If there is something that was very clear that we would see today at WWDC 2023, it was the first contact with iOS 17, the future version of Apple’s operating system for the iPhone that, how could it be otherwise, has been shown by the ineffable Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering and, also, one of those responsible for contributing, whenever he participates in a presentation, some funny and striking note. Today, for example, we have seen how he got to work with a three-neck guitar (two and a half more than I am capable of using with a minimum of ease).
In the end, and as rumors began months ago, We are facing an update that will not go down in history as especially remarkable, at least taking into account what we have been told today about it. And it is that, of course, it is possible that between now and its launch, or even in updates to it, more interesting and remarkable news will appear. What we have seen today is, however, interesting, as it can make certain differences and improvements in the daily use of the iPhone.
Phone and FaceTime
I know I say this from time to time, but it just amazes me how many people use the iPhone for everything… except to talk on the phone. However, Apple does not forget those of us who remember what the text shown to the right of the i of the iconic device means and, consequently, it will offer some interesting news related to this function that the de telephone to smartphone concept.
The first thing in this regard is that iOS 17 will allow us to configure, individually (for the contacts we want, of course) the elements that will be displayed when we receive a call from said person, specifically the image that we want to appear and the text and its location. Short of seeing it in action, it is very reminiscent of the lock screen editor, so we can imagine that the composition of these new call screens will be edited in a similar way.
Another interesting novelty is Live Voicemail, which will allow us to see real-time transcripts to text when someone who is calling us decides to leave us a voice message and, furthermore, as was the case when physical answering machines were used, we will have the possibility of picking up the call when the user is already leaving said message. And for the peace of mind of those most concerned about privacy, the transcription of speech to text will be done on the device itself.
Also in relation to Live Voicemail, Apple tells us that iOS 17, when we receive a call that is considered spam by the operators, they will not be redirected to voicemail, but will be rejected directly. It will be necessary to check how exactly this filter works, but if the information provided by the operators is correct and up-to-date, the truth is that this can be a huge relief.
Regarding FaceTime, Apple’s video calling service, with iOS 17 It will begin to allow audio and video messages when we call a contact and they are not available.e, and in the conversations you can use reactions such as hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, raindrops, etc., in the style of what we can already see in services more related to direct ones. According to Apple, these reactions are compatible with third-party video calling apps.
Messages
There are several novelties that come to this other veteran communication function of the iPhone. Personally, it seems to me that the most important and therefore noteworthy is the Arrival Register. With it, the iPhone user can confirm to family and friends that they have arrived safely at their destination, something that can be very useful in many contexts, and that will undoubtedly serve to reassure many people, or to put them at ease. Early warning if an incident occurs.
For this last and crucial purpose, if the user whose movement is being followed does not seem to be heading towards their destination, the app will automatically share useful information such as the location of the device, the state of the battery and the state of coverage. This data will only be shared with the person who has been selected, and temporarily. All of this data will be shared using end-to-end encryption.
In a more playful and fun aspect, Messages now will allow you to create Live Stickers from images. To this end, it will be able to separate the subject of a photo from its background, and once this is done, effects can be added to animate said images. In addition, it will also be possible to add emojis and stickers to the images.
Daily App
This is an expected novelty, since its existence had already been leaked some time ago. The Diario app, which debuts in iOS 17, is intended to be a tool that will allow us, as its name suggests, keep track of our daily activities and tribulations. As we can deduce from what Apple has stated, its orientation tends towards optimism and gratitude as a way to improve our well-being. However, of course, it will be up to the user to choose what he wants to write down on it on each occasion.
To enrich the experience, the app orwill offer personalized suggestions based on the user’s recent activitiesand in them we can find photos, people, places, training sessions and others, thus facilitating the transfer of our daily activity from the apps and functions of iOS 17 to the newspaper.
Given the sensitive type of information that such an app can contain, it will be possible to block access to it, all your activities and suggestions will be processed exclusively locally and, in the event that we share some of your information with third parties, these communications will use end-to-end encryption. Through the use of an API, developers will be able to integrate topic suggestions, which will be displayed to the users of their apps.
Other news of iOS 17
There are still a few more novelties, which we review in this list:
- AirDrop and NameDrop improvements: the system for sharing digital assets on the go between Apple devices, it improves by allowing, through the NameDrop function, sharing contact information simply by bringing one iPhone closer to another or to an Apple Watch.
- Mental health in Health: the app dedicated to monitoring the user’s health, finally adds functions related to the control and monitoring of mood and emotions, in addition to offering access to evaluation criteria for depression and anxiety used in health centers, as well as to resources available in the user area.
- Autocorrect and Dictation improvements: two elements of the operating system that have been in need of a good update for some time, which finally arrives with iOS 17. According to Apple, in addition to a change in the interface that will make suggestions easier to use, a machine learning process integrated into the OS will make that suggestions and corrections are more accurate. For its part, Dictation also uses a new model that will increase its level of precision.
- Resting: iPhone 14 Pro users will be able to get more out of the always on screen, with this feature that will display information in full screen while the device is charging. This mode can display «very striking clocks, the user’s favorite photos, widgets and even Smart Groups that display the appropriate widgets for each occasion. As it also supports Live Activities, Siri, incoming calls and large format notifications«.
- siri: As we told you the day before yesterday, Siri will say goodbye to the “Hello” that we sing whenever we want to invoke it. In this way, Apple intends to encourage shorter and more direct interactions with the iOS 17 voice assistant.
These are the most notable novelties of iOS 17 from what was shown today by Apple. Thus, as you can see, there are no particularly noteworthy changes or news, nor are they going to substantially change the experience of using the iPhone. However, taken together, they do provide some improvements that warrant the upgrade.
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