The Top New Features in Apple’s iOS 17 and iPad 17
The Top New Features in Apple’s iOS 17 and iPad 17
Apple recently unveiled its latest mobile operating system, iOS 17, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
Alongside new hardware and updates to iPadOS and MacOS, iOS 17 brings many exciting features to enhance your iPhone experience. In this article, we will explore the top new features of iOS 17 and give you a glimpse into what to expect from the upcoming iPadOS 17.
Is Your iPhone or iPad Compatible?
Before we dive into the new features, it’s essential to check if your device is compatible with iOS 17. Apple has discontinued software support for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. However, if you own an iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or a newer model (including the second- and third-gen iPhone SE), you can download and run iOS 17. Keep in mind that certain features may require more modern processors.
For iPad users, compatibility depends on the generation of your device:
- iPad: Sixth-gen and later
- iPad Mini: Fifth-gen and later
- iPad Air: Third-gen and later
- iPad Pro: Second-gen and later
When Will iOS and iPadOS 17 Arrive?
While iOS 17 is in the developer beta stage, Apple plans to release a public beta in July. This allows anyone interested to try out the software, although it’s important to remember that beta versions can be buggy, so it’s advisable to back up your device before installation. The final versions of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are expected to launch in September, following the annual iPhone event.
Top iOS 17 Features
iOS 17 introduces exciting features designed to enhance your iPhone experience. Here are some of the top features to look forward to:
Fresh Contact Posters
Contact Posters offer a new way to personalize your calling experience. When calling someone in your address book, you can customize the screen on their iPhone with a photo or Memoji of yourself, along with custom fonts and colours. These posters also work with third-party calling apps and appear in your Contacts app and in other areas where you share your information, such as NameDrop.
AirDrop and NameDrop
NameDrop is a new AirDrop feature that allows you to share contact information with another iPhone by simply placing the two devices beside each other. You can choose which emails and phone numbers to share and even use this feature to share content or engage in SharePlay activities, such as listening to the same music. AirDrop is upgrading, enabling you to step away from the sender while receiving high-resolution media files, which will be sent over the Internet.
Live Voicemail
iOS 17 introduces a live transcription feature for voicemails. When someone leaves you a voicemail, you can see the transcription in real-time on your screen. This feature allows you to quickly assess the importance of a voicemail and choose whether to answer the call immediately.
Messages and FaceTime Upgrades
The Messages app receives several minor but useful tweaks. You can now check in with a friend or family member when you arrive at a destination, and if you delay along the way, the system will attempt to check in with you. If you don’t respond, it will share location data, battery level, and cell service status with your designated contact. Apple assures users that this data is end-to-end encrypted.
FaceTime also gets upgraded, with video or audio messages for unanswered calls. FaceTime is now compatible with Apple TV.
Adaptive Audio
iOS 17 introduces Adaptive Audio, a feature that enhances your listening experience by dynamically adjusting audio output based on your environment. This means your device will automatically change the sound settings to optimize for different scenarios, such as wearing headphones, using external speakers, or in a noisy environment. Adaptive Audio aims to provide a more immersive and personalized audio experience across various situations.
Enhanced Privacy Features
Apple has always prioritized user privacy and iOS 17 continues this trend with enhanced privacy features. The Mail app now offers Mail Privacy Protection, which hides your IP address and prevents senders from knowing when you’ve opened an email. Siri also gets a privacy boost with on-device speech recognition, meaning your voice requests are processed locally on your device without being sent to Apple’s servers.
Focus Mode
With iOS 17, Apple introduces Focus Mode, a feature that helps you stay in the zone and minimize distractions. You can create custom focus modes based on activities or contexts, such as work, personal time, or fitness. In focus mode, you can customize your notifications only to allow important contacts and apps to reach you, reducing interruptions and increasing productivity.
iPad 17 Features
While iOS 17 brings significant updates to iPhones, iPad users can also look forward to some exciting features in iPadOS 17. Here are a few notable additions:
Multitasking Enhancements
iPadOS 17 enhances multitasking capabilities, making it easier to work with multiple apps simultaneously. You can now create multiple instances of the same app, allowing different documents or views to be opened side by side. The multitasking interface has been redesigned for improved usability, making switching between apps and creating split-screen views more intuitive.
