iOS 16 adds new iPhone feature for cellular iCloud backups, LTE

How to back up your iPhone or iPad
How to back up your iPhone or iPad (Image credit: Joseph Keller/iMore)

What you need to know

  • The second developer beta of iOS 16 is here.
  • It includes a major new backup option for iCloud.
  • Users can now back up their iPhone over LTE, as well as 5G like they could in iOS 15.

Apple has added a new feature to iOS 16 that lets users back up their devices to iCloud over an LTE connection, as well as 5G just like iOS 15.

Apple released the second developer beta of iOS 16 on Wednesday, and its release notes include the new back up features for that and iPadOS 16:

Customers using iOS 16 can now back up their device over an LTE cellular connection, as well as a 5G or Wifi connection. (95276719)

Customers on iOS 15 already have the option to back up their devices using a cellular connection, however it is currently limited to 5G. The new feature in iOS 16 lets users back up their devices even when 5G isn't an option and they aren't connected to Wi-Fi, which is definitely a welcome improvement.

Other updates noted in this week's round of beta include the confirmation that you'll no longer be able to use your iPad as a Home hub. Apple has also added support for a new feature to fight email scams which displays the official logo of some companies on their emails, and the inclusion of the RoomPlan framework which will let developers create apps that can be used to scan rooms in 3D.

iOS 16 is coming to all of Apple's best iPhones including the iPhone 13 and the anticipated iPhone 14 later this year.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9