On Monday, September 18, Apple officially rolled out its latest update, iOS 17, available for iPhone Xs models and later, introducing a series of fresh features that aim to enhance the user experience dramatically.
Personalized Contact Posters
Apple is taking personalization to a new level with its personalized contact posters. Users can now customize full-screen photos for their contacts that appear during calls, including on third-party apps. The customization extends to Memojis and various font settings.
Enhancements to FaceTime
FaceTime receives significant upgrades in iOS 17. Users can now leave video or audio messages when the recipient is unavailable. Moreover, new “Reactions” have been introduced, allowing users to express themselves using visuals such as hearts, fireworks, and balloons during a call. One of the standout features is the integration with Apple TV 4K, facilitating calls directly from the TV or shifting a call from iPhone to TV seamlessly.
Messages: More Powerful and User-friendly
Apple has improved the messages app, introducing auto transcription for audio messages and a swift reply option with a simple swipe gesture. The Live Stickers feature leverages the “Remove Subject from Background” option from iOS 16 to create fun stickers for messages.
Safety with the Check-In Feature
The Check-In feature is designed with safety in mind, allowing users to share their progress towards a destination with a contact, including crucial details like battery level and cell service status if progress stalls.
StandBy Display for Charging
When charging, users can have an always-on display, showing a range of information including time, widgets, and Siri results, all in larger visuals for easier viewing from a distance.
NameDrop and SharePlay for Easier Sharing
Sharing has never been easier with the NameDrop feature for contact sharing and improved SharePlay connections for content sharing on compatible apps.
Autocorrect and Speech Dictation Improvements
With on-device machine learning, autocorrect now fixes a broader range of grammatical errors, while speech dictation benefits from a new speech recognition model.
New Journal App
The new Journal app encourages users to maintain a journal, offering personalized suggestions drawn from recent activities to inspire entries.
AirPods and Siri Updates
AirPods receive new features enhancing audio and call control functionalities. Meanwhile, Siri becomes more accessible, responding to just “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri”, and facilitating a series of commands without repeated activations.
Photos App Recognizes Pets
Animal lovers will appreciate the Photos app’s ability to recognize and identify specific dogs or cats, much like it does with human faces.
Protective Features
New sensitive content warnings aim to shield adult users from unwelcome nude images and videos, enhancing user safety.
Accessibility Features
iOS 17 brings remarkable accessibility features, including “Live Speech” for non-speaking users, “Personal Voice” for individuals at risk of speech loss, and “Point and Speak” to assist blind or low-vision users.
For an in-depth look at all the features iOS 17 has to offer, head over to the Apple page.