Home Screen Widgets
Like iOS 14, iPadOS 17 introduces home screen widgets that provide at-a-glance information and quick access to app functions. You can customize your home screen with widgets of various sizes and place them alongside your app icons. This allows for a more personalized and information-rich home screen experience on your iPad.
App Library
iPadOS 17 brings the App Library feature to iPads, allowing you to organize and access your apps more efficiently. The App Library automatically categorizes your apps into folders based on their functionality, making finding and launching the apps you need easier. It offers a clutter-free way to manage your app collection and keeps your home screen organized.
These are just a few of the many exciting features coming to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Apple continues innovating and improving its operating systems to provide users with a seamless and enhanced experience.
Please note that the above features are based on the information available until my last training update in September 2021. It’s always a good idea to check Apple’s official announcements and documentation for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the features and release dates of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Live Text
iOS 17 introduces Live Text, a feature that leverages the power of on-device machine learning to recognize and extract text from images in real-time. With Live Text, you can easily interact with text in photos, screenshots, and even the camera viewfinder. You can select, copy, and paste text from images, perform searches, and even translate text directly from the visual context.
Offline Siri
In iOS 17, Siri can process specific requests offline without an internet connection. This means that even in an area with poor or no internet connectivity, you can still use Siri to perform tasks like setting timers, alarms, sending messages, controlling device settings, and more. Offline Siri enhances the usability and reliability of Apple’s virtual assistant, ensuring that you can rely on Siri even in challenging network conditions.
Redesigned Notifications
iOS 17 brings a redesigned notification experience to improve your interaction with incoming alerts and messages. The notifications now appear more compact and stacked, making scanning and managing them more accessible. You can also customize notification preferences directly from the lock screen or the notification centre, giving you more control over which apps and contacts can interrupt you.
Improved FaceTime
FaceTime receives several enhancements in iOS 17, making it more inclusive and feature-rich. FaceTime now supports spatial Audio, making your conversations more natural and immersive. The new SharePlay feature allows you to watch movies, listen to music, or share your screen with friends during FaceTime calls. FaceTime also offers portrait mode, blurring the background and putting the Focus on you during video calls.
Improved Maps
In iOS 17, Apple Maps receives further improvements to enhance your navigation experience. The app introduces more detailed maps, more precisely representing roads, buildings, parks, and other landmarks. Maps also offer sweetened transit directions, allowing you to navigate public transportation more efficiently. You can now pin your favourite locations, create collections of places, and even explore new cities with interactive 3D views.
These are just a few more features that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 bring to your devices. As always, it’s recommended to refer to Apple’s official announcements and documentation for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the features and release dates of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Enhanced Privacy Features
Privacy is a top priority for Apple, and iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 come with additional privacy features to give users more control over their data. The App Privacy Report provides a detailed overview of how apps access your data, including information on which apps use your microphone, camera, or location in the background. You can also see a summary of the permissions granted to each app and make informed decisions about which apps you trust with your personal information.
Focus Mode
With iOS 17, Apple introduces Focus Mode, a new feature that helps you stay in the zone and minimize distractions. You can customize different focus modes based on your activities or locations, allowing you to filter incoming notifications and limit interruptions from apps and contacts. Whether you’re working, studying, or want uninterrupted downtime, Focus Mode empowers you to create a personalized environment that aligns with your needs.
Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Mail
In iOS 17, the Mail app incorporates Intelligent Tracking Prevention to enhance email privacy. This feature prevents senders from knowing when you open an email and masks your IP address, making it harder for advertisers and third parties to track your online activity. By safeguarding your privacy within the Mail app, Apple takes steps to protect your personal information and maintain a secure email experience.
Improved Weather App
The Weather app receives a significant update in iOS 17, bringing more detailed and visually appealing weather information. You can now experience full-screen weather maps, including temperature, precipitation, and wind patterns. The new design provides a more comprehensive view of weather conditions, allowing you to plan your day accordingly. Additionally, the Weather app offers more personalized and localized weather data, delivering hyperlocal forecasts based on your current location.
Health App Enhancements
The Health app in iOS 17 receives several enhancements to help you monitor and manage your well-being more effectively. The app introduces new health metrics, including respiratory rate and respiratory sleep rate, providing insights into your respiratory health during sleep. It also adds trend analysis, allowing you to track changes and patterns in your health data over time. With these improvements, the Health app becomes an even more powerful tool for maintaining a holistic view of your health and wellness.
