iOS 16.2 beta 2 shrinks Dynamic Island to display signal and WiFi bars when playing music

Although Apple did not mention new features and improvements in the new iOS 16.2 beta 2 release notes, developers and beta testers have discovered multiple updates.

9to5Mac has found that Dynamic Island on iOS 16.2 beta 2 displays signal and WiFi bars in the status bar of iPhone 14 Pro when playing music only.

Previously, iPhone 14 Pro only displayed two icons in the status bar when music animation was played in the Dynamic Island (battery, and either signal or Wi-Fi bars) because the activated Dynamic Island content was too wide. Since the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a larger display, all three icons appear in the status bar.

Now Playing audio will no longer be the cause of truncation on iOS 16.2

On iOS 16.1, Apple introduced Live Activities on Lock Screen and Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro models only). 9to5Mac explains that iPhone 14 Pro models show two or three icons depending on the size of the active Live Activity or Dynamic Island which results in truncation.

The truncation state is suboptimal. It isn’t immediately obvious that the island is the reason the status indicators have been hidden. You can sometimes accidentally think you have lost cellular signal altogether, because the icons vanish.

The upcoming iOS 16.2 will at least eliminate ‘now playing’ audio as the cause of truncation.

So far, other features discovered on iOS 16.2 beta 2 are a new Medications widget for the Lock Screen and a reference to ‘Custom Accessibility Mode’. The previous iOS 16.2 beta 1 added Freeform, Sleep widgets for the Lock Screen, Live Activities with more frequent updates, Freeform, and reports on unintentional Emergency SOS triggers.

Now Playing audio will no longer be the cause of truncation on iOS 16.2

Rida Imran