Apple iOS 10.2 brings a panic button, an updated TV app and over a 100 new emoji to the iPhone, iPad and iPod

A month since the release of the iOS 10.2 beta to developers and the public, Apple has finally released the OS update to all users. Primarily, the new update brings in a brand new TV app for better managing your Apple TV experience, as well as over a 100 new emoji to enable you to express yourselves better. Existing emoji have also been redesigned.  The brand new TV app is only available in the US, which is a bit disappointing considering that the Apple TV has officially launched in India. Apple describes the new app as a “unified experience for accessing your TV shows and movies across multiple video apps.” If you’re on a US iTunes account and you upgrade to iOS 10.2, your regular “Videos” app will be replaced by the “TV” app. [caption id=“attachment_352551” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The Videos app is gone for good, but only if you’re on the US App Store[/caption]   The main features in the new app include:

• An Up Next feature that will let you continue watching shows and movies that you may have left unfinished
• Better recommendations using the “Watch Now” feature as well as better TV app recommendations.
• Access your entire video library, including purchases and rentals, from this app

[caption id=“attachment_352552” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  A screenshot tour of the new TV app[/caption] Other updates include more intelligent face recognition in the Photos app, better organised “Memories”, a fix for the iPhone 7 Plus’ dual-camera software, new full-screen effects for Messages and more. The Music app also gets a slight, but welcome visual tweak: The shuffle, repeat and lyrics buttons are now more prominently displayed when you swipe up in the Now Playing window. [caption id=“attachment_352553” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The shuffle and repeat buttons get due importance at last. (L: iOS 10.2 Music app; R: iOS 10.1.1 Music App)[/caption] There have been changes made to the News app, Mail, accessibility and the usual updates and bug fixes to myriad apps and features as well. If you’re in India, you’ll only see the new emoji and minor updates to Photos, Music, Messages and Mail. [caption id=“attachment_352554” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The Messages app gets two new animations for love and celebrations.[/caption] Another notable update is that Apple is now recommending that users upgrade to 2-factor authentication for their AppleID during the initial setup process itself. You don’t have to use two-factor authentication if you don’t want to, however.  Also included is a new “Emergency SOS” feature within your Settings app. The Indian government had recently mandated that all cellphones have a panic button and Apple has implemented it via it’s Sleep/Wake button. When enable, a user can press the Sleep/Wake button 3 or 5 times in succession, depending on what you prefer, to dial a distress number. In India, that number is automatically registered as 112, but you can add more numbers or change the distress number altogether. Click here for the full list of changes and here for the list of security updates. All devices compatible with iOS 10 will be eligible for the upgrade.