iOS 17 is now available with a number of practical new features and improvements 📱

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For this new version of iOS, Apple has focused on four important aspects of the iPhone: communication, sharing, intelligent input and new experiences.

Contact forms become more attractive🤩

With iOS 17, you’ll be able to customize screens when you receive a call from one of your contacts. This feature, reminiscent of that introduced by Samsung with One UI 3, will let you add a photo, memoji and name, as well as customize the font, color and more to make the display more aesthetically pleasing and personalized. These new posters will also be available in the contact book and compatible with all other VoIP applications such as WhatsApp or Telegram.

Contact Poster – iOS 17 // Source : Apple

The voicemail is also evolving, allowing you to see a real-time transcript of the message the person is leaving you.

In FaceTime, you’ll be able to use reactions with 3D effects during your calls. Whether it’s confetti, fireworks or hearts, a wave of the hand will trigger an animation that fills your entire screen with an impressive visual effect.

Messages becomes more convenient ➕

The Messages application receives a few visual changes. The bar grouping the various iMessages applications disappears to make way for a ➕ button. It is also now possible to swipe to the right to reply to a message. This simplification is welcome and brings Messages closer to other competing apps such as Telegram or WhatsApp.

Nouveau menu Messages sur iOS 17 // Source : Apple

Messages also takes inspiration from its competitors for three new features:

• Search filters: You can now refine your search by selecting a specific contact, for example.
• Transcription of audio messages: This feature, already present on Telegram and under development on WhatsApp, allows you to transcribe the content of voice notes without having to listen to them.
• Location sharing: Via the new ➕ button, you’ll be able to share or request your contact’s location and see it directly in conversations. It’s about time this happened.

However, Apple goes one step further with the location-sharing feature and introduces « Check In ». By activating it, you give Messages the ability to notify some of your contacts of your arrival home. And if ever your iPhone notices that you’re not making any progress, it will let you know that it will notify your contact. If after a while you still haven’t replied, it will automatically notify your contact with recent information such as your last location, battery level and network data (cellular and Wi-Fi).

Check in sur iOS 17 // Source : Apple

The latest addition to Messages: stickers. Yes, stickers are finally coming to Messages. You’ll find them alongside emojis and memojis. They can be used in any application.

Apple improves AirDrop 🔄️

AirDrop is one of the key features of the iPhone and the Apple ecosystem in general. With iOS 17, AirDrop goes even further. You’ll no longer need to go through the sharing menu to activate AirDrop; all you have to do is bring your iPhones together. This is reminiscent of the Android Beam function, which offers the same functionality by sticking two Android smartphones together. And if you need to move away while the transfer is still in progress, don’t worry, it’ll continue via the Internet. Bringing two iPhones together also launches a SharePlay session.

AirDrop – iOS 17 // Source : Apple

But that’s not all. By bringing your iPhone or Apple Watch closer to someone who is not one of your contacts, you’ll trigger a new feature called NameDrop. It makes it easy to swap contacts.

NameDrop // Source : Apple

Other new features😯

Other new features are spread here and there throughout iOS 17:

• Keyboard auto-correction improves, and predictions are displayed directly on the line as you type.
• A « Stand By » mode lets you turn your iPhone screen into a clock, calendar or photo frame when you’re not using it. You can also use your widgets and Siri.

StandBy // Source : Apple

• Widgets become interactive.
• One-time passwords received by e-mail are automatically filled in on Safari.
• AirPlay becomes easier to use in hotels.
• It’s easier to share music during a car journey via CarPlay.

Which iPhones are compatible?

iPhones X, 8 and 8 Plus, released in 2017, are no longer eligible for iOS updates. To benefit from iOS 17, you need to own the following iPhones: iPhones 14 (Plus, Pro, Pro Max), iPhones 13 (mini, Pro, Pro Max), iPhones 12 (mini, Pro, Pro Max), iPhones 11 (Pro, Pro Max), iPhone XS & XS Max, iPhone XR and iPhone SE.