Attention, iPhone users: Here's everything you need to know about the iOS 17 update
Are you an iPhone user? The iOS 17 will be available on your mobile screen starting Tuesday, Sept. 19.
According to Apple, the latest update is designed to "enhance the things you do every day, express yourself like never before when you call or message someone, share content in convenient new ways, and do even more with new experiences for your iPhone."
When you have the iOS 17, iPhone keyboards will be able to determine how you chat with your pals, so there will be no need for it to "correct" your texts with its upgraded autocorrect feature. It will also deliver even better support as you type by temporarily underlining the autocorrected words so you know what’s been changed and revert to the original word with just a tap if needed.
For creative purposes, you can add a reaction that fills the camera frame with fun 3D augmented reality effects like hearts, confetti, fireworks, and more. You can also share a reaction with just a hand gesture.
Love using stickers on iMessage? You can now stylize live stickers with extra effects like shiny, puffy, comic, and outline, or even create animated ones using your live photos. All your stickers will be in one place with the latest software upgrade, including emojis and Memojis, among others. Your stickers will be synced with iCloud so they will be available on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.
Here are the other key features included in the iOS 17 update:
- A new way to share and view locations. With the iOS 17, you can see someone's shared location directly within a conversation.
- A new full-screen experience. You can even turn your iPhone into your personal assistant. On landscape mode, you'd be able to access your screen display widgets like the clock, calendar, photos, weather, and media playback controls, among others.
- Interactive widgets. You can accomplish a to-do list, play or pause a song or podcast, or access your home controls like turning off the lights right from your widgets, allowing you to get tasks done quickly.
- Namedrop. This new feature functions like the AirDrop, but this one's for contact details. Just place your iPhone near someone else's Apple device and you’ll both be able to share phone numbers and email addresses, including contact posters, instantly.
- Improved AirDrop. You can share files with other iPhone users by "simply bringing your phones close together to initiate the transfer."
- Check-in feature for safety. The iOS 17 will offer a check-in feature so you can let your loved ones know when you're out and about. It will notify them when you get to your planned destination and share other important details like battery level and signal strength in case they don't get a response from you.
There will also be other features in the next versions of the iOS 17, including the Journal App and the Collaborative Playlist. They will be available later this year.
According to Apple, the Journal App aims to offer a comprehensive platform to capture your daily experiences and memories through photos, music, and audio recordings instead of just text.
The Collaborative Playlists feature, meanwhile, enables you to add, reorder, and delete songs in a shared playlist with other iPhone users, making the Apple Music experience more social and interactive.
To get the iOS 17 update, just go to Settings > General > Software Update.