iOS 17 Overview
The most recent version of iOS, the operating system made specifically for the iPhone, is iOS 17. Currently in beta testing and scheduled for release in September along with new iPhones, iOS 17 was first shown off in June. Along with minor updates for other apps and a brand-new journaling app that will be later this year, there are new capabilities for Phone, FaceTime, and Messages.
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Apple redesigned the Phone app with an emphasis on communication. When you call someone, you can now make personalized Contact Posters for them to see. You can pick a Memoji or a photo, as well as a font and font color. Both the Phone app and third-party apps can use Contact Posters.
When a voicemail is left, the Live Voicemail function displays a real-time transcription of the message as the individual speaks on the Lock Screen. You have the option to pick up the phone in response to what is being stated. Calls that have been flagged by carriers as spam will be immediately rejected and won't show up in Live Voicemail.
You can bring your iPhone close to another iPhone to exchange contact information using NameDrop, a new feature of AirDrop. This also functions with Apple Watch. SharePlay may be started by bringing two iPhones close together. This allows you to play games, watch movies, or listen to music with someone else who also has an iPhone. SharePlay can also be used to transfer material. Later this year, two nearby phones can start big file transfers using AirDrop, and the transfer can be completed via iCloud.
FaceTime allows users to leave both audio and video messages, so if you don't answer a call, the caller may still leave you an audio or video message. A variety of Reactions, like hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, and rain, are also supported by FaceTime. Effects are triggered by gestures and are compatible with third-party apps.
For FaceTime on the TV, an iPhone or iPad can now connect to an Apple TV 4K. When making a FaceTime call with Continuity Camera, an iOS smartphone acts as the camera, but the video is seen on the TV's bigger screen. It supports Handoff for transferring calls between an iOS smartphone and the TV, Center Stage framing, and all other FaceTime capabilities.
Access to apps, images, and the camera are hidden behind a "+" button in the Messages app, which is located next to the compose bar. The Camera, Photos, Apple Cash, Audio Messages, your Messages applications, and an improved Stickers experience are all easily accessible by tapping on the button.
All emoji characters are now stickers and may be found in the Messages app's Stickers section. In addition to being used normally, emoji can also be applied over photos and communications like stickers. Using the iOS 16 function called Remove Subject from Background, you can make your own stickers from your images. An animated sticker created from a Live Photo is something you can share in the Messages app. Stickers may be used across iOS, practically anywhere you can use an emoji, and they can have additional features like a hand drawn look, glitter, or a distinct hue.
You can use the search filters in Messages' search to discover exactly what you're looking for. You can perform a general search to get started, then by adding more search phrases, you can focus the results. The catch-up arrow enables you to view what's unread and lets you know exactly where you left off in group chats or with someone who sends a lot of messages. By swiping on a text bubble, you can immediately respond. If you send an audio message, it is now instantly transcribed and can be read at that moment. The Messages app's one-time verification codes can be immediately erased.
The process of sharing a location via Messages is more straightforward, and the discussion is immediately updated when a user publishes a location. It functions in conjunction with Check In, a security feature that notifies a friend or relative that you have reached your destination safely while traveling. When Check In is enabled, the person you're speaking to gets informed when you arrive at your destination. If you aren't there in time or your progress is delayed, your contact can view your iPhone's position, battery life, and cellular status to determine whether you want assistance. With a new nudity warning, unwanted nude photos can also be blocked in messages.
With the addition of a new machine learning model that can better anticipate what you mean to say, Apple enhanced autocorrect across all of iOS. To complete a word or a sentence, just press the spacebar. It can offer to autofill full sentences with inline predictions when typing. Because mistakes may be fixed with a tap, doing so is simpler. Additionally, dictation has a new speech recognition model that improves accuracy.
When your iPhone isn't in use, you may lay it flat on a charger to turn on StandBy mode, which creates a full-screen display with information you can quickly glance at. Although you can see it with a tap as well, StandBy mode functions best with an always-on display. It provides various clock styles, images, a calendar, the weather, a view of Live Activities, or configurable widgets with Smart Stack, comparable to Apple Watch's Nightstand mode.
Widgets on the Home Screen can now be used to control music, turn on a light, set a reminder, and more since they are interactive. Additionally, Spotlight Search is more interactive, allowing you to do actions such as configuration changes without launching an app.
You can enter your everyday feelings in the Health app's mood monitoring feature to track your mental condition over time. It will provide ways for you to record your mood as well as what is generating it so you can draw connections that are helpful. In order to assist you in determining whether you could be at danger, Apple also provides depression and anxiety evaluations that are used in clinics.
Through the Screen Distance measuring function in Screen Time, the Health app may assist you in determining whether you are too close to your screen by using the TrueDepth camera. Although it was designed for children, adults can also use it because of the feature that alerts you if you're holding your device closer to your face than 12 inches.
