature similar to Apple Watch when clicking power button 5x (which may be a requirement in India next year)
  • Music now points to relocated shuffle and repeat controls (which have a button look now)
  • TV app totally replaces Videos app on beta 3
  • Feedback app returns in beta 3
  • Previously seen SOS feature now only available in India (due to upcoming requirement)
  • New ‘Love’ screen effect joins ‘Celebration’ in Messages

iOS 10.2 also includes Apple’s new Single Sign-On feature with a new Settings panel called TV Provider:

Refresh for updates as we check the final version of iOS 10.2 for new changes.

  • The update does not appear to be available for public and developer betas, which likely means the last beta versions are the same builds as today’s release
  • Here are the release notes:

iOS 10.2 introduces new features including the TV app (US Only), a new and unified experience for accessing your TV shows and movies across multiple video apps. Emoji have been beautifully redesigned to reveal even more detail and over 100 new emoji have been added including new faces, food, animals, sports, and professions. This update also includes stability improvements and bug fixes.

TV

Use Up Next to see the movies and shows you’re currently watching and pick up where you left off

Get recommendations for new movies and TV shows in Watch Now

Discover new apps and the latest iTunes releases in the Store

Access the Library for your iTunes purchases and rentals

Emoji

Beautifully redesigned emoji that reveal even more detail

Over 100 new emoji including new faces, food, animals, sports, and professions

Photos

Improves stabilization and delivers faster frame rate for Live Photos

Improves accuracy of groupings of similar photos of the same person in the People album

Fixes an issue where Memories might generate a memory from photos of screenshots, whiteboards or receipts

Fixes an issue where the camera would stay zoomed in after switching back from the Camera Roll on iPhone 7 Plus

Additional support for RAW digital cameras

Messages

Adds new love and celebration full screen effects in Messages

Fixes an issue that sometimes prevented the keyboard from displaying in Messages

Music

Swipe up the Now Playing screen to more easily access Shuffle, Repeat and Up Next

Choose how to sort Playlists, Albums, and Songs in Library

News

Stories you’ve saved for later now appear the new Saved section

The best paid stories from channels you subscribe to will now appear in a dedicated section in For You

It’s now easier than ever to get to the next story, just swipe left or tap Next Story while reading

Mail

Fixes an issue that caused the Move sheet to persist after filing a Mail message

Addresses an issue with long press activating copy and paste in Mail

Fixes an issue in which the wrong message would be selected after deleting a Mail conversation

Accessibility

Adds BraillePen14 support to VoiceOver

Fixes an issue where the braille table could switch unexpectedly with VoiceOver

Fixes an issue where sometimes Siri enhanced voices were unavailable to VoiceOver

Fixes an issue where VoiceOver users could not re-order items in lists

Fixes an issue where Switch Control was sometimes unable to delete Voicemails

Other improvements and fixes

Adds notification support for HomeKit accessories including window coverings, occupancy, motion, door/window, smoke, carbon monoxide, and water leak sensors

Adds notification support for HomeKit accessories when software updates are available to HomeKit accessories

Improves Bluetooth performance and connectivity with 3rd party accessories

Fixes an issue that could cause FaceTime participants to appear out of focus

Fixes an issue that could cause FaceTime calls to appear with incorrect aspect ratio and orientation

Fixes an issue that prevented some Visual Voicemail from completing playback

Fixes a Safari Reader issue that could cause articles to open as empty pages

Fixes an issue that could cause Safari to quit unexpectedly after marking an item as read in Reading List

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/HT201222

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Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.