Apple has officially unveiled the release date for its latest software updates, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, which will be available for download on September 18, in line with their tradition of launching software updates after the annual iPhone event.
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 Highlights:
- StandBy: A Dynamic Information Hub: iOS 17 introduces StandBy, a game-changing feature that transforms your iPhone into a dynamic information hub while it’s charging. With StandBy, you can view live activities, notifications, and widgets on your lock screen without having to unlock your device. It’s customizable, allowing you to choose which widgets and notifications you want to see, and it adapts to different times of the day.
- Interactive Widgets: Both iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 offer interactive widgets that provide more functionality right on your home screen. You can perform actions or access information directly from the widget, such as sending messages, making calls, or taking notes. They also support drag and drop for seamless data transfer between widgets and apps.
- NameDrop: Effortless Contact Sharing: iOS 17 introduces NameDrop, a feature that simplifies contact sharing. You can now share a contact by simply telling Siri the name of the person you want to share, eliminating the need to open the Contacts app or type anything. NameDrop is compatible with various apps and even works with AirDrop for nearby sharing.
- Contact Poster: Personalized Posters: iPadOS 17 debuts Contact Poster, a creative tool that lets you craft personalized posters for your contacts. Powered by AI, Contact Poster generates posters based on a contact’s name, photo, and interests. You can further customize these posters with themes, fonts, colors, and stickers, making them perfect for birthday cards, invitations, or casual fun.
- Live Voicemail: iOS 17 enhances the Phone app with Live Voicemail, allowing you to listen to voicemail messages as they are being recorded by the caller. You can interrupt the voicemail to answer the call and also read transcriptions of your voicemail messages, making it quicker and more convenient to manage missed calls.
- Audio Message Transcription: iOS 17 introduces audio message transcription in the Messages app. This feature converts audio messages into text, enabling you to read messages in noisy environments or discreetly. You can edit transcriptions and switch between audio and text modes effortlessly.
- Stage Manager for Video Calls: iPadOS 17 introduces Stage Manager, a powerful tool for video calls. It grants you greater control over your camera and microphone settings, allowing adjustments to zoom, focus, exposure, white balance, noise cancellation, and adding filters or effects. This feature works seamlessly with popular video call apps.
Other Notable Improvements and Features:
- A new Health app for iPad to track health and fitness data and share health information.
- A redesigned FaceTime app with spatial audio, portrait mode, grid view, and FaceTime links for inviting non-Apple users.
- A revamped Messages app featuring “shared with you” to see content shared by contacts.
- A new Safari app with a compact tab bar, tab groups, voice search, and third-party extensions.
- A customizable Focus mode to manage notifications and home screen based on your activities.
- Live Text feature for copying text from photos or images.
- A Translate app for real-time text and speech translation, even offline.
Compatibility:
iOS 17 will be released to the public on September 18, 2023.
iOS 17 is compatible with these devices:
iPhone 15 series
iPhone 14 series
iPhone 13 series
iPhone 12 series
iPhone 11 series
iPhone XS and XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
If you have an older iPhone model, such as the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, you will not be able to update to iOS 17.
To update your device to iOS 17 or iPadOS 17, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update starting on September 18. For more information, you can visit the official Apple website.
