Apple delivered iOS 10.2 to compatible devices today, adding a TV app, new emoji, and numerous new features to the core apps.
The release of iOS 10.2 comes about three months after the initial iOS 10 release, which included a number of important improvements over previous iOS versions. A first interim update, iOS 10.1, which added Portrait mode to the Camera app on iPhone 7 Plus and various other improvements, shipped in October.
Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!
"*" indicates required fields
You’ll see a full list of the changes when you update in Settings, General, Software Update. But here’s a rundown of some of the bigger ones.
SOS. I didn’t test this, but if you press the power button five times in a row, your iPhone will call emergency services.
TV app. Announced at its October event, the new TV app provides a front-end to content you’ll actually access from other apps, such as Apple’s Videos app and the iTunes service behind it. The TV app works a bit like the OneGuide on Xbox One in the sense that it blurs the line between separate app experiences and provides a sort of live view of “what’s on,” which in this case really just means “what you might want to watch now.”
Camera and Photos improvements. Given how (relatively) lackluster the camera experience has been on my iPhone 7 Plus, I’m curious to see if any of this improves matters. But nothing Apple notes looks like it applies: There are improvements to Live Photos, Memories, Camera zoom, and RAW support. (The Memories one is classic: Apparently, it was creating memories of screenshots.)
Messaging and emoji improvements. Messages new love and celebration full-screen effects. And there are over 100 new emoji, including new faces, food, animals, sports, and professions. I’ll be sure not to ever see any of that.
And more. There are various small improvements to Music, Mail, and News, none of which I’d ever use, and to iOS’s accessibility features.
iOS 10.2 is available for free.