Revolutionary Upgrades in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17

Apple unveiled its latest operating systems, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, during the WWDC keynote event on June 5, 2023. These updates, which will be offered as free downloads to iPhone and iPad users, are set to roll out in the fall and will introduce a host of new features and improvements.

What’s Coming to iOS 17?

The iPhone runs on iOS, an operating system that receives significant updates every fall. The latest release, iOS 16, became available on September 12, 2022. Anticipate the next update to arrive in mid-September 2023. While there are already some impressive features announced, keep an eye out for any surprise additions like those found in previous releases.

Improvements to the Messages App

iOS 17 has brought significant enhancements to the Messages app, with the introduction of Check In feature being one of the notable ones. This feature ensures the safety of your loved ones by keeping them informed about your whereabouts. With Check In, you can set up automatic notifications to family and friends when you reach home safely, and also receive alerts in case of any delays or issues. Additionally, you can choose to share your battery percentage and cellular reception details for better communication.

The Messages interface within a chat window has undergone improvements by Apple. The previous cluttered row of iMessage apps has been replaced by a single “Plus” button, which hides all additional sharing and interaction features. This button facilitates sharing photos, initiating a Check In session, sending Memoji, and more. Additionally, the Stickers feature has been updated with a new interface that consolidates all stickers in one place, regardless of their source. The feature now allows for all emojis to be used as stickers and isolated subjects from photos can be quickly turned into stickers. Furthermore, Live Photos can be transformed into animated “Live Stickers”.

Using the tapback menu, you have the option to add stickers as reactions, and you can also utilize the stickers you have accumulated in third-party apps. Additionally, the introduction of filters in the in-app search function has made finding messages a breeze. These filters function similarly to those found in the Photos app, providing the ability to refine your search results by filtering by contact when searching through your inbox.

There are several noteworthy updates to the chat function that enhance the overall user experience. For instance, a new feature allows you to easily catch up on group chat conversations by taking you directly to the latest unread message. Additionally, responding to messages inline is now simpler with a quick swipe. Another great feature is the transcription of audio messages, which is incredibly useful if you are unable to listen to them immediately. Lastly, you can view the exact location of friends who have shared their position within the conversation itself.

A New Journal App

The latest iOS 17 update brings a significant improvement for those who use Notes as a personal journal. Say hello to Journal, an end-to-end encrypted app designed to help you reflect and practice gratitude through journaling. With the new Journaling Suggestions API, the app prompts you to record relevant things and even offers smart suggestions based on your activities. To ensure privacy and security, Journal can be locked and leverages on-device processing to enable its advanced features.

Your iPhone can gather a wealth of information about your daily activities, from the photos you snap to the podcasts you tune into. As you engage in these activities, the app will provide tailored writing prompts to help you reflect on your experiences. For instance, you might be prompted to write about your favorite part of a recent trip or the most challenging workout you've completed.

Customize How You Look When Placing a Call

With iOS 17, you can now personalize how you appear on your friends' devices when placing phone calls with the new contact poster customization feature. Taking inspiration from the Lock Screen customization options in iOS 16, these full-screen images can be customized with your preferred photo, filters, typography, and color scheme to match. This feature not only works with phone calls but also with third-party VoIP apps through Apple's CallKit API. You can also apply the same look to your contact card, allowing you to have complete control over your appearance when sharing your contact information with others.

Live Voicemail Transcription

Reviving the nostalgia of tape-recorder answering machines, the Voice Mail transcription feature is a remarkable addition. This feature allows you to view the real-time transcription of the caller's message, giving you the option to answer the call mid-message, just like the good old days of listening to the recording while the caller left the message.

The new feature has an added layer of security as it excludes flagged numbers that are known to be spammers. This enhancement complements Apple’s existing Voicemail Transcription feature, but keep in mind that its availability may differ based on your location and carrier.

FaceTime Gets Audio and Video Messages, Apple TV Integration

Users can now leave messages on FaceTime, just like they can with a regular phone call, whether it's a video or audio message. Additionally, new reactions can be triggered with gestures, similar to the message-send effects found in Messages. These reactions include balloons, fireworks, hearts, and more. Furthermore, Apple TV 4K owners can now pass FaceTime calls to their TV, which builds on the Continuity Camera feature added in the 2022 iOS and macOS updates.

StandBy View

For those who use Apple Watch, the Nightstand Mode is a well-known feature. Now, iPhone users can also enjoy a similar functionality called StandBy View. By simply turning the phone on its side, users can view important information from a distance, making it easy to check at a glance.

In this mode, you can access a variety of clock styles by swiping up and down, or browse through your photo library by swiping side to side. Certain clock faces allow you to add widgets that display information such as weather, calendars, smart home controls, and third-party app widgets. Additionally, your iPhone will provide useful information based on your usage patterns. At night, the screen will dim and display a red hue to avoid disrupting your sleep. During the feature demonstration, Apple showcased a horizontal stand, so it's likely that we'll see an influx of those with MagSafe charging as iOS 17 approaches its release.

Apple highlighted the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display, with the inclusion of StandBy View indicating that the company may be considering expanding this feature to other devices in the near future.

