Since the world first saw iOS 16Reintroduced Battery percentage indicator Early last month, people expressed strong opinions about the icon. Many, including Engadget Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low, I felt that Apple could have done a better job with it. In the current iteration, the icon remains static—only a percentage appears—until the iPhone battery drops below 20% of its capacity. It’s a design decision that makes the indicator less useful than it should be, because in most cases you have to keep a close eye to see how much battery is left.
Fortunately, Apple is working on an improved version of the code. Earlier today, the company released the second beta of iOS 16.1 (via Mac rumors). Among other things, the update introduces an adjustment to the battery percentage indicator. Now, instead of the icon only turning red when the iPhone battery charge drops below 20%, it will gradually drain according to the battery. It’s a small change, but it improves usability.
The second test also includes a tweak on the lock screen. When you plug your phone in to charge it, the battery percentage indicator will briefly appear above the time, bringing back a feature from iOS 15. On the iPhone 14 Pro, you’ll also see one appear inside dynamic island. The next version of iOS 16 does not have a release date yet. We’ll also note here that Apple may make additional tweaks to some of the changes in the second beta.
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