While the new Vision Pro AR headset might have been the big reveal from Apple’s WWDC23 developer conference, we still saw plenty of fantastic updates for the iPhone through an iOS 17 preview. The updates were mostly about maintaining and improving the iOS experience. Overall, we liked what we saw and there are some features to get excited about now that iOS 17 is available.
Our favorite new iOS 17 features touch on a few different aspects of Apple iOS. We love the new personalization features like Contact Posters and StandBy mode for when your iPhone is charging. Plus, there were also health and safety upgrades that allow you to monitor your mental health, use Apple Maps offline, and access the new Check In feature for iMessage. Finally, there were also quality of life updates like autocorrect improvements and new communication features like Live Voicemail and FaceTime messages.
Read on to learn about all these iOS 17 features in detail.
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Contact Posters
Contact Posters allow you to create a special contact screen that appears on other Apple devices when you place a phone call.
These posters are fully customizable. You can select the photo and how your name appears on other devices. The font that spells your name can also be adjusted with new typography and colors. If you don't want to use an actual photo, that's alright too! The Contact Posters feature can also use your personal Memoji instead.
Live Voicemail & FaceTime messages
Apple is introducing two new voicemail features with iOS 17: Live Voicemail and FaceTime messages.
Live Voicemail is the next step for Apple's Visual Voicemail system that shows the text of a voicemail after it's been left on your phone. Instead of waiting for a voicemail to end before you can see the text, Live Voicemail shows a real-time transcription of the message as it is being created. This allows you to read it and decide if you'd like to answer the call before the voicemail is finished. As an added bonus, Apple claims this system works with carriers to tell the difference between real calls and spam calls, so you should never have to read a Live Voicemail of a scammer.
The other voicemail development iOS 17 finally delivers the ability to leave FaceTime messages. In the past, if someone didn't answer your FaceTime call, you probably had to send an iMessage explaining what you wanted to talk about. Those days are over. You can now leave short video and audio messages directly in the FaceTime app for them to view later.
Improved autocorrect
We've all been there. You know what you want to type, but your iPhone's autocorrect feature changes what you wrote to the wrong ducking word.
Luckily, iOS 17 is bringing some major improvements to the autocorrect system. Apple claims that it's using a machine learning language model to improve word prediction and learn new words as you type. These developments should help the autocorrect function better for unusual names and those pesky swear words. Plus, for the times that autocorrect still corrects a word that didn't need fixing, you can easily tap the word to undo the feature.
Apple Maps offline & Check In
Two new safety features coming with iOS 17 are Apple Maps offline and the Check In feature for iMessage.
Apple Maps offline allows you to download maps of specific areas and receive turn-by-turn navigation when your phone is offline. This is a great feature when traveling in areas with poor cell service. Apple is also using this feature to improve Maps for outdoor lovers with more access to hiking trail data.
Check In is a new feature for iMessage that alerts friends and family when you reach a destination safely. You simply send a Check In alert with the destination you are traveling to through iMessage. The feature tracks your device and automatically alerts the recipients of your message when you reach your destination. If Check In detects you aren't making progress, it'll send a message to the recipient sharing your location, battery level, and cell service status.
StandBy
StandBy mode is a new feature for your iPhone when it is on its side and charging. The device turns into a screen with glanceable information, like the current time, your favorite photos, weather, and interactive widgets. The feature also adapts to ambient surroundings and remembers specific charging locations. So, it knows how to act as an alarm clock for the bedroom and as a personal assistant for the office.
Best iOS 17 features: FAQs
When is iOS 17 coming out?
iOS 17 was released in the fall of 2023.
What iPhones will have iOS 17?
iOS 17 includes the iPhone XS and all the generations that follow. That includes the popular iPhone 14 series and iPhone SE (3rd Gen). iOS 17 will not support the base model iPhone X, the iPhone 8 series, or any previous models.
Will the iPhone 15 come with iOS 17?
Apple released the iPhone 15 in September 2023. It arrived with iOS 17.
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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