Apple, on June 5, announced iOS 17, a major release that upgrades the communications experience across Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, making sharing even easier with AirDrop and providing more intelligent input that improves the speed and accuracy of typing.
iOS 17 also introduces new experiences with Journal, an app that makes it easy for people to practice gratitude and StandBy, a new way to view glanceable information when iPhone is set down and charging.
The Phone app receives a big update with personalised Contact Posters, providing a new way for users to express themselves. Users can customise how they appear, bringing a new look to incoming calls, and choose beautiful treatments for photos or Memoji, as well as eye-catching typography and font colours.
Live Voicemail gives users the ability to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Calls identified as spam by carriers won't appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined.
FaceTime supports audio and video messages so when users call someone who is not available, they can share a message that can be enjoyed later. FaceTime will support voice and video messages so when users call someone who is not available, they can share a moment or message that can be enjoyed later.
Messages gets significant updates with iOS 17, including an all-new stickers experience with new emoji stickers and the ability to create Live Stickers by lifting subjects from photos. Users can also add effects to Live Stickers that bring them to life and a new drawer in the keyboard puts all of a user's stickers in one place for easier access across iOS.
Messages introduces Check In, an important feature for when a user wants to notify a family member or friend that they have made it to their destination safely.
With iOS 17, AirDrop gets new ways to share. NameDrop allows users to easily share contact information by simply bringing their iPhones together or by bringing an iPhone and Apple Watch together. With the same gesture, users can also share content or start SharePlay to listen to music, watch a movie, or play a game while in close proximity between iPhone devices.
Autocorrect receives a comprehensive update with a transformer language model, a state-of-the-art on-device machine learning language model for word prediction — improving the experience and accuracy for users every time they type.
StandBy, giving users a full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging.
Journal is a new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling, which has been shown to improve well-being.
In an exciting update to Apple TV 4K, FaceTime extends to the biggest screen in the home. Powered by Continuity Camera, users can initiate a video call directly from Apple TV or start the call on iPhone and then hand it off to Apple TV, to see friends and family on their TV. With Center Stage, users will have perfect framing even as they move around the room.
The developer beta of iOS 17 is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this autumn as a free software update for iPhone Xs and later. Visit apple.com/ios/ios-17-preview.
