iOS 16 reportedly giving iMessage new ‘social network-like’ features including audio message updates

Apple is reportedly planning on updating Messages with iOS 16 with new “social network-like” features according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman in this week’s edition of his Power On newsletter, suggesting that we could see a particular focus on audio messages.

“In Messages, I’d expect more social network-like functionality, particularly around audio messages,” writes Gurman. “From what I’m told, the new software—codenamed Sydney—is a fairly significant upgrade. It will be chock full of changes across the operating system, including updates to notifications, iPad multitasking, and the Messages and Health apps. The makeover also includes a part of the interface that’s often an afterthought: the lock screen.”

Apple will announce iOS 16 a week on Monday at WWDC. Previous reports have suggested that iOS 16 will feature improvements to notifications and new health-tracking upgrades, although no major system redesign is likely, with iPadOS 16 rumored to gain a new multitasking interface and watchOS 9 gaining “major upgrades to activity and health tracking.”

I have previously written about how Apple’s iMessage audio messaging feature lacks behind competing services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Opinion: Apple, iMessage sucks at audio messages — Here’s what needs to be improved https://t.co/ueCsMm2bLg by @TomSykes pic.twitter.com/RSH6dYXYlz

— theapplepost.com (@theapplepost) May 29, 2022

Although Gurman doesn’t detail any of the rumored upcoming “social network-like” features for iMessage, up on my wish list for audio message improvements includes clear, visible lock icon for hands-free audio message recording, background listening, allowing for messages to continue to play when leaving the Messages app or the conversation thread, and the option to speed up voice messages by changing the playback speed to 1.5X, 2X, etc.