iOS 17 arrives with new features across Apple’s first-party apps

Apple iOS 17 was all set to be officially available globally, including in India, on Monday as a free software update for newly-launched iPhone 15 series, including the older models, with a slew of improved security features.

The iOS 17 offers new features across Apple’s first-party apps, including the Phone app, Messages, FaceTime, and more, and introduces new functionality like Live Voicemail, FaceTime audio and video messages.

“We’ve also reimagined AirDrop with new ways to share, autocorrect gets even better, and we’re introducing all-new experiences with Journal and StandBy,” according to Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.

The Phone app gets major updates, with Contact Posters that allow users to customise how they appear to their contacts, and Live Voicemail, which leverages the power of A17 Pro to see real-time on-device transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. Users can even pick up the call while the caller is leaving their message.

Messages gets a new stickers experience, more powerful search, transcription of audio messages, and Check In, which allows users to automatically notify friends and family when they have made it to their destination safely, according to Apple.

NameDrop gives users a new way to use AirDrop to more easily share contact information by simply bringing two iPhone devices together.

The same gesture can be used to AirDrop content and more, and now users can step away from each other and finish sending large files over the internet.

StandBy gives users a customisable full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging. With the Always-On display of iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, StandBy stays on to show useful information — perfect on a desk, nightstand, or kitchen counter.

Interactive widgets on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and in StandBy allow users to take action with just a tap, making it easy to complete a to-do, or play or pause a song right from the widget.

Safari adds greater protection for Private Browsing and introduces profiles, helping users separate their browsing for topics like work and personal.

iOS 17 delivers many more updates, including Journal, a new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling, improvements to autocorrect and Dictation that make entering text faster and easier than ever before, password and passkey sharing with iCloud Keychain, and much more.

A key addition to Lockdown Mode is that it now runs on Apple Watch, not just iPhones, iPads and Macs. Lockdown Mode in iOS 17 also automatically removes the geolocation data from photos by default when sharing photos with other people.

Private browsing will also lock by default, prompting the device owner to scan their face or fingerprint before their private tabs will open.