iOS 17, the seventeenth iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system tailored for iPhones, was unveiled on June 5, 2023, at Apple’s WWDC keynote event. It introduces numerous enhancements catering to diverse user segments such as business users, enterprise clients, developers, and consumers. Among the notable improvements are enhanced contact management, FaceTime upgrades, extended capabilities of AirPlay and content sharing, and additional privacy-centric features.
What new features are available in iOS 17
- Redesigned Home Screen: iOS 17 introduces a redesigned home screen with greater customization options, allowing users to create widgets and arrange app icons and widgets more flexibly.
- Enhanced Privacy and Security: iOS 17 includes App Privacy Reports, which gives users insights into how apps access their data, as well as Mail Privacy Protection to prevent email senders from tracking email openings.
- Focus Mode: This feature allows users to customize notifications based on their current activity or location, minimizing distractions and enhancing productivity.
- Live Text: With Live Text, users can interact with text in images or photos, selecting, copying, and pasting text for various tasks, such as translation and capturing contact information.
- Advanced Augmented Reality (AR) Capabilities: iOS 17 enhances the AR experience with improved ARKit, offering more immersive and realistic AR experiences in gaming, shopping, and education.
- Improved Siri: Siri becomes more conversational and capable, with a more natural voice and offline processing for smoother experiences in areas with poor network connectivity.
- Redesigned Maps: The Maps app in iOS 17 comes with enhanced details, improved navigation, and a new 3D map view, making it easier to find destinations and explore new places.
Devices compatible with iOS 17:
iOS 17 will be compatible with the following iPhone models:
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
Devices not listed above will not receive feature updates in iOS 17 and will only receive select updates for security on older iOS versions. Notably, iOS 17 will not be compatible with the iPhone 8, which is a long-time enterprise-issued device.
Release date for iOS 17:
The exact release date for iOS 17 is not publicly known, but it is scheduled for Fall 2023. Traditionally, iOS updates are released in September, possibly coinciding with the launch of new iPhone hardware.
