The iOS 17 update comes with a lot of new features and improvements, including expanded capabilities for Airdrop, the ability to create a personalized voice, and refined updates to stock apps. The new Standby Mode is especially noteworthy, as it functions similarly to a smart home display and features conversational Siri and customizable widgets. However, many of the features require another iPhone in order to function properly.
Detailed Summary for iOS 17 Hands-On: Top 5 Features!
iOS 17 introduces a lot of new features, and the top 5 include expanded Airdrop capabilities, SharePlay for watching content with friends, redesigned Safari, Focus mode for notifications, and Live Text for recognizing text in photos.
- Airdrop is easier to use and allows for bumping phones together.
- SharePlay lets you watch content with friends over FaceTime.
- Safari has a new design and tab grouping.
- Focus mode lets you customize notifications based on your activity.
- Live Text can recognize text in photos and allow for copy-pasting.
iOS 17 allows users to share photos or videos by bumping two iPhones together and Airdrop now resumes file transfers over cellular if devices are separated.
- Bump to share feature allows sharing content, and links, and starting share play sessions by bumping two iPhones together.
- Airdrop now resumes file transfers over cellular if devices are separated.
- Personal Voice is a new accessibility setting that allows users to create a unique voice by recording 150 phrases in a quiet place.
iOS 17 has a new accessibility feature that allows users to create their own voice on their phones.
- This feature is designed for people who may lose their voice or have vocal cord fatigue.
- The new update also includes small refinements to stock apps, such as a smarter keyboard and improved dictation.
- The autocorrect function has also been fixed.
iOS 17 introduces standby mode which turns your iPhone into a smart home display with useful widgets and photos in the background.
- Siri is conversational and responds without needing to say “Hey Siri”
- Siri can answer follow-up questions without needing to press the button again
- Standby mode is triggered when iPhone is charging horizontally and can display information ambiently.
iOS 17 introduces new features to clean up contacts and transcribe voicemails.
- Contact posters allow users to set up their own contact photo which is automatically updated for those who have them in their contacts.
- Voicemails are transcribed live as they are being left, and users can interrupt and pick up the call at any time.
- FaceTime now includes voicemail, which is essentially a video message that shows up in the FaceTime inbox.
