iOS 17 Release: See What’s New in iPhone Features
Apple enthusiasts, get ready to elevate your iPhone experience with the highly anticipated iOS 17. This week marks the official release of Apple’s latest operating system, promising a plethora of new features aimed at enhancing user personalization and intuitiveness.
Although Apple first teased iOS 17 at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference in June, the spotlight was briefly diverted as the tech giant also unveiled its groundbreaking mixed-reality Vision Pro headset on the same day. Now, iPhone users can seize the opportunity to update to iOS 17, commencing this Monday, by navigating to the Software Update section within the Settings app. For those who tend to err on the side of caution, it’s customary to back up essential photos and files before embarking on a software update journey or perhaps wait for the subsequent version release in the coming weeks, should any initial bugs arise.
Here’s a glimpse of the most buzzworthy and eagerly anticipated features awaiting iPhone users with the advent of iOS 17.
Live Voicemail and Enhanced FaceTime Video Messages
- Introducing Live Voicemail, a feature that transcribes incoming caller messages in real-time, affording users the choice to decide whether to answer the call while the caller records a message.
- Unknown numbers will be automatically directed to Live Voicemail if the “Silence Unknown Callers” setting is activated.
- FaceTime now allows users to leave video messages if a recipient does not answer a video call.
- Facetime calls gain an expressive edge with new reactions like hearts, balloons, fireworks, and more, triggered through simple gestures.
‘Siri’ Activation
- Saying just “Siri” is now sufficient to activate Apple’s voice assistant, eliminating the need for the preceding “Hey Siri.”
- Siri is also primed to handle back-to-back requests more seamlessly after activation.
NameDrop Feature for Contact Sharing
- iOS 17 introduces the NameDrop feature, simplifying the exchange of contact information by allowing iPhone users to share names and Contact Posters by bringing their devices close, similar to AirDropping.
- Contact Posters enable users to customize their caller ID photo, creating a consistent visual identity for their calls.
Autocorrect Enhancement
- Autocorrect receives a comprehensive update featuring a transformer language model, enhancing word prediction.
- Sentence-level autocorrections are introduced to rectify various grammatical errors.
- Predictive text recommendations now appear in-line as users type, facilitating word or sentence completion with a simple tap of the space bar.
- The iOS keyboard learns user typing habits over time, accommodating frequent misspellings while respecting intentionally entered words.
StandBy Mode and Journal App
- StandBy, a new full-screen experience, offers glanceable information when the iPhone is placed on its side and charging.
- Users can customize the display with a clock, favourite photos, or frequently used widgets.
- Apple introduces the Journal app, designed to encourage reflection and gratitude through daily journaling, set to be available in a later software update.
iOS 17 promises a plethora of additional features and improvements, making it worthwhile for iPhone users to explore the 17-page guide provided by Apple for a comprehensive overview of all the exciting additions coming their way.
