The long-awaited moment has arrived: we no longer have to rely on rumors and leaks to discover the upcoming features of iOS 17. The tech giant has officially announced iOS 17, unveiling most of its features. Here is everything you need to know about iOS 17, the next version of the iPhone’s operating system.
Here we will be sharing iOS 17 features when iOS 17 will be available, iOS 17 eligible devices, and more.
Table of Contents
iOS 17 Release Date
Apple officially announced iOS 17 during the WWDC 2023 event on June 5, showcasing a range of exciting new features. Following the announcement, the first iOS 17 Developer Beta was promptly released. The eagerly awaited iOS 17 Public Beta is officially set to launch in July (possibly on July 11). The Public Beta came out the following month.
iOS 17 Release Candidate build is coming on September 12, yes the same day as the Wonderlust event. Finally, the official version of iOS 17 to launch in the next week of Release Candidate.
iPhone 17 Supported Devices
It is one of the interesting topics as everything about iOS 17 matters only if you will be able to enjoy its features on your iPhone. And this will only be possible if your iPhone is eligible for iOS 17. This year Apple has removed some iPhones from the new iOS eligibility list. Here is the updated iOS 17 eligible devices list.
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
Note: Newer iPhone Models will also be eligible for the iOS 17 update.
As you can see on the list, three iPhones that were eligible for iOS 16 are not included in the list of iOS 17 eligible devices. The iPhones excluded from iOS 17 eligibility are iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. Earlier, there were rumors suggesting that all iOS 16 eligible iPhones would also receive iOS 17, but this is not the case. However, these iPhones will continue to receive updates for iOS 16 periodically.
iOS 17 Features
Now that iOS 17 has been officially announced, we can discuss all the official features without relying on rumors and leaks. While iOS 17 may not be a major overhaul like iOS 16, which introduced a redesigned UI, it still brings many new and useful features, some of which have been highly anticipated.
Contact Posters
One of the interesting features of iOS 17 is the updated phone app, which allows you to set custom posters that will appear on your iPhone when you receive a call. This feature offers a wide range of customizations, allowing you to set photo, name, and even change text colors. Additionally, you can create a 3D avatar for your caller poster, and just like the iOS 16 lock screen, the depth effect is also supported.
Live Voicemail
When users receive a call and choose not to accept it, the call will be automatically redirected to voicemail. In iOS 17, an exciting feature is the live transcript of voicemail messages. As the sender leaves a message, the transcript of that message will be displayed in real-time, allowing users to read the content of the voicemail. Moreover, users will have the option to answer the call while the caller is still on the line.
In iOS 17, another useful feature is the ability to silence calls from unknown users. When this feature is enabled, incoming calls from unknown numbers will bypass the ringing and go directly to voicemail. Additionally, for calls from identified spam numbers, the call will be disconnected immediately.
Changes to Messages
On your iMessage chat screen, tap the + icon and it will show things you send the most like Photos, Camera, Sticker, Audio, Cash and when you swipe up it will show even more options.
Check In is a new feature in iOS 17 that enhances safety and peace of mind. When you reach your destination, your friends and family will receive an alert. If your location remains unchanged, Check-In will prompt you for a response. If there is no response, it will share your location, battery level, and cell service status with your friends and family.
A new arrow icon in iOS 17 enables easy navigation to the first unread message while swiping on a message allows for quick replies.
In iOS 17, audio messages now come with automatic transcripts displayed below the message. This allows users to quickly read the contents of the audio message, while still having the option to listen to it if desired.
Stickers
iOS 17 allows users to create stickers directly from images. Stickers are now available everywhere emojis are available to use. It has a sticker drawer that shows all stickers, emojis, memojis in one place and is synced with iCloud, which means stickers are accessible from different devices with the same account.
FaceTime
Leave a Message: If someone misses your FaceTime call, iOS 17 lets you record a video or audio to send it similar to voicemail.
React with your hands: In iOS 17, users can set reactions to trigger 3D AR effects such as confetti, fireworks, and more. When you display the hand gesture that you set for reactions, the camera frame will be filled with effects.
FaceTime on Apple TV: iOS 17 let users use iPhone as a camera for FaceTime on Apple TV. Users can also transfer FaceTime calls from iPhone to Apple TV.
Standby
It’s a new feature in iOS 17, which was also leaked last month. Yes, your iPhone can now replace a smart display in your home with the help of the Standby feature. When your iPhone is plugged in and placed horizontally, the Standby mode will automatically kick in.