Although it isn't yet available, iOS 17 will include a Journal app that will allow you to regularly log your ideas and activities. The iPhone will make writing subject suggestions based on your day's activities, such as traveling, working out, visiting people, taking photos, and more, using on-device machine learning. While third-party apps may provide journaling advice, all content is password-protected and safeguarded.
Face ID locks private browsing in Safari and prevents trackers from identifying your device and tracking your website browsing activity. Your personal and professional browsing can be divided into multiple profiles using different histories, extensions, Tab Groups, favorites, and cookies.
Pets can be recognized by the Photos app, and Visual Lookup is functional in paused video. In addition to recognizing stores, signs, and movies, the option can now recognize food to generate recipes.
The Passwords app has a Family Sharing option that allows you to share passwords and passkeys with other users. Passwords are added and edited by everyone in the group and shared securely via iCloud Keychain. For passwords that need to be accessed by multiple users, such those for streaming services, this functionality is helpful.
Collaborative Playlists are supported by Apple Music for sharing music with friends, and with SharePlay in the car, users can add songs to what is currently playing through CarPlay even if they do not have an Apple Music subscription. With crossfade, songs will blend into one another seamlessly.
You can now download offline maps for a few regions in the Maps app, allowing you to get turn-by-turn directions, an estimated time of arrival, and local locations even when there is no service. Apple has updated its maps to include more details about the trails in national parks across the country as well as information about the availability of electric vehicle charging stations in real-time.
Friends and family members who live together can now track a possession using an AirTag in the Find My app thanks to the ability to share AirTags. Everyone can use Precision Finding, play a sound, show the item's location, and it is compatible with Find My Network accessories.
Additionally, later this year, a few hotels will enable AirPlay on TVs to make it simpler for you to access your content while traveling. AirPlay is smarter and can learn your device sharing preferences. Now it's simpler to use your Apple ID to sign into an iPhone with a nearby device, an email address, or a phone number registered in your account.
For AirPods, there are new features. Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency are combined in the Adaptive Audio feature of the AirPods Pro 2, allowing you to reduce unwanted noise and be more aware of your surroundings. When someone is speaking to you, Conversation Awareness mutes your music so you can hear them, and Personalized Volume customizes the volume to suit your tastes. Automatic Switching has been improved to make switching between devices faster and more dependable. You may also mute and unmute sound by firmly gripping the AirPods stem.
With Matter-based smart locks, PIN codes and tap to unlock work, and the Home app allows you view activity history for up to 30 days for door locks, garage doors, contact sensors, and alarm systems.
Reminders has a built-in grocery list that categorizes the goods you add, and Notes allows you to link notes together so that they can be connected based on their subject matter. Additionally, the Notes app has enhanced PDF compatibility, allowing you to view and annotate PDFs and scans.
It is no longer necessary to say Hey Siri in order to activate Siri; you can simply say "Siri." Siri doesn't need to be restarted in order to respond to successive instructions. Remember that only newer devices can activate Siri without the Hey command.
Similar to Messages, the Mail app offers auto-filling of verification codes. Daily crossword puzzles and Apple News+ Audio Stories can be heard in the Podcasts app by Apple News subscribers.
You may view highlights of your friends' workout sessions in the Fitness app, and you can use Apple Fitness+ Custom Plans to make personalized training and meditation programs. New drawing tools like a ruler, watercolor brush, and highlighter are available in Freeform.
The Live Speech accessibility feature enables written words to be said in person, over the phone, or via FaceTime, and users who are in danger of losing their ability to speak can create a voice that sounds like theirs using Personal Voice. For persons who are blind or have low eyesight, Point and Speak reads text on tangible objects.
How to Install iOS 17 the Beta
iOS 17 is currently solely accessible to developers, however Apple just made a significant change to its policies that makes developer betas freely accessible. An Apple ID is all that is required.
You can use our methods to access the developer beta, but we don't advise installing the program on your primary device. Apps occasionally stop working for months due to the instability, bugs, and other problems that can be present in beta versions.
Compatibility in iOS 17
iOS 17 no longer supports the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X because it is only compatible with the iPhone XR/iPhone XS and later. Although they could run iOS 16, these smartphones cannot be updated to iOS 17.
Smartphones 14 and 14 Plus iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max iPhone XR iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The release date of the operating system iOS 17
The beta testing period for iOS 17 will last several months. It is now accessible to developers, and in July, Apple intends to release a public beta.
In September, a formal launch will take place together with the release of iOS 17 and new iPhone models.
iOS 17 Roundup Changelog
- Updated the iOS 17 roundup on June 7 with verified details on the new features.
- June 2 - Wallet in iOS 17 now displays additional information regarding credit card balances.
- On May 18, Apple revealed new accessibility features that would be included in iOS 17 and moved them to a new accessibility section.
- May 8 - Rumor regarding the Maps app's user interface in the expanded Lock Screen section.
- On April 21, a suspected journaling app was added.
- Updated on April 21 with a summary of rumored updates to the Find My app.
- April 12: Information regarding potential "active" widgets in iOS 17 was added.
- Outlined rumored Control Center improvements on April 5.