What's New in iOS 11 Beta 4: Lock Screen and Notification Center Changes, New App Icons and More

[MacRumors]

Apple seeded the fourth beta of iOS 11 to developers this morning, bringing some of the most significant changes we've seen yet in an iOS 11 beta.

A much-desired swipe feature for clearing Notifications on the Lock screen has been added, and there are also several visual tweaks to icons throughout the operating system. We've outlined all of the changes in both the video and the post below.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

- New icons - Apple has introduced new icons for the Contacts, Notes, and Reminders app. Some of the app icons may be bugged for some people, showing certain details, like bullets for Reminders, on the wrong side of the icon. This is because Apple inverts the icons for languages that read right to left instead of left to right, and it should be fixed in a later beta.

There's also a new icon for Contacts in the Settings app, while the Notes and Reminders icons in Settings remain the same.

- Notification Center - You can now swipe to the left on a Notification on the Lock screen to bring up options to clear it or view it. Tapping on view or tapping on the Notification itself also brings up a new screen that instructs you to use Touch ID to unlock your device to open the associated app.

In addition to tapping on an icon or using the view option to open it, a Notification will also open if you slide to the right. A full slide to the left automatically clears a Notification without having to tap the clear button.

- Settings (Capacity) - In the General section of the Settings app, when you choose "About," the Capacity listing now shows the total amount of storage a device possesses rather than the amount of storage available minus the size of iOS.

- Settings (AirDrop) - In the Settings app under General, there's now a dedicated section for AirDrop that allows it to be toggled off, set to everyone, or limited to contacts. Previously, only the Control Center could be used to change these settings.

- Settings (Accounts & Passwords) - In the Accounts & Passwords section of the Settings app, the key icon is now vertically oriented instead of displayed horizontally.

- WiFi icon - The WiFi icon in the upper left hand of the display that shows when you're connected to a WiFi network has been slightly tweaked with thicker, more uniform lines.

- App Store - There's now an option to pull downwards to refresh the App Store's Updates tab.

iOS 11 beta 4 is currently limited to developers, but Apple will likely introduce the changes in a third public beta that we expect to see later this week.

Article Link: What's New in iOS 11 Beta 4: Lock Screen and Notification Center Changes, New App Icons and More

 

[nfl46]

Very nice changes. B4 is running a lot better on my device in comparison to the other three betas.

 

[macduke]

Very nice changes. B4 is running a lot better on my device in comparison to the other three betas.

That's good. I feel like this year the betas have not been getting much more stable over time compared to years past. Makes me think they're changing a lot under the hood. I remember Craig mentioning something like that about macOS but don't recall if they said the same about iOS.

 

[cynicalcitizen]

I see your cell network is project fi. Do you have any information on this? Can macrumors do a story on how to use project fi on an iphone?

 

[einsteinbqat]

Why are the tabs on the left? Tabs are on the right of a contact/address book. Why are the check marks on the right? Did Apple switch the marks to the right, too?

 

[Rychiar]

DARK MODE?!

 

[GigabitEthernet]

Glad they're finally copying Android's notifications management. Notifications on iOS have been subpar for too long.

 

[pdaholic]

The iOS 11 betas have been incredibly stable on my iPad 10.5. Complete opposite on my iPhone 6. I really love what Apple did for iPads this year; for the first time since they were initially released, I find myself preferring to use the iPad over my MacBook.

 

[Kapangas]

Also the animations have been really improved.

 

[MarcoPohlo]

Also the animations have been really improved.

Animations of what?

 

[inscrewtable]

I am bitterly disappointed that having changed the Accounts & Passwords key icon from horizontal to vertical that they did not take this golden opportunity to have it at a more jaunty 45 degree angle.

 

[gsmornot]

Not a big deal but I would like to see the update size return to the updates.

 

[sully54]

took this from iDeviceHelp youtube channel. obviously a bug but perhaps this is what iOS 11's function area will look like.

 

[FluffyJr]

Almost all of the default app icons were updated actually, not just those 3. In addition to Contacts, Notes, and Reminders, other app icons that were updated are News, Photos, Weather, Phone, Messages, Mail, FaceTime, iBooks, iTunes Store, Home, Safari. Most are very minor changes and not noticeable unless you go back and forth between the old and new ones.

 

[Ndotp]

Apple seeded the fourth beta of iOS 11 to developers this morning, bringing some of the most significant changes we've seen yet in an iOS 11 beta.