It displays useful widgets in full screen, such as Clock, Calendar, Music Playback, World Clock, and many more. Standby also supports live activities similar to lock screen and shows real-time status.
Interactive Widgets
This has been one of the most requested features since Apple introduced widgets on the home screen. With this feature, you can interact with widgets without opening the dedicated app. In previous versions like iOS 16 and lower, tapping on widgets would open the app, and then actions could be taken within the app. However, with Interactive Widgets, you can now directly tap on icons to perform actions. For example, you can tap the play/pause button directly from the widgets.
AirDrop
NameDrop: It’s a new feature of AirDrop that allows iPhone users to exchange numbers by holding their iPhones near each other or an Apple Watch. Both iPhone users will have the ability to edit and select the information they want to share with each other.
Share with intention: Bringing iPhones close together will initiate the AirDrop transfer.
Send Remaining files over Internet: iOS 17 let you complete AirDrop transfer over the Internet even if you move away from the device. Will be coming later this year.
Initiate SharePlay: SharePlay will be triggered if you hold an iPhone close to another iPhone. Yes it will ask for permission in a prompt.
New Journal App
It is an upcoming new app from Apple that allows you to write and remember your life’s moments. You will be able to add images, stickers, write descriptions, and more. Additionally, your iPhone will provide personalized suggestions from the Journal app to help you enjoy recommended moments.
Autocorrect and Prediction
A new feature on the keyboard is the improved autocorrect functionality. When autocorrect is applied, it will be identified through an underline, and you can revert the autocorrect by simply tapping on it. The keyboard also displays predictions for the next word/sentence to enhance your messaging experience.
Safari
Profiles: In Safari you will be able to create profiles like Work, Home, Education, School, and more to keep your browsing systematic. You can quickly change between profiles in the browser.
Autofill: One Time Verification codes will be filled automatically in Safari when you receive the code in Mail.
Music
With SharePlay, everyone in the car will be able to control the music playback. Additionally, Apple Music introduces a new feature where you can invite your friends to join a playlist. Friends included in the playlist will have the ability to add music, reorder songs, and remove songs as well.
Maps
Offline Maps: You can download maps of an specific area to use it offline.
Charging station availability: You will be able to see real time charging station availability on Maps.
Say ‘Siri’ to activate Siri
Now you can just say Siri to launch Apple’s voice assistant Siri. And you don’t need to say Siri every time you make a request, you can just say your request one by one.
Look Up
When you lift an object you will get an option to Look Up which will show information about the object. In iOS 17 you will also be able to pause a video and tap on object to Look Up.
Sensitive Content Warning
A new feature in iOS 17 is the Sensitive Content Warning, which allows you to avoid viewing sensitive images. When encountering such content, a warning will appear on your screen, giving you the option to either view or not view the image. This helps in ensuring you have a safer experience online.
Smart Photo app
The Photos app in iOS 17 can now detect your household pets such as cats and dogs. Additionally, it can also identify and group together the people you regularly take photos with, making it easier to organize and access photos of your loved ones.
Better AirPod Functionalities
New audio features in iOS 17, including Adaptive Audio, Custom Volume, and Conversation Awareness, make it easier for you to listen to a person speaking in front of you. Another exciting feature of AirPods is the ability to quickly and automatically switch between media playback and incoming calls. This is a significant improvement for regular Apple AirPods users.
Share Passwords and PassKeys Securely
In iOS 17, you can now securely share your passwords and passkeys with trusted contacts using iCloud Keychain. Trusted contacts will have the ability to add new passwords and edit existing ones, ensuring your credentials remain up-to-date and safe.
AirPlay in Hotels
Soon, towards the end of 2023, a new feature called AirPlay Hotel will allow you to AirPlay your favorite content from your iPhone to other devices in your hotel. This feature will provide a secure connection, ensuring that all content shared to AirPlay Hotel devices remains private and protected.
These are most of the main iOS 17 features. But there are a bunch of other small features that you can check by heading to the iOS 17 official page. Check out new Accessibilities features here.
How to Install iOS 17
As of now, only the developer beta of iOS 17 is available. The public beta is expected to be available in the next couple of weeks. Finally, the public build will release in September. If you want to install iOS 17 beta on your iPhone to test its features, you can use our dedicated guide to get iOS 17 on your iPhone easily for free.
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