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The Best iOS 10 Feature Means Never Unlocking Your Phone To Text Again

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Apple iOS 10 drops today (around 1 PM Eastern Standard, if history holds true) and even though you might not have a shiny new iPhone 7 in your hand, the new OS works fantastically well on iPhone 6s (I've been beta testing since it was announced and it's been rock solid). After you backup your phone (you did remember to backup your phone, right?), upgrade, and have poked around at the new features, you'll likely lock your screen and the newness will start to fade a bit.

Then you'll get a new Message. And if you're a heavy texter like myself, you're going to get very excited.

In iOS 9, Apple gave users a convenient little tool to reply to Messages from the lock screen. Sliding to the left gave you access to a Reply button that would open a small window with a standard iOS keyboard. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, and it would disappear as soon as you'd sent your message, but it was a nice bone for those who'd gotten used to similar functions in Android.

Apple has never been one to let "good enough" stand, though, and in iOS 10, the lock screen message reply is perfect.

Now activated by a 3D Touch press instead of a swipe, lock screen replies get your full default keyboard and threaded conversations in a large pop-up window. If you have a third party keyboard installed (such as Microsoft Word Flow, pictured in the screenshot) it will launch as well...most of the time. Sometimes it will default back to the standard iOS keyboard; but even that has the proper white background, as opposed to the grey-on-black iOS 9 version. And as long as you don't unlock your phone, your full threaded conversation will display on the lock screen.

The one catch is that if you want to add a picture, GIF, or use any other Message apps, you will have to unlock your iPhone to get at the extra functionality.

It's easy to dismiss this as a frivolous upgrade; but for me it's major. I'm in text communication with a lot of people during the day. Every time I pop open my phone to reply, that's another chance for me to get distracted by a red notification on another app, or maybe let my guard down and pop open Hearthstone for "just one game." Being able to easily reply to Messages and keep track of the conversation without getting my focus pulled by additional things is invaluable. Considering how many dozens of times per day I send Message replies, this has quickly become my most used, and favorite, iOS 10 feature.

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