Introduction:
All right, another year, another version of iOS coming to an iPhone near you. It seems like usually these updates get smaller and smaller and less and less crazy, but it feels like this year, for whatever reason, Apple has packed a ton of stuff into iOS 17. This is gonna be launching in September when the new iPhone comes out on everybody’s iPhone, but it’s in beta now and I’ve been using it, and there’s a lot of stuff here. I’m gonna try to pack it into a top five, but it was kind of hard.
I’ve been using this iOS 17 beta for a few weeks now. The public beta is out, so if you wanna try it before the new iPhone even comes out, you can do that. But let’s take a look at the five most impressive new things that are coming to the iPhone. But as we go through this, I do want you to keep something in the back of your head. Just keep this in mind. A lot of times in the past, those features that we’d get were really, really big because they were new capabilities. Most, if not all of these features depend on having another iPhone in the mix. Whether your friend has an iPhone or your family has an iPhone, you need two iPhones for a lot of this stuff to work. Just something to keep in the back of your head.
vbnet Copy code1. Airdrop – NameDrop
Airdrop is one of those features that when it works, it feels like it’s one of the best things ever, but sometimes it’s glitchy and doesn’t work as expected. In iOS 17, Apple is expanding Airdrop to be more capable and easier to use. The big one is “NameDrop,” where you can walk up to another person who also has an iPhone and bump your phones together. By doing this, you can transfer contact information and other content with a single touch. It’s pretty cool, and you can even choose which information you want to share. This feature enhances Airdrop’s usability and makes it more versatile for sharing various types of content.
2. Personal Voice – Accessibility Feature
“Personal Voice” is an accessibility setting in iOS 17 that allows users to create their own synthesized voice. By saying a series of phrases into the microphone, the iPhone compiles all of the user’s voice and stitches together a new voice that can say anything they want. This feature is designed for people who may be at risk of losing their voice or have conditions like MTD (Muscle Tension Dysphonia). It allows them to create a voice that still sounds like them and use it to interact with the world. It’s a powerful and thoughtful addition to iOS 17.
3. The Little Things – Useful Tweaks
iOS 17 comes with various small but welcome improvements to stock apps. The keyboard gets smarter with transformer-based autocorrect and improved dictation, making typing faster and more accurate. Widgets are now interactive, allowing users to view and interact with information without opening the app. Additionally, the Messages app introduces a new “Check In” feature, enabling users to share their location and updates with others easily. These little tweaks add up to a more refined and enjoyable user experience.
4. Standby Mode – Smart Home Display
Standby Mode is a standout feature that turns your iPhone into a smart home display. When your iPhone is charging and horizontal, it triggers the standby mode, which displays a clock and customizable widgets or photos in the background. This mode resembles the Apple Watch’s display, with preset layouts that you can swipe through and choose from. Siri’s conversational mode and seamless activation further enhance the home display experience. Standby Mode is an excellent addition for those who already own an iPhone and provides a useful alternative to a home pod.
5. The Phone – Enhanced Phone App and FaceTime
The Phone app receives several nice improvements in iOS 17. Contact posters enable users to set up their own contact image, which is automatically updated in others’ contacts if they have an iPhone. Voicemails now come with live transcriptions, allowing users to read the voicemail as it’s being left. FaceTime also gets voicemail in the form of video messages, which can be sent if the other person doesn’t pick up during a FaceTime call. These features make the Phone app and FaceTime more efficient and enjoyable to use.
Conclusion:
iOS 17 is undoubtedly one of the biggest and best updates to iOS in a long time. With a plethora of new features and enhancements, it takes the iPhone experience to new heights. While some features may require another iPhone in the mix, they showcase the power of Apple’s ecosystem. From Airdrop’s NameDrop to the thoughtful Personal Voice feature and the various small tweaks and improvements, iOS 17 offers a wealth of capabilities and improvements that will delight iPhone users worldwide. Upgrade to iOS 17 and experience the future of iPhone technology!