iOS 16.6 – Apple has started testing the new iPhone upgrade   

Maybe the last one before iOS 17

Apple has released the first beta version of iOS 16.6 , the next update for the iPhone operating system . This update comes just days after the wider release of iOS 16.5, which added new sports-related features for Apple News users.

iOS 16.6 is expected to be a relatively minor update, but even so, it probably won’t be limited to simple bug fixes and security loopholes. The upgrade is also expected to bring some new features, although Apple hasn’t revealed what they are yet.

Behind the scenes, the update seems to make some changes related to iMessage Contact Key Verification . This feature allows Apple device owners to verify that they are sending messages to the people they really intend to message and not to some malicious entity that has intercepted or monitored the conversation. In a conversation between two or more people who have iMessage Contact Key Verification enabled, Apple will send a notification if the cloud servers are ever breached and a conversation is vulnerable to hacking.

The update is currently only available to developers and beta testers enrolled in Apple’s testing program. The official release date of iOS 16.6 has not been confirmed yet, but it will probably come sometime towards the end of June or July.

For the record, Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 next month at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC), so iOS 16.6 could be one of the last iOS 16 updates.