iOS 16 Release Date: All iPhone Users Get New OS on Sept. 12

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.

Ditch your old lock screen and enter a new era of phone customization when iOS 16 arrives on Sept. 12. Apple revealed the iOS 16 and WatchOS 9 release date Wednesday as part of its fall iPhone event. This is a yearly tradition for Apple: Announce the next version of iOS in the spring at its WWDC conference, spend the summer testing the new operating system with developers and other beta testers, then launch the OS alongside the newest iPhone in the fall. 

These annual upgrades to iOS are important chances for Apple to make larger overhauls to its operating system, which it's been doing since 2007. Users can still expect smaller updates throughout the year -- iOS 15.6.1 is the latest version, and it includes an important security patch -- but the September updates that upgrade iOS by an entire version usually involve the biggest changes.

CNET has been testing the iOS 16 beta for months, so we already have a good idea of what to expect. The biggest iOS 16 features are a more customizable lock screen, the ability to edit and unsend iMessages (with limitations), some changes to lock screen notifications, enhancements to Apple Wallet and the ability to use SharePlay from messages.

The iOS 16 release date wasn't the only thing announced today. It also showed off the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 8 and the new Apple Watch Ultra. For more on iOS 16, check out our favorite hidden iOS 16 features, whether your iPhone is compatible with iOS 16 and our guide to unsending and editing texts.