Better Sharing

With a few notable improvements, using Apple's wireless nearby sharing feature, AirDrop, has become even simpler. One such improvement is NameDrop, which enables two iPhone users to share contact information seamlessly by simply bringing their devices together. This feature facilitates the exchange of phone numbers and other contact details and is also compatible with Apple Watch. Furthermore, the proximity-based AirDrop feature can be used to share other content such as photos or videos, improving local sharing between two iPhones. Another notable upgrade is the ability to initiate a large transfer, like a video, and step out of range, with the transfer continuing over the internet. This improvement is particularly useful for those who have previously experienced delays while waiting for an AirDrop transfer to complete.

iOS 17 introduces a new feature that enhances the functionality of AirTags. With the latest update, AirTags can now be shared with multiple users. This means that you can invite your contacts to view the location of your AirTag. Additionally, users can opt-out of warnings associated with a particular AirTag automatically.

More Accurate Autocorrect

Apple emphasized that it has enhanced the autocorrect model to provide more accurate suggestions. The sentence-level autocorrect feature corrects entire sentences once they are typed. In case autocorrect becomes too aggressive, users can tap on the corrected word to revert to the original word. Additionally, the iPhone can now learn and predict profanity. Moreover, the in-line predictions feature displays suggestions as the user types, enabling them to complete sentences or phrases quickly. This feature is similar to the email prediction feature in Gmail.

Offline Maps, Personal Voice, and More

Apple Maps has now incorporated offline mapping and navigation for iPhone users. With this feature, you can select and download an area and access it even without internet access. This is particularly useful since Maps offers features such as locating your parked car.

What’s Coming to iPadOS 17?

Personal Voice, an innovative accessibility feature, is specifically designed to assist those who may be at risk of losing their ability to speak. With the help of iOS 17, creating a personalized replica of your voice is now possible in just an hour. This feature enables your voice to speak on your behalf, even if you are unable to do so yourself.

The iPadOS is a specialized operating system that is tailored for use on tablets and includes unique features and improvements. Sometimes, the release of iPadOS may be delayed compared to iOS, such as what happened with iPadOS 16 in the previous year, which Apple postponed. Now, let's delve into some of the significant new features set to arrive on your Apple tablet later in the year.

Interactive Widgets for the Home Screen

Interactivity is taken to a new level in iPadOS 17 with the improved Home Screen widgets. You no longer have to open companion apps to perform certain tasks within widgets. For instance, checking off reminders, controlling your smart home devices, and accessing features within third-party apps can now be seamlessly done within the widgets. This enhanced functionality makes the iPad even more efficient and user-friendly for everyone.

A More Useful Customizable Lock Screen

With the introduction of iPadOS, users now have access to a Lock Screen similar to the iPhone's, which can be customized to their liking. The update offers a selection of pre-installed wallpapers that showcase various astronomical bodies, allowing users to choose which one they prefer. Additionally, users can add their own photos, including Live Photos that Apple will enhance with a slow-motion effect by adding extra frames.

You have the ability to customize your typeface, apply filters, and establish a color palette, similar to the iPhone. Another enhancement for the Lock Screen are Live Activities, which offer more advanced notifications that display current information such as flight updates, sports scores, food delivery progress, timers, and additional features.

Apple Health Comes to iPad

The addition of a Health app to iPadOS 17 seems overdue for Apple, but it's finally here. By securely syncing with your iPhone, the Health app enables you to keep track of and review all the information you've collected or added from wearables like the Apple Watch. Not only does it offer convenient medication reminders, but it also allows you to share and export specific data with healthcare providers and supports third-party apps with access to monitor your progress and trends.

Better PDF Support

Streamline your paperwork with iPadOS 17's enhanced PDF experience. With advanced machine learning, the software can now identify fields on a form, even if they aren't clearly labeled within the document. Save time by using autofill to automatically populate your contact information, making filling out forms faster and more efficient than ever before.

In addition, PDF handling in Notes has been enhanced with better page navigation and the ability to store multiple PDFs in one note. You can now collaborate with others in real-time by adding annotations that work seamlessly with Live Collaboration. As demonstrated by Apple, two individuals can simultaneously annotate the same note on separate iPads.

Tweaks to Stage Manager

Apple's iPadOS 17 introduces updates to the multitasking feature, Stage Manager, providing users with enhanced control over window size and position. Additionally, the new update allows for the use of an external display camera for FaceTime and video calls, where applicable.

Many of the iOS 17 Features Too

As iPadOS shares the same foundation as iOS, users can anticipate a host of iPhone features making their way to the iPad. Enrichments such as FaceTime messaging, more advanced predictive text and autocorrect, AirDrop upgrades, and the ability to access Apple Maps offline will all be included in the iPadOS update.

Coming Fall 2023

As an iPhone or iPad owner, you can enjoy the benefits of Apple's annual updates that bring not only new features but also enhancements to existing apps. Even the apps you use every day, like Safari and Mail, get behind-the-scenes performance and stability improvements that make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.

iOS and iPadOS wasn’t the only announcement at WWDC. Learn more about Apple’s new mixed-reality headset and the new 15-inch MacBook Air.