iOS 16.2 is out with Karaoke mode, Freeform app, encrypted iCloud backups, better AOD, more

Five iPhones running iOS 16 with the iOS 162 sign behind them

iOS 16.2 is now available for download on compatible iPhones. Apple's latest "big" update delivers several new features and apps, giving users more capabilities, better security, and traditional bug fixes. If you have yet to update from iOS 15 (or even older), check out our articles covering what is new in iOS 16.0 and iOS 16.1.

What is new in iOS 16.2?

Here are the changes in iOS 16.2:

Apple Music Sing. Apple Music has received a dedicated karaoke mode, allowing you to sing along with millions of your favorite songs. You can sing with the original artist, solo, or mix it up. Finally, the app now features enhanced beat-by-beat lyrics that let users follow along with the music easier.
Freeform. iOS 16.2 delivers a new app for creative collaboration on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Customers can draw on a flexible canvas using various tools and add files, images, stickers, and more.
Encrypted iCloud Backups. The latest iOS version adds end-to-end encryption support to more iCloud data categories (23 total).
Improved Lock Screen and always-on display. iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max customers can now hide the wallpaper and notifications on the always-on display. There are also new sleep and medications widgets for the Lock Screen (available on all compatible iPhones).
Game Center Updates. SharePlay now supports Game Center, allowing you to play multiplayer games with others during FaceTime calls. Also, the new Activity Widget is here to let you know what your friends are playing and their latest achievements.
Apple TV and Live Activities. The Live Activities feature allows you to follow your favorite teams and receive live scores on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max).
Home. iOS 16.2 delivers communication reliability and efficiency between smart home accessories and Apple devices.

And here are the most notable 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