A much-desired swipe feature for clearing Notifications on the Lock screen has been added, and there are also several visual tweaks to icons throughout the operating system. We've outlined all of the changes in both the video and the post below.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

- New icons - Apple has introduced new icons for the Contacts, Notes, and Reminders app. Some of the app icons may be bugged for some people, showing certain details, like bullets for Reminders, on the wrong side of the icon. This is because Apple inverts the icons for languages that read right to left instead of left to right, and it should be fixed in a later beta.

There's also a new icon for Contacts in the Settings app, while the Notes and Reminders icons in Settings remain the same.

- Notification Center - You can now swipe to the left on a Notification on the Lock screen to bring up options to clear it or view it. Tapping on view or tapping on the Notification itself also brings up a new screen that instructs you to use Touch ID to unlock your device to open the associated app.

In addition to tapping on an icon or using the view option to open it, a Notification will also open if you slide to the right. A full slide to the left automatically clears a Notification without having to tap the clear button.

- Settings (Capacity) - In the General section of the Settings app, when you choose "About," the Capacity listing now shows the total amount of storage a device possesses rather than the amount of storage available minus the size of iOS.

- Settings (AirDrop) - In the Settings app under General, there's now a dedicated section for AirDrop that allows it to be toggled off, set to everyone, or limited to contacts. Previously, only the Control Center could be used to change these settings.

- Settings (Accounts & Passwords) - In the Accounts & Passwords section of the Settings app, the key icon is now vertically oriented instead of displayed horizontally.

- WiFi icon - The WiFi icon in the upper left hand of the display that shows when you're connected to a WiFi network has been slightly tweaked with thicker, more uniform lines.

- App Store - There's now an option to pull downwards to refresh the App Store's Updates tab.

iOS 11 beta 4 is currently limited to developers, but Apple will likely introduce the changes in a third public beta that we expect to see later this week.

Article Link: What's New in iOS 11 Beta 4: Lock Screen and Notification Center Changes, New App Icons and More

Any update on the battery life for the beta? Running 7+ on AT&T.... Don't want to download and have the battery drained. If it's fine, anyone have a link to download for non-beta testers?

 

[harrisondavies]

Still no tab or section in the App Store for previous downloads. Why’d they remove that?

I’d love to switch of that god awful bar under messages. oh, wait it’s bugging out and disappearing haha.

 

[tjleonard]

I think beta 3 is pretty stable on a ipp 10.5. Can't wait to try beta 4.

 

[Superhappytree]

Wish the notifications were more transparent like they were in iOS 9. It still looks gaudy like this, especially when you have a lot. Also, multiple notifications like the three news apps in the screenshot need to be grouped together... there should be a "show 2 more" option underneath with an arrow that you simply tap to show more. Then it would look a lot more cleaner.

 

[Waughy]

anyone have a link to download for non-beta testers?

Just join the public beta program. Public beta releases are generally the same day or a day behind developer betas, unless something major goes bad. Don't be confused by the PB being one number behind the DB also, they will be the same release. Developer beta 1 is always for developers only, so any big bugs can be found and sorted out before the public are given access.

 

[nikicampos]

Love my iPhone, but lately it has become so boring and iOS 11 doesn't do anything new.

I just had a bad experience at an Apple Store, so I'm really angry right now, but that aside, yeah, nothing really new in iOS 11.

 

[arggg14]

Every time I try to use the beta, CarPlay is terribly slow, to a point where it's unusable. Has this improved with the new betas?

 

[Superhappytree]

Love my iPhone, but lately it has become so boring and iOS 11 doesn't do anything new.

I just had a bad experience at an Apple Store, so I'm really angry right now, but that aside, yeah, nothing really new in iOS 11.

Depending on whether you're planning on buying the new iPhone or not, there'll likely be additional iOS 11 features specifically for that, with the touch bar and all and who knows what else. That should spice things up a bit. And with the possibility of ProMotion!? Not to mention all of the AR stuff which is looking amazing. There's still plenty to look forward to yet.

 

[Bacillus]

Love my iPhone, but lately it has become so boring and iOS 11 doesn't do anything new.
I just had a bad experience at an Apple Store, so I'm really angry right now, but that aside, yeah, nothing really new in iOS 11.

Keep us informed when you're in the right mood for some objective judgment...only

 

[tito2020]

I see your cell network is project fi. Do you have any information on this? Can macrumors do a story on how to use project fi on an iphone?

photo shoped?

 

[Nazaroth]

Still no tab or section in the App Store for previous downloads. Why’d they remove that?

I’d love to switch of that god awful bar under messages. oh, wait it’s bugging out and disappearing haha.

It is still there and has been from beta 1. Hit your photo in the top right of the updates tab and you will see the purchased section