Apple iOS 17 announced: 10 key features for iPhones soon

Apple iOS 17 announced: 10 significant features coming to iPhones soon

Image Credit: Apple

At its yearly developer conference, Apple introduced iOS 17, the upcoming significant software upgrade for iPhones. Apple demonstrated a range of fresh functionalities that will revolutionize how individuals interact with their iPhones. As usual, there was a strong focus on privacy and security. Here are ten essential features that will be available on iPhones:

A brand-new journal application.

Apple aims to revive the practice of journaling, which may be considered outdated, by introducing a brand-new app. Utilizing on-device machine learning, this app will offer personalized suggestions to inspire users when writing journal entries. These suggestions will be based on various elements such as photos, individuals, locations, workouts, and more, simplifying the process of initiating a journal entry. Additionally, scheduled notifications will assist in establishing a regular journaling routine.

Sharing passwords and passkeys with others.

In iOS 17, users have the ability to share passwords with a select group of trusted contacts. Within this group, all members can contribute to and modify the shared passwords, ensuring that they remain current. Importantly, the sharing process occurs through iCloud Keychain, guaranteeing end-to-end encryption for enhanced security.

New features added to AirTag.

The AirTag now offers the option to share it with up to five individuals, enabling friends and family members to monitor the location of an item through the Find My app. By creating a group, all members of that group gain access to view the item's whereabouts, play a sound to locate it, and utilize Precision Finding to assist in precisely determining the location of the shared AirTag when in close proximity.

Videos now support Visual Lookup.

In iOS 17, the new feature called Visual Look Up will be introduced, allowing users to utilize paused video frames for identification purposes. Users will have the ability to identify various elements such as food, storefronts, signs, and symbols within the paused frames. Additionally, users can extract and focus on specific subjects present in photos and videos, providing a more detailed analysis and examination.

Standby mode utilizes the always-on display.

Introducing StandBy, a new immersive feature in iOS 17 that offers a full-screen experience with easily readable information, specifically designed for viewing at a distance when the iPhone is placed sideways and being charged. StandBy supports Live Activities, Siri interactions, incoming calls, and presents larger notifications, enhancing the usability of the iPhone when viewed from afar. Users can access StandBy by tapping the screen at any time, and for iPhone 14 Pro devices with the Always-On display feature, StandBy is constantly accessible without the need for activation.

Autocorrect improves with enhanced intelligence.

In the latest update, users will benefit from inline predictive text recommendations while typing, enabling them to quickly add complete words or finish sentences by simply tapping the space bar. This feature significantly enhances text entry speed. Additionally, the text entry interface receives a refreshed design that provides better support for typing. Furthermore, the autocorrection functionality now operates at the sentence level, allowing it to rectify a broader range of grammatical errors.

NameDrop: A simple sharing feature.

In iOS 17, AirDrop introduces enhanced sharing capabilities. NameDrop enables users to effortlessly exchange contact details by bringing their iPhones in proximity or by pairing an iPhone with an Apple Watch.

Upcoming enhancements for the Messages app.

A brand new expandable menu has been introduced, which can be accessed with a single tap, to showcase iMessage apps and give Messages a more streamlined appearance. Additionally, the Search function has been enhanced to provide users with greater power and precision through the use of search filters. This enables users to initiate a search and apply additional filters to refine the results, ensuring they can locate exactly what they are looking for.

Check In feature: Notify family that you have reached.

The purpose of the Check In feature is to enable users to inform their family members or friends that they have safely reached their intended destination. When a user initiates a Check In, their chosen contact will receive an automatic notification as soon as the user arrives at the destination. In case the user is not making progress towards the destination, relevant information such as the device's location, battery level, and cell service status will be temporarily shared with the selected contact to provide useful updates.

Siri no longer responds to simple "heys."

Siri now offers a simplified activation method by responding to the voice command "Siri." Once activated, users can issue a series of consecutive commands without the need to reactivate the assistant each time.