Top Five iOS 17 Features

[MacRumors]

All of Apple's software announcements have been somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Vision Pro, but there are a number of useful changes that are coming in iOS 17. We've pulled out five features that we think are the most interesting and that iPhone users will be most excited about when iOS 17 launches this fall.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

1. Live Voicemail - If you're like us, you sometimes forget that voicemail even exists. With iOS 17, when someone calls and leaves a voicemail, you can see the transcription live on your Lock Screen. If they have something notable to say, you can pick up the call right then and there.
2. StandBy - StandBy is similar to Nightstand mode for the Apple Watch. When you put your phone in landscape orientation on a charger, it activates a full-screen display with at-a-glance information like your calendar, clock, weather details, and even Live Activities. It's truly best with the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display, but it works on older iPhones if you tap on the screen.
3. Interactive widgets - Widgets on the Home Screen and the Lock Screen are now interactive, which makes them much more useful. You can check off Reminders, control music playback, activate HomeKit devices, and more, without having to open up an app.
4. Keyboard updates - Autocorrect is using a new machine learning model that can better predict what you want to say. You can more quickly complete words just by tapping the space bar, and in some cases, fill entire sentences. When a word is corrected, it's now underlined, and you can tap it to revert back to the original word you typed if autocorrect makes a mistake.
5. FaceTime on Apple TV - If you've ever wanted a larger display for FaceTime, you're in luck, because with iOS 17 and tvOS 17, you can use FaceTime on the Apple TV. With Continuity Camera, you can connect your iPhone to your Apple TV, using the iPhone's camera for FaceTime while the picture is displayed on the larger screen of the television set. All the usual FaceTime features work like Center Stage, and it's the perfect setup for calls with multiple people. FaceTime on Apple TV works with the new FaceTime effects that let you activate hearts, balloons, laser beams, and rain through gestures.

An honorable mention should go to the Journal app that's coming in iOS 17; it's just not on the list because it's not part of the initial iOS 17 release. The Journal app will let you record your thoughts and activities each day, with Apple-provided prompts to help inspire you.

There are a number of other features in iOS 17 that are worth knowing about, including a fun option to customize what people see when you call them, a quicker way to share contact information with people, improvements to Messages, mood tracking, shared passwords, an option to lock the Safari private browsing window, AirTag sharing, and more. Full details can be found in our iOS 17 roundup, which is still undergoing updates.

Do you agree with our top picks? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to MacRumors, because we're going to have coverage of iOS 17 and Apple's other software updates all summer long as the beta testing period progresses.

Article Link: Top Five iOS 17 Features

 

[orangeadrenaline]

Offline maps #1

 

[bag99001]

Facetime on Apple TV could actually be quite nice. I could see using that with grandparent calls.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I love the stickers in the Messaging App.

 

[macsplusmacs]

15 mins into the keynote i thought to myself, dang, all my relatives (not tech people) will use ever single one they have announced so far.

AND THAT... is a good thing!

 

[alexandr]

So how's the stability of the beta? Any terrible events taking place?

 

[HorstBockman]

Have you tried Live Voicemail? When active, incoming calls are answered immediately and a creepy outgoing message announces that someone may be listening and might pick up the call.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

So how's the stability of the beta? Any terrible events taking place?

For being a Beta 1. It’s been performing exceptionally well. It doesn't even seem like it's in the beta stage. I have a feeling by the time it is completely finished it will be fluid and well-refined! ✨

 

[ignatius345]

Live Voicemail - If you're like us, you sometimes forget that voicemail even exists. With iOS 17, when someone calls and leaves a voicemail, you can see the transcription live on your Lock Screen. If they have something notable to say, you can pick up the call right then and there.

I recall Google Voice having live call screening at some point. Maybe it still does? The idea was that your phone rings, you pick it up and listen to the person starting to leave a message, and then break in and answer it if you want -- just like with a landline phone answering machine where you simply lift the receiver to pick up. This seems like the same thing, but with fancy voice transcription so you can do it without making any noise.

 

[alexandr]

For being a Beta 1. It’s been performing exceptionally well. It doesn't even seem like it's in the beta stage. I have a feeling by the time it is completely finished it will be fluid and well-refined! ✨

Awesome to hear. I think I'll install it. The only other time I installed the 1st dev beta was when they introduced the incoming call tab vs. complete screen takeover — iOS 15, I think?

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

From a usability point of view. iOS 17 is a refreshing release that has got plenty of stuff in there that people will actually use and enjoy!

 

[Yptcn]

Have you tried Live Voicemail? When active, incoming calls are answered immediately and a creepy outgoing message announces that someone may be listening and might pick up the call.

Is it a fixed recorded message or can you change it ? Can the language be changed ?

 

[alexandr]

Have you tried Live Voicemail? When active, incoming calls are answered immediately and a creepy outgoing message announces that someone may be listening and might pick up the call.

Seriously? Doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose? Or was that a joke I don't get?..

 

[casjohnr]

15 mins into the keynote i thought to myself, dang, all my relatives (not tech people) will use ever single one they have announced so far.

AND THAT... is a good thing!

My Dad is (unfortunately) having an extended stay in hospital at the moment and is completely and utterly mind blown by the fact he can read the news and listen to the radio on my iPhone X I donated down to him last year

He has even managed to learn how to send text messages, photos and even Whatsapp

The only annoyance is the damn hospital WiFi requires him to sign in again every 24 hours which he often can't work out and ends up using quite a lot of mobile data as a result!

