# Apple's iOS 16

Apple's iOS 16 memes started September 12, 2022, launch day for the update that only supported iPhone 8 and newer. iPhone 7 owners posted Squidward reaction images about being locked out, while iPhone 8+ users remixed the new background cutout tool into outfit logs and dog montage jokes. TechCrunch was covering the cutout trend within four days.

## Origin
Apple released iOS 16 on September 12, 2022. iOS 16 added a redesigned Lock Screen with widgets and depth effects, editable and unsend iMessages, and improved Live Text across photos and video[1]. Only iPhone 8 and later received the update, cutting iPhone 7, 6s and SE users off from the new features[5].

Memes started the same day. Twitter user @mn_google (Patel Meet) posted a Squidward Looking Out The Window edit of older iPhones watching users on iOS 16[3]. The joke about being locked out had circulated months earlier, with Brazilian user @arthurnumeriano writing on June 6, 2022 that his iPhone 7 was already waiting for the announcement[7].

- **Platform:** Twitter / TikTok (viral spread)
- **Creator:** Unknown
- **Date:** 2022

## Overview
Two running jokes drive the iOS 16 meme set. iPhone 7, 6s and SE owners posted sad watcher images, most often Squidward Looking Out The Window, captioned to show their outdated phones watching friends with iPhone 8 or newer running the new software[3]. iPhone 8+ users went the other direction, showing off the Lock Screen customization, iMessage editing, and especially the background removal feature[1].

The cutout tool drove most creative posts. Users could tap any subject in a photo and save it as a transparent image, letting them assemble outfit archives, pet collages and custom sticker packs from their camera rolls[2]. Captions typically set up a mundane reason for the cutout before showing the result, with the humor coming from the specific use case.

## How to Use
Posts usually fall into two templates. For the exclusion joke, users pair an older iPhone (iPhone 7, 6s or SE) with a sad watcher reaction image like Squidward Looking Out The Window, captioning it with the iOS 16 hashtag[3]. For the cutout joke, users remove a subject from a photo and compose it into a note, outfit log, or pet montage, with the humor in the specific scenario they describe[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Apple's iOS 16?
Apple's iOS 16 is a set of memes made after Apple shipped the iOS 16 update on September 12, 2022, split between iPhone 7 and older owners joking about being locked out and iPhone 8+ users showing creative uses of the new background cutout tool[1].

### Where did Apple's iOS 16 come from?
The meme set started on September 12, 2022, launch day for iOS 16, with Twitter user @mn_google's Squidward Looking Out The Window edit about iPhone 7 users being left behind[3].

### What does Apple's iOS 16 mean?
It captures two reactions to Apple's update: older iPhone owners mourning that their devices stopped getting new software, and iPhone 8+ owners finding strange uses for the background cutout tool[2].

### How do you use Apple's iOS 16?
For the exclusion version, pair an older iPhone with a sad reaction character like Squidward[3]. For the cutout version, remove a subject from a photo and compose it into a themed collection, like TikToker @macaulay_flower's daily outfit archive in Notes[4].

### Is Apple's iOS 16 still popular?
Peak activity ran through September 2022, with TechCrunch covering the trend within four days of launch[2]. The format faded as Apple moved on to later iOS versions, so it reads now as a snapshot of that launch window[5].

## References
1. [https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/09/ios-16-is-available-today/](<https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/09/ios-16-is-available-today/>)
2. [https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/16/ios-16-users-are-getting-creative-with-the-new-background-removal-feature-for-photos/](<https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/16/ios-16-users-are-getting-creative-with-the-new-background-removal-feature-for-photos/>)
3. [https://x.com/i/status/1569201677043138560](<https://x.com/i/status/1569201677043138560>)
4. [https://www.tiktok.com/@macaulay_flower/video/7142962238343630126](<https://www.tiktok.com/@macaulay_flower/video/7142962238343630126>)
5. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/apples-ios-16](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/apples-ios-16>)
6. [https://x.com/i/status/1570249329356722178](<https://x.com/i/status/1570249329356722178>)
7. [https://x.com/i/status/1533855891392446465](<https://x.com/i/status/1533855891392446465>)
8. [https://x.com/i/status/1569305638362300417](<https://x.com/i/status/1569305638362300417>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/apples-ios-16
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