Apple is releasing a new version of its iOS operating system in the fall, and it will include a number of new features for iPhones. Some older model series will not be supported.

One of the most significant changes is to the Phone app. Apple is introducing “Contact Posters,” which allow users to set a profile picture for each contact. This picture will be displayed to the other person when they call, even if they are using a third-party VoIP app.

Another new feature is “Live Voicemails.” When someone leaves a voicemail, it will be transcribed in real time and displayed on the screen. This feature will initially only be available in the United States.

Apple is also making changes to its FaceTime video conferencing app. FaceTime will now include an integrated answering machine, so that people can leave voicemails for you even if you are not available.

These are just a few of the new features that will be available in iOS 17. For more information, you can visit Apple’s website.

New features for iPhones

Sharing photos, contacts and other content is to become easier via AirDrop: In the future, it will be enough to hold two iPhones close to each other to trigger sharing, Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi explained. Apple also promises improvements for text input, including more reliable autocorrect that learns the user’s input and is supposed to recognize and chalk up grammatical errors, for example. The dictation function is supposed to understand speech input more reliably and turn it into text. Apple repeatedly emphasized using the latest machine learning technologies that work locally on the device - the Apple presenters apparently deliberately did not use the term “AI” (artificial intelligence).

Standby: The iPhone as Smart Display

Apple extends the iPhone lock screen with a new standby function: In landscape mode, the iPhone displays a large clock while charging, as well as additional information about the weather or the alarm time, for example. The function also supports widgets and the display of live activities, which are longer messages that can be updated.

Other new features in iOS 17 include offline maps in Apple Maps, and the company also promises real-time information on the availability of electric charging stations. A special photo album for own pets is also new. In the future, the voice assistance system Siri can be activated simply by calling out “Siri”; “Hey” is no longer necessary. iOS 17 also allows sharing “Where is?” trackers such as AirTags with up to five people.

Another new feature is the “Journal” app, which aims to make it easier to keep a diary; it is supposed to make suggestions about activities, for example, and uses the data collected by the device, such as new photos, locations and workouts, for this purpose - third-party developers can also integrate this via an interface.

For the Safari browser, Apple has announced optimizations to the WebKit engine and private browsing mode. Passkeys and passwords will be able to be shared and used with other users via the iCloud keychain in the future, practical within the family, for example.

Apple’s iPhone car integration CarPlay supports SharePlay for Apple Music with iOS 17, which means that passengers can contribute music tracks from their iPhone for playback in the car.

Compatibility: iOS 17 runs on these iPhones

Apple made a beta of iOS 17 available to developers on Monday evening, a first public beta is to follow in July. For the general public, the update will be released in the fall - usually in September. iOS 17 can only be installed on iPhones built in 2018 or later (iPhone XS, iPhone XR). The 2017 model series iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cannot install the update.

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