iOS 17 Public Beta Released: What are the New Features?

During WWDC 2023, Apple unveiled iOS 17, the latest iteration of its iPhone operating system. A free public beta version of iOS 17 has recently become available to iPhone users. 

Please note that this is a beta version that offers a preview of the final software so Apple is still working on it to identify bugs and errors before it’s officially released to a wider audience. 

On that note, let’s check out all the details related to this latest OS version below:

How to download iOS 17 public beta?

If you are running iOS 16 on your iPhone, you can simply go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates > Select Public Beta. But to download the beta version, make sure you have signed up for the public beta updates via the Apple Beta Software program website. To download the iOS 17 public beta, use the same Apple ID on your iPhone. 

iOS 17 – Major New Features

There are numerous updates available with iOS 17 that will give you fresh ways to use and customize your iPhone. Let’s go through all the major features:

Standby mode

It is a new mode that your iPhone will display when you place it horizontally on the dock or wireless charger. Your phone screen will switch to a new display with widgets such as clock, calendar, music, and weather. Standby also detects light in your room, thereby adjusting the iPhone’s screen. If you want, you can choose to disable this mode in the Settings. 

Contact posters

Contact Posters is another prominent feature that allows you to customize your contact cards. You can choose photos, color schemes, and fonts to change how you look when you call other iPhone users. 

New Airpods features

AirPods Pro will feature new capabilities now enabled through the latest OS. One of the biggest new features is Adaptive Audio which utilizes ML (machine learning) and other technologies to analyze what are you listening to and automatically turns down the volume to give you better awareness of your surroundings. 

Interactive widgets

Now you can interact with apps without opening them. You can play and pause Apple Music or other media right from your home screen. You can now also call or text your favorite contact without opening the Contacts or Phone app. However, not all Widgets come with this level of interaction. Music, News, Contacts, Podcasts, and Safari are a few apps that offer this level of dynamic functionality. 

iMessage improvements

iMessage has also got several improvements too. For instance, now you can just swipe to reply to a specific message. Before this, you had to long press a message to initiate a reply. Autocorrected words will also be temporarily underlined so you know what’s been changed.

You can also share your location with people directly via Messages. All you have to do is select your recipient’s name or icon at the top of the window. From here, you can select Share My Location or Request Location. Apple also improved message search, and stickers and will automatically transcribe short audio messages. 

Journal app

This is another highlighting feature of iOS 17. It is a simple yet effective way to keep track of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The app uses on-device machine learning to create personalized suggestions of moments to inspire your writing. You can also add photos, drawings, and audio recordings to your entries.

Offline maps

Now Apple users will be able to download and utilize maps without an internet connection. While Google Maps has been providing this capability for a long time, it is the first time Apple has introduced it. Users will be able to download maps for entire regions at once.

Wrapping up!

iOS 17 public beta is now available for download, giving users a chance to try out the latest features and changes before the final release. The beta includes several key features, such as interactive widgets, a Journal app, NameDrop, and updates to the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps.

It is important to note that the beta is still in development, so there may be some bugs or stability issues. It’s advisable to wait for the final release if you are not comfortable with the beta version. 

However, if you are eager to try out the new features, the public beta is a great way to do so. Just be sure to back up your device before installing the beta, and report any bugs you find to Apple.