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Welcome to the future of communication with iOS 17, the latest operating system designed for the iPhone. This new version, previewed in June and set to be released in September, is currently in beta testing. It brings a host of new features and improvements to the Phone, FaceTime, and Messages apps, and even introduces a new app for journaling.
Apple has put a strong emphasis on communication in iOS 17, overhauling the Phone app with innovative features. Now, you can create customised Contact Posters that people see when you call them. Choose a photo or a Memoji, select a font, a font colour, and more. These Contact Posters are not only available for the Phone app but also for third-party apps.
The Live Voicemail feature is another exciting addition. It provides a real-time transcription of the message on the Lock Screen as the person is speaking. Based on what’s being said, you can choose to pick up the phone. Calls marked as spam by carriers will be instantly declined and won’t appear as Live Voicemail.
NameDrop, a new facet of AirDrop, allows you to exchange contact information by bringing your iPhone near another iPhone. This feature also works with Apple Watch. Two iPhones brought together can initiate SharePlay, enabling you to listen to music, watch a movie, or play a game with another iPhone user. It also works for transferring content. Later this year, AirDrop will allow large file transfers to be initiated by two phones in close proximity, with the transfer finishing over iCloud.
FaceTime now supports both audio and video messages. If you don’t pick up a call, the person on the other end can leave a video recording or an audio message for you. FaceTime also supports a range of Reactions like hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, and rain. These effects are activated through gestures and will also work in third-party apps.
Your iPhone or iPad can now link to the Apple TV 4K for FaceTime on the TV. Using Continuity Camera, an iOS device serves as the camera for a FaceTime call, but the video is displayed on the larger screen of the TV. It supports Center Stage framing and all other FaceTime features, including Handoff, for transferring calls between an iOS device and the TV.
In the Messages app, there’s a cleaner interface with access to apps, photos, and the camera tucked away behind a “+” button that’s next to the compose bar. All emoji characters are now stickers and are in the Stickers section of the Messages app. Emoji can be used as normal, but can also be placed over images and messages like a sticker. You can create your own stickers from your photos using the Remove Subject from Background feature that was introduced in iOS 16. Stickers can have special effects like a hand-drawn look, glitter, or a different color, and they can also be used across iOS, essentially wherever you can use an emoji.
Search in Messages now supports search filters for finding exactly what you’re looking for. You can start with a broad search and narrow down the results by entering additional search terms. If you have trouble keeping up in group chats or with a person who sends a lot of messages, the catch-up arrow lets you know exactly where you left off so you can see what’s unread. You can reply right inline by swiping on a text bubble, and if you send an audio message, it’s now transcribed automatically so it can be read right then.
Location sharing in Messages is simpler and when a user shares a location, it’s updated in real time in the conversation. It works in tandem with Check In, a safety feature that tells a friend or family member that you’ve arrived safely at your destination when traveling. When Check In is turned on, the person you’re communicating with is notified when you arrive where you’re going, and if you don’t make it in time or progress stalls, your contact can see your iPhone’s location, battery level, and cellular status to determine whether you need help.
Apple has also improved autocorrect across iOS, adding a new machine learning model that can better predict what you want to say. It can offer to autofill entire sentences with inline predictions when typing, so finishing a word or a sentence is as simple as pressing the spacebar. Correcting mistakes is easier because it can be done with a tap.
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