My mum (also in a neck brace at the moment due to a fall down the stairs recently!) is also in heaven since the neighbours bought her some Samsung Galaxy Buds so she can sit in the living room with them in and listen to some music

Amazing as a geek I take all this stuff for granted but my parents think these magical devices are the best thing since sliced bread!

 

[applebro]

Journal is what I’m most excited for

 

[sjsharksfan12]

The thing that jumped out at my for the Keynote was them improving autocorrect. It sounds like it's going in the right direction because it needed to be improved.

I would love Live Voicemail if I had more friends or just used it more. Most of the calls I get are spam calls.

 

[CarAnalogy]

From a usability point of view. iOS 17 is a refreshing release that has got plenty of stuff in there that people will actually use and enjoy!

I really want to hear from someone like myself who turned autocorrect off because it’s just offensively bad. Just looking at the stupid suggestions it has while I type this is making me shake my head. Things no one would ever type, yet it fights me so hard every time I want to type I’ll which I do frequently.

So, is autocomplete still a complete disaster or does it actually work now?

Edit: hilarious that people would actually downvote this. I didn’t know there were autocorrect apologists out there. Even Craig Federighi openly admitted that it is bad.

 

[KrisLord]

Got the beta and see various new bits and bobs in places but vs previous betas it’s hard to see huge changes to iOS.

I’m more looking forward to whatever hardware comes next. FaceTime on Apple TV and the standby iOS feature surely means we’re getting a soundbar with camera or something with a built in screen?

Or am I getting excited over nothing….

 

[The Clark]

Live voicemail will be one of those things where we'll look back years from now and go "How did we ever survive without it?"

 

[Desertdan]

“If you’re like us, sometimes you forget voicemail even exists”

WTF is that? Who is that stupid

 

[Desertdan]

Offline maps #1

Finally catching up to google. Ha ha

 

[aventus creed]

All of Apple's software announcements have been somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Vision Pro, but there are a number of useful changes that are coming in iOS 17. We've pulled out five features that we think are the most interesting and that iPhone users will be most excited about when iOS 17 launches this fall.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

1. Live Voicemail - If you're like us, you sometimes forget that voicemail even exists. With iOS 17, when someone calls and leaves a voicemail, you can see the transcription live on your Lock Screen. If they have something notable to say, you can pick up the call right then and there.
   
2. StandBy - StandBy is similar to Nightstand mode for the Apple Watch. When you put your phone in landscape orientation on a charger, it activates a full-screen display with at-a-glance information like your calendar, clock, weather details, and even Live Activities. It's truly best with the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display, but it works on older iPhones if you tap on the screen.
   
3. Interactive widgets - Widgets on the Home Screen and the Lock Screen are now interactive, which makes them much more useful. You can check off Reminders, control music playback, activate HomeKit devices, and more, without having to open up an app.
   
4. Keyboard updates - Autocorrect is using a new machine learning model that can better predict what you want to say. You can more quickly complete words just by tapping the space bar, and in some cases, fill entire sentences. When a word is corrected, it's now underlined, and you can tap it to revert back to the original word you typed if autocorrect makes a mistake.
   
5. FaceTime on Apple TV - If you've ever wanted a larger display for FaceTime, you're in luck, because with iOS 17 and tvOS 17, you can use FaceTime on the Apple TV. With Continuity Camera, you can connect your iPhone to your Apple TV, using the iPhone's camera for FaceTime while the picture is displayed on the larger screen of the television set. All the usual FaceTime features work like Center Stage, and it's the perfect setup for calls with multiple people. FaceTime on Apple TV works with the new FaceTime effects that let you activate hearts, balloons, laser beams, and rain through gestures.

An honorable mention should go to the Journal app that's coming in iOS 17; it's just not on the list because it's not part of the initial iOS 17 release. The Journal app will let you record your thoughts and activities each day, with Apple-provided prompts to help inspire you.

There are a number of other features in iOS 17 that are worth knowing about, including a fun option to customize what people see when you call them, a quicker way to share contact information with people, improvements to Messages, mood tracking, shared passwords, an option to lock the Safari private browsing window, AirTag sharing, and more. Full details can be found in our iOS 17 roundup, which is still undergoing updates.

Do you agree with our top picks? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to MacRumors, because we're going to have coverage of iOS 17 and Apple's other software updates all summer long as the beta testing period progresses.

Article Link: Top Five iOS 17 Features

Finally catching up to google. Ha ha

iOS 17 is a great disappointment

 

[sjsharksfan12]

“If you’re like us, sometimes you forget voicemail even exists”

WTF is that? Who is that stupid

I was wondering the same thing. Do people just not care there is a bright red badge that tells you to take care of something. I see it on youtuber's videos when it comes to email and they have like 10,000+ emails. I see a red badge and it actually bothers me so I take care of it right away. Maybe is an OCD thing, but that badge was there to make it so you don't forget that things exist.

 

[aroom]

Now how many of those updates are gonna be US only or English only?

 

[hagar]

Improved autocorrect only for iPhone 12 and newer. Because if you don’t have the latest and greatest you deserve to be tortured by a broken autocorrect mechanism.