5 Reasons to Update Your iPhone Before Your Next Trip

The new iOS operating system comes with serious upgrades travelers will love.

Recently, Apple unveiled its latest operating system update — and lucky for us, its travel features are new and improved.

The new software, iOS 16.1, is compatible with iPhones newer than the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, or iPhone SE 2016. The update comes just one month after Apple launched iOS16 and also about one month after it unveiled the iPhone 14 series.

Here's everything to know about the latest software, and why you should make sure to update your phone before your next trip.

Translate app gets a revamp

Traveling to a destination where you don’t speak the language? The Translate app has received a few improvements, including to its camera. Now, after taking a video, a user can pause it to get live translations overlaid on the snapped text, and can even zoom in for a view of any fine print. You can also now translate the text in photos in your Photos library. Additionally, the system has added Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Polish, Indonesian, and Dutch.

Apple has also enhanced Live Text to recognize any text in images and video. As Apple explained, phone users can pause a video on any frame and interact with the text, including the ability to convert currency, translate text, and more, all on the fly.

Multi-stop maps

Apple updated several key features to its maps, including adding multi-stop mapping so you can finally add in more than one destination on a single trip (think: long road trips where you need to plot out gas stations, hotels, rest stops, and more). Apple additionally noted on its website that Maps will also sync across your devices, meaning it’s now possible to look up directions on your Mac and see them on your iPhone.

Transit cards

Those using Maps can see their transit cards without leaving the app. In the Maps app, travelers can also see how much your journey will cost in fares. You can also add your transit cards to your Apple Wallet, where you can check your balance and replenish your card when needed.

Multi-stay room keys

With the new iOS16 and iOS 16.1 updates, Apple has made it possible for travelers to use a single digital key that will allow them to check in and unlock their room for every coming stay they have at hotels within the same brand. This marks an upgrade from its already existing relationship with hotels like Hyatt, which became the first hotel chain to partner with Apple to make its keys available in the Apple Wallet in 2021.

Additionally, you can now share your keys in Wallet via messaging apps (including Messages, Mail, and WhatsApp) with your friends and family.

Access to Apple Fitness

You can now stay consistent with your workouts no matter where you are because Apple is giving everyone with an iPhone access to the Fitness app. No Apple Watch needed. With the app, users can track goals, their steps, interact with third-party fitness apps, and more. And, perhaps more importantly, the update includes an upgrade in the Health app, which now includes a Medications feature to help users manage and track the medications, which can become a complicated task on the go.

See all the updates and how to download the new operating systems here.

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