With the release of iOS 17 software update, Apple has introduced a range of new features and improvements that aim to enhance communication, streamline sharing, and provide users with more intelligent input options. From personalised contact posters to innovative messaging capabilities, iOS 17 offers a host of exciting experiences. Let's explore some of the key highlights of this incredible update.
The Major updates are with the three essential apps that shape our daily interactions:
- Phone
- FaceTime
- Messages
Phone:
The Phone app in iOS 17 software update revolutionises the way you express yourself and connect with others. This major update brings personalised contact posters, allowing you to customise your representation when making calls. With stunning visual treatments and captivating typography, these contact posters create a consistent and eye-catching identity across various communication platforms.
Similar to personalising your Lock screen, customising your contact poster is a breeze. You have the freedom to choose the perfect image, font, and colours, offering endless possibilities for personalisation. As a result, incoming calls from different contacts, be it your neighbour, friend, or boss, will stand out in a refreshing and distinctive way. Furthermore, this feature seamlessly integrates with Callkit, ensuring that posters also appear for calls made through third-party VoIP apps.
Additionally, iOS 17 introduces an empowering feature called Live Voicemail, designed to help you make more informed decisions about answering incoming calls. When you receive a call from an unknown number or even someone you know, their message will be transcribed in real time on your screen. This allows you to quickly assess the urgency of the call and decide whether to answer it immediately or wait for a more suitable time. This feature proves particularly handy during meetings, enabling you to determine if a call requires your immediate attention without interrupting the proceedings.
Live Voicemail leverages the power of the Neural Engine, processing the transcriptions on your device to ensure your privacy is preserved. Whether you need to respond to an important call promptly or wish to prioritise calls from friends and family, this feature provides real-time access to voicemail transcriptions, keeping you informed and in control.
FaceTime:
FaceTime gets a significant upgrade in iOS 17. If your contacts are unavailable, you can now record and send them video messages, ensuring that you can always stay connected even when they're not around. This feature adds a new dimension to your FaceTime experience, making it more versatile and convenient.
Message:
The Message app in iOS 17 software update offers a faster and more convenient messaging experience with a range of enhancements. One notable improvement is the powerful and precise search feature, now equipped with search filters. These filters allow you to add specific terms to refine your search results, making it effortless to find particular messages or conversations. Additionally, a new catch-up arrow in the top right corner of your conversation enables you to quickly jump to the top of unread messages, saving you time and effort, especially during busy group chats.
Replying to messages is now even faster thanks to the new swipe to reply functionality. You can promptly respond to messages without interrupting your workflow, enhancing your productivity. Another exciting addition is the ability to convert audio messages into text, enabling you to conveniently read and respond to voice messages when you are unable to listen to them immediately.
Furthermore, location sharing receives a significant boost with the introduction of inline location. You can now track your friends' whereabouts within the conversation itself. An exceptional feature called Check In allows you to notify your loved ones when you arrive home safely or engage in specific activities. This automated system can detect deviations from your expected progress and alert your contacts accordingly, ensuring your safety and providing peace of mind. In the event of unexpected circumstances during your journey, it recognises if you're not making progress towards your destination and checks in with you. If you don't respond, it automatically shares useful information such as your current location, route, battery level, and cell service status with your contacts. Importantly, all information shared with your contacts is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring privacy and security.
Moreover, the update brings a refreshed design for accessing all your iMessage apps. Previously located above the keyboard, the apps are now gracefully tucked away, giving your conversations a sleek and new look. The Stickers experience is also enhanced, featuring a brand-new drawer that consolidates all your stickers in one place. You'll find recently used stickers, Memoji, and any downloaded sticker packs conveniently accessible. Additionally, all emojis can be converted into stickers, and you even have the option to create stickers from your own images.
AirDrop:
Taking sharing to a new level, AirDrop now includes a feature called NameDrop. By simply bringing two iPhones close together, you can instantly share contact information with a personalised contact poster. This seamless sharing functionality extends beyond contacts to include phone numbers, email addresses, and even photos. Additionally, when you need to send a large video file or a batch of photos and can't stay within AirDrop range, you can now step away knowing that your content will continue to be securely sent in full quality over the internet.
NameDrop is compatible with both iPhones and Apple Watches, providing a convenient and efficient way to exchange information with a simple tap. Moreover, this same gesture makes it easier than ever to AirDrop content and initiate shared experiences. You can bring your devices together to instantly start a SharePlay activity, such as sharing music while going for a run, ensuring everyone stays on the same beat. For developers, this feature works seamlessly with apps that support SharePlay, enabling users to watch the same livestream on Twitch or participate in coding games together, like Imagi. Sharing has never been simpler or more accessible.
Keyboards:
iOS 17 takes your typing experience to new heights with intelligent enhancements to the keyboard. At the core of accurate typing on your iPhone is the improved autocorrect feature. Utilising a cutting-edge Transformer language model, the keyboard's autocorrect has become more precise than ever. Thanks to the power of Apple silicon, your iPhone can now run this model seamlessly with every keystroke. Autocorrect has also been made more capable, featuring a refreshed design that better supports you as you type. Sentence-level autocorrections can now rectify a wider range of grammatical mistakes. If an autocorrection doesn't match your intended input, simply tapping the underlined word reveals your original text, allowing you to swiftly revert back to it. Moreover, the keyboard now learns and remembers the words you intentionally type, even those that may be mistaken for profanities. In terms of speeding up your typing, predictive text has been a helpful feature, allowing you to quickly complete, add, or modify words. With iOS 17, you'll now receive predictions in real-time as you type, right above the space bar. This makes finishing a word or an entire sentence as effortless as a single tap. Furthermore, the predictive text becomes more personalised over time as it adapts to the phrases and words you commonly use.
New Experiences:
Discovering the beauty of life's precious moments can be a truly powerful experience. iOS 17 introduces an exciting new feature to help you not only reminisce but also document your experiences with rich details. Say hello to "Journal," a brand-new app heading to iPhone later this year. Embracing the art of gratitude and its positive impact on well-being, Journal makes it effortless to start and enjoy the benefits of journaling.
By leveraging on-device machine learning, your iPhone becomes a personal source of inspiration, suggesting moments for you to write about. These prompts intelligently draw from various aspects of your life, such as photos, locations, music, workouts, and more. The best part is that you remain in full control, deciding which suggestions to include and save in your Journal. It's a convenient and personalised way to preserve your thoughts, ideas, and cherished memories.
iOS 17 doesn't just stop there; it also enhances your iPhone experience when you're not actively using it. Introducing "StandBy," an ingenious feature that activates when you turn your iPhone on its side while charging. This full-screen, glanceable display provides useful information at a distance, making it perfect for your nightstand, kitchen counter, or desk. For iPhone 14 Pro users, the Always-On Display keeps StandBy continuously available, enriching your daily routine.
StandBy effortlessly shuffles through your best photos, utilising the entire screen's potential. Additionally, it optimises widgets, ensuring that essential information is presented in a quick and easily digestible manner. With your iPhone in hand or at a distance, iOS 17 brings innovative ways to cherish and access your treasured moments.
In conclusion, iOS 17 presents a range of new features and improvements that revolutionise communication, sharing, and input on Apple devices. With personalised contact posters, simplified sharing options, enhanced messaging capabilities, and innovative experiences like Journal and StandBy, iOS 17 delivers a more expressive, streamlined, and intelligent user experience. Whether you're connecting with loved ones, sharing moments, or simply typing a message, iOS 17 ensures that your interactions are engaging, efficient, and tailored to your preferences.