The initial public beta of iOS 17 was just released by Apple. That beta version, in contrast to developer betas, ought to be reliable enough for common users.
This fall’s release of iOS 17 in its final form is still on the company’s agenda. Over the summer, though, Apple will release beta versions on a regular basis. It’s an effective technique to get information from a big user base and solve as many bugs as you can.
Before upgrading iOS 17, make an iCloud or computer backup of your device, and if you’re feeling brave, join up for Apple beta tests on the company’s website.
Visit the Settings app next, then select “General” and “Software Update.” You ought to then see a menu labeled “Beta Updates.” Choosing iOS 17 Public Beta will allow you to return to the previous screen and check for updates.
But what really is new about iOS 17? I have been evaluating iOS 17 for a while. It doesn’t significantly diverge from iOS 16. Following the update, you’ll feel perfectly at home. However, there are a lot of brand-new features and overall upgrades.
iOS has the feel of an established platform in many ways. And that’s advantageous.
Apple continues to make improvements and add new features to iOS. However, the business no longer demolishes and then rebuilds the house each year.
The updates to Messages, the new StandBy mode, the upgrades to Maps, widgets, and Let’s start with Messages are some of the features I’ve appreciated the most.
It’s one of my most-used apps, and I’m very sure that a lot of iPhone users use Messages for several hours each week. Search was one of the features in iOS 16 that didn’t function very well. It was only difficult to locate a message.
With iOS 17, search has undergone a full overhaul. You can filter your search using many parameters, just as in Mail. For instance, communications will advise that you limit your search to communications with Sarah if you first write Sarah’s name in order to look up a link that your friend Sarah sent you.
You may then input any term or select “Link” to display a list of links that were mentioned in your private conversation after tapping that.
Apple has also invested considerable time in enhancing the audio message experience. Audio messages are more and more common, whether you use them or not.
However, the previous iteration of iOS didn’t offer a pleasant experience with lengthy audio messages. With iOS 17, you may now pause an audio message in the middle of it and resume listening later.
You can also view a transcription of the message if you received a batch of audio messages and want to listen to only a portion of them again.
You may now swipe on a bubble to reply to a specific message in a discussion, another minor but welcome update from Apple that seems to be taking some cues from WhatsApp.
A new arrow makes it simple to navigate to the earliest unread letter. This function comes in quite handy during group talks.
The StandBy function in iOS 17 is one of the most significant ones. I believe StandBy will replace a lot of the outdated radio alarm clocks that are currently seen on nightstands all across the world.
Your iPhone will show full-screen widgets when you flip it on its side while charging after installing iOS 17. It works with a wire as long as your iPhone is leaning against something, but it performs best with a dock that supports MagSafe.
Three distinct StandBy screens are available. You receive two square widgets side by side on the first one. These widgets are modeled after the home screen widgets that your iPhone may already have.
For instance, you could show a list of reminders on the right and the weather forecast on the left. You can open a note that you frequently refer to on the right while displaying a list of home accessories on the left.
There is no restriction on the number of widgets you can have; instead, you can construct two stacks and swipe up and down through them as necessary.
The second StandBy screen, which is a photo album, may be accessed by swiping left.
Based on the sophisticated categorization tools built into the gadget, you can select a certain album or receive random images of cities, people, or nature.
Finally, a full-screen, configurable alarm clock appears if you swipe left one more time. In order to prevent becoming excessively bright at night, the screen automatically adjusts to low light.
Additionally, if you have numerous MagSafe docks, your iPhone remembers your preferred StandBy configuration based on where you are.
The good news is that widgets are getting an upgrade too, even on the home screen, even if you don’t intend to utilize StandBy. More interactive features are now available. You can, for instance, finish to-do lists, play or pause music and podcasts, and manage home accessories.
As a dedicated user of Apple Maps, I should add point out that the software can now download offline maps, allowing you to continue using it even when there is no cellular coverage.
You can search for a city in the app’s settings, choose the precise location you want to cache on your device, and then click the download option.
Indeed, offline maps were added to Google Maps years ago. It’s still welcome to see it in Apple Maps, though.
Among the many new features in iOS 17, these are just a few. However, there is much more in there:
A contact poster can be made and sent among your contacts. Let’s see if people start utilizing them because they look wonderful.
Since when did you last hear a voicemail? Voicemail is now being translated by iOS 17 as people leave you messages.
Voicemails can now be left in FaceTime. They are immediately visible in the list of call history.
Finally, location sharing in Messages behaves as planned and appears as a bubble within the discussion.
Speaking of location sharing, a new check-in function may instantly let your friends and family know when you get safely at home (or another location).
By choosing content and placing your phone’s top on another person’s phone, you can start an AirDrop. You can use this gesture to share your contact information even if you don’t choose anything. Bid adieu to business cards.
Passwords (and passkeys) can be shared with others. You can all convert to iCloud Passwords if you were able to persuade your family to use a password manager like 1Password.
Dictation and autocorrect have both been enhanced. The new text recommendation system takes some getting accustomed to, but it seems a little more logical once you do.
iOS now proposes nearby AirPlay-capable devices immediately when you start playing a music or a video.
Depending on what you actually want to do, it might be helpful or bothersome.
The phrase “Hey, Siri” has been replaced with “Siri.”
Overall, iOS 17 feels like a better version of iOS 16 than iOS 16, which is unusual for software releases. As for Journal, one of the major new features in iOS 17, it won’t be available until later this year, in case you’re wondering what happened to it.
You can use this new software to generate diary entries that include the locations you visited and the day’s images. It will also be one of the pre-installed apps.
