Apple iPhone update to add edit and undo options to iMessage

Messy texters around the world can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Apple will soon allow users to edit or undo their iMessages.

At Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference on Monday, CEO Tim Cook and other company executives provided a sneak peek of what users can expect from the next software update that powers over 1 billion iPhones worldwide.

Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, told the conference the new iPhone operating system, called iOS 16, will see “three highly requested features” added to messaging capabilities.

The first big change, Federighi said, is the ability to edit iMessages a user has already sent, meaning “embarrassing typos can be a thing of the past.”

The second new feature is the ability to unsend a message entirely.

The final iMessage update will allow users to mark a thread or conversation as unread, making it appear as if the messages have yet to be read.

These new messaging options will only be available in text conversations where both parties are using iMessage.

Beyond texting, Federighi told the conference iOS 16 will include the “biggest update ever” to the iPhone’s lock screen. This update will enable a user to anchor their favourite apps and small widgets to their lock screen for quick, easy access.

iPhone owners will also be able to change the font and colour of text on their lock screen.

“Another critically important area is protecting our users’ personal privacy,” Federighi said at the conference. “One way we’re doing that is by adding a new tool to help people quickly turn off others’ access, for example, disabling location sharing, if they’re escaping an abusive relationship.”

The tool, called Safety Check, was developed by Apple, in collaboration with several domestic violence organizations. It allows a user to quickly log out or reset settings if they have shared their personal information or had passwords breached.

At the conference in Cupertino, Calif., Apple executives also revealed two laptops that will feature the latest, newly designed microprocessor. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro will soon be available for purchase with the upgraded chip, allowing for improved efficiency and graphics.

The MacBook Air will sell for approximately $1,500 and the MacBook Pro for approximately $1,600.

The laptops equipped with the new microprocessor will be available in stores in July.

Though no official date for the iOS 16 update has been announced yet, it is believed it will be released to the public in September.