Apple’s iOS 17 is now available to download, bringing a wealth of new features for anyone with a compatible iPhone. The new software update arrives a week after Apple revealed its new iPhone 15 line, but iOS 17 is available for most iPhone models that have been released since 2018.
iOS 17 was first revealed in June during Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference. iOS 17 brings changes to how you call, text and glance at information with updates to FaceTime, Messages and the phone app. There’s a new StandBy mode, which turns your iPhone’s lock screen into a mini hub similar to the Amazon Echo Show.
Last year’s software update, iOS 16, introduced the ability to edit or “unsend” messages you send via iMessage; Apple Pay Later; a major overhaul to the lock screen; revamped notifications; and Live Activities. These additions didn’t all come out at once and were actually scattered over the course of smaller iOS software updates throughout the year.
Read more: iOS 17: Upcoming iPhone Features I’m Excited About
We can expect the same for iOS 17, but many of its best features are now available after making the update.
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When the iPhone is on a MagSafe charger and in a horizontal position, StandBy mode kicks in.
One of the biggest additions in iOS 17 is for when your iPhone isn’t in your hand. When your iPhone is on its side while MagSafe charging, you get a new full screen experience with glanceable information. The feature is called Standby and mimics what many smart home devices can do, such as the Amazon Echo Show.
The new screen shows the time, photos, widgets and Live Activities; nearly all of which can be personalized. It’s a bit of a cross between the iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on display and nightstand mode on the Apple Watch.
Live Voicemail lets you preview a transcription in real time as a voicemail is being recorded.
Another new talent iOS 17 has involves your voicemail. When someone calls you and leaves a message, you’ll see a live transcription in real time as they speak. The new service is called Live Voicemail and it kind of feels like the days of answering machines, when my dad would screen a call. For Live Voicemail, you’ll see the voicemail right on your screen so you can decide whether to step out and take the call. The feature is powered by your iPhone’s neural engine in order to preserve your privacy. Live Voicemail seems identical to Call Screen on Google Pixel phones which isn’t a bad thing.
FaceTime messages
iOS 17 will let you record a video message in FaceTime. It’s a heavily requested feature that will ensure you can document and share important moments, even if someone misses your call.
Messages Check In
iOS 17 comes with a new location-sharing tool called Check In.
Apple is expanding and simplifying its location sharing via Messages. The new feature, called Check In, is for letting a loved one know you made it to your destination safely. Whether you’re walking home after dark or going for an early morning run, you can start a Check In with a family member or friend and as soon as you arrive home, it will automatically let your friend know. But if something unexpected happens, it can recognize that you’re not near your destination and check in with you. If you don’t respond, Check In can automatically share your current location, the route you took, your iPhone’s battery level and cell service status; all of which is end-to-end encrypted.
Messages get a handful of fixes and additions
Messages adds a bunch of Sticker features.
iMessage stickers get a new drawer to bring all the stickers you’ve used into one place. And now emoji are stickers. You can peel and stick an emoji sticker to a message bubble, rotate and resize it. Last year in iOS 16, Apple introduced the ability to lift a subject from the background of a photo as part of Visual Lookup. With iOS 17, you can turn a photo’s subject into a sticker in Messages.
The Stickers drawer also has a Live Stickers tab that lets you create a Sticker animation (aka a GIF) from a Live Photo. Stickers can be accessed system wide in things like Tapback, Markup and third-party apps; basically anywhere you can access emoji.
