Apple is currently in the beta of iOS 16, and as the company is working to iron out some quirks, it has become clear that the planned message editing feature may not be as smooth as it was originally portrayed at WWDC 2022.
While the first beta build showed that the feature was not compatible with iOS 15 phones, a potential alternative could be a real nightmare.
As 9to5Mac points out, the fix in iOS 16 Beta 2, now simply sends a new version of the message to users on iOS 15 and earlier, rather than editing the old version.
People on iOS 16 will see this message as well, but it will be labeled “Modified for” for those users. This can all be a little confusing for everyone involved, but it may turn out to be the only way to get users of old iPhones on board.
Of course, this is still iOS 16 beta and Apple could find a more elegant way to handle the feature on older iPhones. At the moment, it is a bit tricky compared to the smooth editing of iOS 16 to iOS 16 that was previewed during the iOS 16 launch keynote.
As explained on June 6 at WWDC, messages can be edited within 15 minutes. It is designed to give users the opportunity to point out any misspellings or clarify some of the language used in the message. For example, if the message to your co-worker uses “Babe” instead of for example, “Gabe”.
The edited message will see “Delivered – Edited” printed underneath, but there will be no option to see the edits. This decision has been criticized in some quarters, as it could provide a way for abusers to cover their tracks. There is also a new option to undo sending messages, as is already possible in apps like WhatsApp.
iOS 16 arrives this fall.