Everything New in iPadOS and iOS 16.2 Beta 1: Freeform App, Stage Manager External Display Support, Accidental Emergency SOS Reports and More

Apple today provided the first betas of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 to developers, introducing even more new features that have been promised for the iOS 16 update.

We’ve outlined all of the changes found in the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 betas so far in this guide.

Freeform App

Apple debuted a new cross-platform Freeform app in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1. Designed for collaboration, Freeform can be used for jotting down notes, sketching, drawing, saving links, and more.


Multiple people can work on the same Freeform document, with updates synced for all participants in real-time. Apple says that Freeform can be used for sketching projects, designing mood boards, and brainstorming ideas, with the app serving as a creative space.

Stage Manager External Display Support

With iPadOS 16.2, Stage Manager on M1 and M2 iPads can be used with external displays once again. This is functionality that Apple removed in the first version of iPadOS 16 in order to expand ‌Stage Manager‌ to A12X and A12Z iPad Pro models.


With external display support, ‌Stage Manager‌ supports up to eight apps for multitasking purposes, rather than four. This functionality is limited to ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ iPads.

New Home App Architecture

Paired with HomePod 16.2 software, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.1 add support for an updated Home app architecture that comes following the addition of the Matter smart home standard.


Apple says that the new Home app architecture will bring faster, more reliable performance in homes with many smart accessories, but it requires every device that accesses the home to be running the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 betas, along with the HomePod 16.2 beta software.

Expanded 120Hz ProMotion Support

On devices that support ProMotion, Apple says that SwiftUI animated layout changes will support a 120Hz refresh rate, functionality that was previously missing.

Unintentional SOS Calls

Apple appears to be collecting data on accidental SOS calls with the update, and one user has reported an Apple inquiry about the call that collects system data.

New iOS 16.2 accidental Emergency SOS call report features, I accidentally triggered emergency SOS and the police ?‍♂️ actually ended up in my house. ? @9to5mac @MacRumors pic.twitter.com/w0OOaK9W7E

— iDeviceHelp (@iDeviceHelpus) October 25, 2022

Software Updates

Apple has made a small tweak to the Software Updates section of the Settings app, which is available under General. The text of the software version that’s installed is now bolder, making it more apparent.

Other New Features

Know of a new feature in iOS 16.2 that we left out? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, “Everything New in iPadOS and iOS 16.2 Beta 1: Freeform App, Stage Manager External Display Support, Accidental Emergency SOS Reports and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Latest posts

Ditch the bulky watch at night, as Garmin launches its dedicated sleep band

Garmin launched its new smart band, the Index Sleep Monitor.

Amazon Prime Day 2025: dates CONFIRMED, plus early deals and what to expect

Amazon's biggest sale of the year has been announced, and I'm gathering all of the info you need to prepare,

Samsung’s long-awaited XR headset may finally have a launch date

Samsung's XR headset will allegedly launch sometime in September, during Samsung's domestic unpacked event.

Google app could level up with this powerful AI feature for Android users

The latest Google app update introduces a new video analysis feature for Gemini, similar to ChatGPT. Users can upload videos

Google’s new Veo 3 could land on YouTube Shorts this summer

YouTube's CEO confirmed Google's Veo 3 model is headed for Shorts this summer.

We called this phone ‘incredibly gorgeous’ two years ago, and now it’s over 50% OFF at Best Buy

Best Buy is carving an outstanding $450 off the Motorola Edge Plus (2023), one of our favorite Moto phones in

Samsung’s next Unpacked event may be around the corner, leak suggests

Prominent tipster Evan Blass took to X to state that Samsung's summer Galaxy Unpacked will be held on July 9,

Google’s new update lets you have a real voice chat with Search

Google is testing voice chats in Search that talk with you in real time.

Rokid’s new AR glasses are basically a laptop you wear on your face

Rokid’s AR Spatial glasses want to turn wherever you are into your own personal work-and-play zone.

Craig Federighi Explains Why Apple Won’t Merge iPad and Mac: ‘We Don’t Want to Build Sporks’

MacStories' Federico Vittici, who is known for his focus on the iPad as a main computing device, recently did an