The iOS 16 update will make it easier to report unwanted text messages. On iPhone, it will only take a few seconds to alert an operator of the receipt of spam. We explain to you what will change.
Apple has just deployed the second beta of iOS 16 for developers. This second iteration embeds a plethora of novelties. We find in particular the possibility of removing a lock screen by swiping up, two new overlay options for the wallpaper or iCloud backup via 4G.
Above all, the iOS 16 update will allow iPhone users to Quickly report unwanted text messages. If you receive spam, it will be possible to report it directly in the Messages application, report our colleagues from MacRumors.
Read also: You can install iOS 16 now (even if we advise against doing so)
How iOS 16 will make it easier to report spam on iPhone
Until now, the iPhone operating system only allowed messages to be flagged. sent through iMessage, Apple’s instant messaging service. As Apple explains on its website, “a message you receive from someone who is not saved in your Contacts may be identified as spam or potential junk mail” and “you may report such messages to Apple “.
To report the message received and filed in the section Unknown senders, you must press “Unwanted” and choose “Delete and report”. Once done, “the sender’s information and the message are sent to Apple, and the message is permanently deleted.”
From now on, this functionality will also be offered with traditional SMS. Once an SMS has been flagged as spam, the number and text content will be forwarded to Apple and the carrier. The operation looks similar whether it is an iMessage or an SMS.
The procedure for reporting an unwanted SMS is generally much more sluggish. As explained Arcep on its website, the user must forward the SMS by dialing the number 33700. An acknowledgment of receipt is automatically sent. It is then necessary to communicate the number of sending of the transmitter.
On iOS 16, this process is much faster. With the reports collected, operators will be able to take action against issuers unwanted text messages. “Telecom operators, on the basis of these reports, depending on their recurrence and their seriousness, take sanctions against the senders of messages, going as far as the closure of premium rate numbers”, explains Arcep.
Also read: How iOS 16 bypasses CAPTCHAs on iPhone
Best filters for unwanted SMS on iOS 16
At first, the option will be only available in the United States. Additionally, only a handful of carriers will support the new feature, Apple says in the patch notes. The mark does not reveal the name of the American operators concerned. At this time, it is not known when SMS reporting will be offered in the rest of the world.
That’s not all. With iOS 16, Apple is also adding new filters to help developers of anti-spam applications. For those who don’t know, Apple offers an API that lets third-party apps connect to Messages to filter text messages. This API has been available to developers since the iOS 11 update rolled out in 2017.
The iOS 16 update improves the API with a series of new filters intended to refine the detection of third-party apps. From now on, the messages will be classified into three main categories : Transactions, Promotions and Spam. The Transactions section includes reminders, weather information, order information, delivery information or messages from public services. On the other hand, the Promotions category includes offers or coupons. Finally, the Spam section will include all spam.
Public beta release date
Note that a reputable source leaked the release date of the first beta for the general public. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the iOS 16 beta program will open to everyone sometime in the week of July 11, 2022. The informant is based in particular on the habits of Apple in terms of deployment.
For those wondering where iOS 16 beta 2 is, the public beta (developer beta 3) should be out the week of July 11. So, based on past history, I’d guess that beta 2 is next week, with beta 3 to follow 2 weeks after that.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) June 21, 2022
Source :
MacRumors