iOS: 6 features coming in 2023

This year is set to be… a whirlwind for iPhone software. Details about iOS 17 remain scarce, but Apple has announced several features that will be available this year as part of upcoming updates, such as iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.4.

Below, we recap six iOS features expected to launch or expand to additional countries in 2023.

Web Push Notifications

Apple has promised that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will support opt-in web push notifications in 2023. This feature will allow iPhone and iPad users to receive notifications from websites through Safari, just like notifications sent by apps.

Apple Pay Later

Apple Pay Later is a financing feature that will allow eligible customers, initially in the US, to split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into the Wallet app and will be available for online and in-app purchases on iPhone and iPad.

Security Keys for Apple ID

The first beta version of iOS 16.3 enables the new Security Keys feature for Apple ID. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. Security keys strengthen Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple Card Savings Account

Last October, Apple announced that Apple Card users would "soon" be able to open a new high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs and automatically deposit their Daily Cash rewards into it, with no fees. The account will be managed through the Wallet app on iPhone.

Advanced Data Protection in more countries

Apple recently introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that extends end-to-end encryption to many areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos and more. The feature was added in iOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 and other recent software updates, initially for US users.

Emergency SOS via satellite in more countries

Apple has announced that the iPhone 14's life-saving Emergency SOS via satellite feature could expand to more countries  beyond the US in 2023. Emergency SOS via satellite first launched last November in the US and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16.1 or later. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom.