Download: iOS 16.2 RC, iPadOS 16.2 RC Released

Apple has today made available to download iOS 16.2 RC and iPadOS 16.2 RC to developers, giving them their first chance to take the update for a spin.

The final version of iOS 16.2 was already expected to be made available to the public in or around the middle of December based on a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The betas have been available for weeks now, and it now appears that we can expect the update to be released next week.

Those who are registered developers can download the update now so long as they have the correct developer beta profile installed on their device. If so, the update will be available via the Software Update mechanism in the Settings app.

The updated iOS 16.2 release, alongside iPadOS 16.2, will include support for the new Freeform collaborative notetaking app. Apple has also confirmed that the new release candidate includes support for Advanced Data Protection for iCloud that end-to-end encrypts iCloud Backups, Notes, Photos, iCloud Drive, and other services.

Owners of the iPhone 14 Pro will notice a change to the Always On Display as well, with Apple giving them the ability to disable the iPhone’s wallpaper when on the Lock screen.

As for iPadOS 16.2, the update adds support for external displays when using the Stage Manager feature on M2 and M1 iPad models.

If you plan on downloading the iOS 16.2 or iPadOS 16.2 release candidate do remember to back up all of your data first. This is likely to be the final beta before the updates are released to the public, but problems can still crop up.

Complete changelog for the new RC can be seen below:

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.