Apple offers glimpse at upcoming changes to iPhone software

Apple on Monday provided a peek at upcoming tweaks to software that powers more than 1 billion iPhones and rolled out two laptops that will be first available with next generation of a company-designed microprocessor.

As usual, Apple spent most of opening day of its annual developers conference touting next versions of software for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac computers instead of sleek devices that established it as a techlogy trendsetter and world's most valuable company.

iPhone’s next operating system, called iOS 16, will revamp look of device's lock screen and make make mostly mir improvements to current software. software updates have become increasingly important in recent years as iPhone owners have started to hold to ir existing devices for longer periods of time than y once did.

One of iOS 16’se most ticeable differences will occur on iPhone lock screen. new software, which will be released this fall as a free download, will allow users to anchor ir favorite apps as small widgets on lock screen.

new software also will enable lock screen to display live tifications, such status of a Uber ride on its way to pick up a passenger. Or authorized tifications will come in from bottom of screen instead of current distribution from top in an effort to avoid clutter on display.

iPhone’s messaging system will be revamped so texts can be edited after y are sent or even rescinded in ir entirety if sender has a change of heart. Those options will only be available when both users are using Apple’s messaging app for texting.

Apple Pay service that's part of iPhone's digital wallet is adding a new financing feature likely to be popular as soaring inflation rates squeeze more household budgets. option will allow consumers to stagger cost of any purchase made through Apple Pay over four installments completed within a six-week period with additional fees. Similar financing is already offered through digital services such as Affirm, whose stock price sank by more than 5% Monday after news about Apple Pay came out.

Several of new features for Apple's Macs and iPads are designed to make it easier to sync with iPhone for things like making video calls. Or tools will enable more apps to run side by side to perform multiple tasks on same screen.

Helping people toggle from one Apple device to ar is one of main reasons that company began making Macs that run on same kind of chips that power iPhone and iPad in late 2020.

w Apple in putting next generation of its Mac chip in it two most popular laptops, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, which company said will be available in stores at some point next month. MacBook Air will sell for $1,200 and MacBook Pro will sell for $1,300.

event was held at Apple headquarters in Cuperti, California.

Im: AP Photo/ah Berger