These are just a few more features that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 bring to your devices. As always, it’s recommended to refer to Apple’s official announcements and documentation for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the features and release dates of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Enhanced Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 further advance augmented reality experiences by introducing new tools and capabilities for developers. With improved ARKit, developers can create more realistic and immersive AR applications. This includes features like object occlusion, which allows virtual objects to appear more seamlessly integrated into the real world by accurately recognizing and obscuring real-world objects that should be hidden behind them.
Redesigned Reminders App
The Reminders app gets a new look and enhanced functionality in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The redesigned interface offers a more organized and intuitive experience, making creating, managing, and prioritizing tasks and reminders easier. You can create smart lists that automatically organize reminders based on due dates, tags, or other custom criteria. The app also introduces new collaboration features, allowing you to share and collaborate on reminders with family, friends, or colleagues.
Improved Multitasking on iPad
iPadOS 17 significantly improves Multitasking, enhancing productivity and ease of use. The new Quick Note feature lets you jot down notes and ideas from any app or screen, making capturing thoughts convenient without interrupting your workflow. Additionally, iPadOS 17 introduces enhanced Split View capabilities, allowing multiple instances of the same app open simultaneously. This enables seamless Multitasking, whether you’re working on a document while referencing another or using various models of an app for different tasks.
Live Text and Visual Look Up
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 introduce powerful new features that leverage machine learning to extract text from images and provide instant information. The live text allows you to select and interact with text in photos, screenshots, and even the live camera view. You can copy and paste text, look up definitions, and perform quick actions directly from the extracted text. Visual Look Up utilizes machine learning to recognize objects, landmarks, and artwork in photos and provides relevant information, including detailed descriptions, Wikipedia links, and more.
Improved FaceTime Experience
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 enhance the FaceTime experience with new features and improvements. Spatial Audio brings a more immersive and natural sound experience, making it feel like voices are coming from the direction each person is positioned on the screen. Portrait mode in FaceTime blurs the background and puts the Focus on you, creating a professional and polished look during video calls. FaceTime links make scheduling and joining FaceTime calls easier, even for participants who are not using Apple devices.
These are just a few more features that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 offer to enhance your overall user experience. Remember that certain features’ availability may depend on the device model and other factors. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it’s recommended to refer to Apple’s official announcements and documentation.
Focus Mode
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 introduce the Focus mode, a new way to minimize distractions and optimize productivity. With Focus, you can create custom modes that filter notifications and customize your device’s behaviour based on your current activity or location. For example, you can set up a Work mode that only allows notifications from work-related apps and contacts while silencing personal notifications. This helps you focus on your tasks and reduce interruptions during critical moments.
Privacy Enhancements
Privacy has always been a priority for Apple, and iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 come with new privacy features to give users even more control over their data. App Privacy Reports provide a detailed overview of how apps use your permissions, such as accessing your location, camera, or microphone. This empowers you to decide which apps you trust with your personal information.
Mail Privacy Protection enhances email privacy by preventing senders from knowing when you open an email and masking your IP address. This feature helps protect your privacy and reduces the effectiveness of email tracking techniques.
Improved Maps
The Maps app receives notable updates in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The new 3D view with enhanced details offers a more immersive and realistic experience when exploring cities and landmarks. You can navigate through intricate roadways, view buildings in stunning detail, and get a better sense of the environment. Maps also introduce a new interactive globe view, allowing you to spin the globe and explore different regions with a touch.
Redesigned Weather App
The Weather app is redesigned in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, providing a visually appealing and informative experience. The new interface offers dynamic weather animations, rich backgrounds reflecting current conditions, and more detailed data like precipitation levels, UV index, and air quality. You can also view weather conditions for multiple locations simultaneously, making it convenient for travellers or those who want to stay informed about various regions.
Enhanced Accessibility Features
Apple continues its commitment to accessibility by introducing new features to assist users with different needs. iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 advance VoiceOver, allowing users to explore and interact with images in more detail. The Magnifier feature now includes built-in optical character recognition (OCR), enabling users to capture and read text from images or documents using the device’s camera.
Additionally, Sound Actions for Switch Control provide a new way for individuals with motor disabilities to navigate and control their devices using only sound or vocal commands. This expands accessibility options and empowers more users to utilize their iOS or iPadOS devices fully.
