You can get FREE iPhone upgrade today – and it looks much better

YOUR iPhone is getting a huge free upgrade later this year – but you can access it right now.

It’s possible to claim Apple’s long-awaited iOS 16 update for free today.

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It’s a great update, mostly because it makes a big improvement to how your iPhone looks.

That’s because the Lock Screen is getting a massive overhaul.

New iPhone Lock Screen – what’s changed?

For a start, you’ll now get access to Lock Screen widgets in iOS 16.

These Apple Watch-style “complications” let you quickly view info.

This includes upcoming calendar events, the weather, battery levels, alarms, time zones, your Activity ring progress and more, according to Apple.

You can have a “multi-layered effect” on the Lock Screen, which can set the subject of a photo in front of the time to create a cool depth effect.

And you can even change the appearance of the date and time for the first time, with different style and colour options.

There are preset options to enjoy that you can customise, or you can create your own Lock Screen yourself.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of Live Activities, a new feature that tracks real-time events.

This could include a workout, sports scores, your taxi journey or a food delivery order – all from the Lock Screen.

Finally there’s a new design that sees notifications rolling up from the bottom of the display, so you have the best possible view of the Lock Screen.

Sadly the new iOS probably won’t arrive on your iPhone until September, launching alongside the iPhone 14.

But it’s possible to join the iOS 16 beta and access all of the new features before everyone else.

The iOS 16 public beta went live yesterday, and lets Apple fans test new features.

Should you join the iOS 16 beta?

You definitely need to consider whether installing an iOS beta is right for you.

Ultimately it’s still test software, so you can encounter bugs – sometimes very serious.

So if you only have one iPhone, it might be frustrating to use a new iOS.

It’s much more tempting if you’ve got a spare iPhone to run the beta on – but not everyone has that luxury.

That said, the iOS public beta is usually fairly stable so you shouldn’t find too many devastating issues.

You’ll also want to make sure you’ve backed up all of your data before installing a new iOS.

How to join iOS 16 beta

To join the iOS beta, you simply need to head over to the Apple website.

You can sign up for the iOS 16 beta here.

“New public betas for iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, tvOS 16, HomePod software version 16 and watchOS 9 are coming soon,” Apple explains.

“As a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, you can take part in shaping Apple software by test-driving pre-release versions and letting us know what you think.”

You’ll need to sign up and enrol your devices, which will give you the opportunity to test the latest iOS 16 features once the public beta is live.

The beta will also feature a special app called Feedback Assistant where you can report any issues you find.

You’ll need a valid Apple ID, and that’s it – no fees or compensation involved.

Installing the beta also won’t affect your hardware warranty.

You can leave the beta at any time.

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