Apple has unveiled iOS 17, the latest version of its operating system for iPhone users. iOS 17 brings new features to enhance the communication, personalization, and productivity of iPhone users. Here are some of the highlights of iOS 17 and when you can expect to get it on your device.
Contact Posters: Express yourself like never before
One of the most exciting features of iOS 17 is Contact Posters, which lets you customize how your profile appears when you call or message someone. You can set up your Contact Poster to include profile photos, special typography and font colors, and much more. You can also create different Contact Posters for different groups of contacts, such as family, friends, or work colleagues.
Contact Posters are a great way to show your personality and mood when you communicate with others. You can also use them to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays. Contact Posters are synced with iCloud, so they are available on all your devices.
Messages: All your iMessage apps in one place
iOS 17 also brings some improvements to the Messages app, making it easier and more fun to chat with your friends and family. One of the new features is a plus button that lets you access all the things you send the most, such as photos, audio messages, and your location. You can also swipe up to view the rest of your iMessage apps, such as stickers, games, and Apple Pay.
Another new feature is Check In, which automatically notifies your friend or family member when you arrive at your destination, such as your home. This is a convenient way to let them know that you are safe and sound. You can also share or request locations from the plus button, and view them directly within your conversation.
iOS 17 also makes it easier to catch up on messages that you have missed. A new catch-up arrow lets you jump to the first message that you haven’t seen in a conversation. And now you can swipe to the right on any message to send a quick reply. You can also read audio messages transcriptions if you prefer to read them instead of listening to them.
FaceTime: Leave a message and react with your hands
FaceTime is another app that gets some new features in iOS 17. One of them is the ability to leave a video or audio message when someone misses your FaceTime call. This way, you can still express yourself and let them know what you wanted to talk about.
You can also add a reaction that fills the camera frame with fun 3D augmented reality effects like hearts, confetti, fireworks, and more. And you can share a reaction with just a hand gesture, such as a thumbs up or a wave.
Another new feature is FaceTime on Apple TV, which lets you use your iPhone as a camera and start a call directly from the FaceTime app on Apple TV. You can also hand off the call from your iPhone to your TV if you want to enjoy a bigger screen.
StandBy: A new full-screen experience
iOS 17 introduces a new feature called StandBy, which turns your iPhone into a useful display when you set it down on its side while charging. StandBy shows you rich visual results from Siri, such as weather, timers, reminders, and more. You can also view Live Activities in full screen, such as the score of a game or the progress of your food delivery.
StandBy is designed to be viewed from a distance, so you don’t have to pick up your phone every time you want to check something. You can also interact with StandBy using voice commands or gestures.
Interactive Widgets: Take action with just a tap
Widgets are not new in iOS, but iOS 17 makes them more interactive and useful. You can now tap on widgets to perform actions without opening the app. For example, you can tap on the Mail widget to compose a new email, or tap on the Music widget to play or pause a song.
You can also customize widgets with different sizes and layouts, and place them anywhere on your home screen or lock screen. Widgets are also smarter in iOS 17, as they can show you relevant information based on the time of day, your location, or your activity.
When will iOS 17 be released?
iOS 17 is currently available as a developer beta for anyone who signs up for a free developer account. However, this version is not stable and may contain bugs and performance issues. Apple recommends that only developers install this version for testing purposes.
Sometime this month (September), Apple will release a public beta for iOS 17, which will be more stable and reliable than the developer beta. The public beta will be available for anyone who wants to try out the new features before the official release.
The final release of iOS 17 is expected sometime in mid-September (2023), based on Apple’s previous release schedules. iOS 17 will require an iPhone with an A12 Bionic chip or newer, which means that the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus will not be compatible with the update.