These are just a few more features and improvements that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 offer. Apple consistently strives to enhance the user experience and introduce innovative features with each software update.
Live Text
One of the standout features in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is Live Text. With Live Text, you can now interact with text in photos and screenshots like regular text. You can select, copy, paste, and even translate text directly from images. Whether you want to extract a phone number from a photo or translate foreign text on the go, Live Text makes it easier and more convenient.
Focus on Health
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 place a greater emphasis on health and well-being. The Health app receives significant updates with new features like Trends and Walking Steadiness. Trends allow you to monitor changes in your health metrics over time, providing valuable insights into your well-being. Walking Steadiness helps you assess your risk of falling by analyzing your balance and stability while walking.
Sleep tracking is also enhanced, with improved algorithms providing more accurate sleep pattern data. You can now view sleep-related metrics in the Health app, helping you better understand your sleep quality and adjust for a healthier lifestyle.
Enhanced FaceTime Experience
Apple continues to improve the FaceTime experience with new features in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Portrait mode in FaceTime adds a professional touch to your video calls by blurring the background and keeping the Focus on you. This feature creates a more immersive and engaging visual experience, whether using FaceTime for personal or professional conversations.
FaceTime also introduces Spatial Audio, making your calls feel more lifelike and natural. Spatial Audio uses advanced audio algorithms to create a surround sound-like experience, where voices sound like they’re coming from the direction of the person speaking. This adds depth and clarity to your conversations, making it easier to follow multiple participants and feel more connected.
Improved Siri
Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has become even more capable and intelligent in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Siri can now perform on-device speech recognition, which means many tasks can be completed without relying on an internet connection. This not only enhances privacy but also allows for faster response times and improved reliability.
In addition, Siri gains new knowledge domains and can answer an even more comprehensive range of questions. From trivia to sports scores, Siri is ready to assist you with a wealth of information. Siri’s voice is also more natural and expressive, making interactions with the assistant more conversational and engaging.
These are just a few more features and improvements that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 offer. Apple continues to innovate and refine its operating systems to provide users with a seamless and enjoyable experience on their iOS and iPad devices.
Enhanced Privacy Features
Privacy is a top priority for Apple, and iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 come with enhanced privacy features to give users more control over their data. One notable addition is the App Privacy Report. This feature provides a detailed overview of how apps use your permissions, such as accessing your location, camera, microphone, and more. It allows you to easily spot any potential privacy concerns and make informed decisions about your apps.
Another privacy enhancement is Mail Privacy Protection. This feature prevents senders from knowing when you open an email and masks your IP address, making it harder for spammers and marketers to track your online activity.
Home Screen Customization
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 introduce new options for home screen customization, allowing you to personalize your device even further. Widgets have become more versatile and can be placed anywhere on the home screen, not just in the Today View. You can resize widgets, stack them together, and create unique layouts that suit your preferences.
App Library, introduced in iOS 14, receives improvements in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. You can now hide entire pages in the App Library, decluttering your home screen and organizing your apps more efficiently. With the addition of an app search, you can quickly find and launch any app from the App Library.
Enhanced Multitasking on iPad
iPadOS 17 takes Multitasking on iPads to a new level with enhanced features and flexibility. You can now open multiple instances of the same app in Split View, allowing you to work with different documents or content side by side. This is particularly useful when referencing information or comparing multiple files.
The Slide Over feature, which lets you quickly access apps in a floating window, now supports more apps simultaneously. You can have several apps stacked together and promptly swipe between them for seamless Multitasking. The App Switcher has also been redesigned, making managing and switching between your open apps easier.
Improved Maps and Navigation
Apple Maps received significant updates in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, providing a more detailed and immersive navigation experience. The new Maps features enhanced 3D views, offering a realistic representation of landmarks, buildings, and terrain. You can explore cities in stunning detail and get a better sense of your surroundings.
Maps also introduce new transit features, including enhanced public transit directions and real-time updates. You can easily plan your route using buses, trains, and other public transportation options, with live updates on arrivals and departures.
These are just a few more features and improvements that iOS 17 beta and iPadOS 17 offer. Apple continues to innovate and refine its operating systems to provide users with a seamless and enjoyable experience on their iOS and iPad devices.
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