iOS 17 Innovations: These 30 features significantly improve the iPhone

Revolutionizing Touch: iOS 17

Uncover both major upgrades and hidden gems in iOS 17. (Background: Tom Eversley, stock.adobe.com)

Diving into the public beta of iOS 17, available for over a month, we’ve unearthed both the conspicuous and the concealed treasures of the new update. Like its predecessors, the upcoming iOS 17 is brimming with features.

As always, alongside the major upgrades, Apple has seamlessly integrated smaller features into the iPhone operating system, which often go unnoticed. We’ve compiled an extensive list of both prominent and hidden features for you.

The 7 Major Upgrades in iOS 17

At the end of the article, we’ll summarize the hidden gems. But first, let’s delve into the major upgrades of the iPhone update, starting with one of the most exciting features.

1. Standby Mode in iOS 17

Activating Standby Mode is a breeze.

Utilizing the iPhone even when it’s not in hand might sound paradoxical, but it becomes a reality with the iPhone’s Standby Mode.

The iPhone can be horizontally attached to the magnetic charging pad for those equipped with a MagSafe charger and a compatible holder. The Apple smartphone automatically switches to Standby Mode, displaying various widgets.

However, a MagSafe cable and holder aren’t strictly necessary. You can alternatively connect the Apple smartphone to a conventional cable and prop it up horizontally.

The information displayed on the screen depends on your settings, offering various customization options.

The possibilities are endless, from the time and calendar to your smart home devices.

Notifications will also be displayed on the device after unlocking if you so desire. There’s also an option to turn off notifications.

However, there’s a catch. The Standby Mode remains on only with the Always-on-Display feature activated, meaning you’ll need an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

With iOS 17, you can activate this mode on other devices too, but you’ll need to tap the display to wake it up.

2. Check In is Brilliant, But Requires iMessage

Check In is fantastic, but exclusively available on iMessage.

One of the coolest and most valuable features in iOS 17 is Check In, or in German: Wegbegleitung.

With Check In, you can inform your conversation partner about your expected arrival time at a specific location. Once you reach this destination, your friends or family members will be notified.

However, if you interrupt your journey, the iPhone will inquire about your well-being. If no response is received within 15 minutes, a message will automatically be sent to the conversation partner.

You also have the option to share your current location, battery level, and connectivity. Alternatively, the iPhone can send a comprehensive report, which, in addition to the distance traveled, also includes the last location where your iPhone was unlocked.

The catch: This feature is exclusively available through iMessage.

3. Interactive Widgets

With iOS 17, widgets have finally become interactive, meaning interacting with widgets won’t open the app anymore.

This allows you to check off reminders, play music, or control smart home devices without opening the app. Everything happens through the respective widget on the home or lock screen.

4. Contact Posters

Contact Posters offer numerous ways to further personalize the iPhone.

The upcoming iPhone update primarily brings more personalization. With iOS 17, you can create so-called Contact Posters, essentially a poster of yourself that appears during calls on the conversation partner’s iPhone.

To create your personal poster, go to the Contacts app on the Apple smartphone. There, you can customize the poster to your liking. The layout is heavily inspired by the lock screen editing.

In addition to avatars, you can also add your own images from the gallery and adjust them with various filters. The creative possibilities are virtually limitless. This poster also appears when transmitting contact information via Namedrop.

5. Namedrop

With iOS 17, exchanging phone numbers has never been easier. Support for the Apple Watch is expected later.

Typing in phone numbers is a thing of the past with iOS 17, at least when both parties are using an iPhone with the latest updates.

With the new Namedrop feature, contact information can be easily transferred by holding the two smartphones together. However, AirDrop must be activated for “10 minutes for everyone” beforehand. Then, you’re good to go.

If desired, additional information such as email addresses can also be transferred. Personal information like home address or bank details cannot be transferred via Namedrop.

Future updates are expected to enable transfers between an Apple Watch and an iPhone.

6. Live Voicemail

Apple integrates Live Voicemail, the counterpart to Screen Call and Bixby Text Call.

The new Live Voicemail feature in iOS 17 works similarly to Google’s Screen Call or Samsung’s Bixby Text Call.

Apple’s counterpart transcribes the message of an incoming call, allowing the voicemail to appear as text on the iPhone first. You can then decide whether to answer the call or hang up.

7. Personal Voice

With iOS 17, additional accessibility features are introduced, especially for individuals suffering from speech loss. With Personal Voice, you can create a synthesized voice by recording 150 sentences.

This allows individuals with impairments to communicate with friends and family using their personal voice via FaceTime, calls, and other apps.

iOS 17: These 23 Upgrades Secretly Enhance the iPhone

It almost doesn’t matter which app you open after installing iOS 17. Apple, as always, has its touch everywhere, subtly adding meaningful upgrades to its native apps.

In the Health app, you can now log your mental well-being. This aims to promote personal well-being.
Confirmation codes can now be automatically inserted from emails as well as SMS.
AirTags can now be used with friends and family.
The Apple Remote can be located via the iPhone.
Photos can be more easily cropped to a specific subject.
You can create shortcuts for specific camera settings on the home screen. With one tap, for example, the ultrawide camera opens directly.
The camera now displays a level that serves as a guide.
Visual Lookup now also works for videos. This feature recognizes plants, animals, or famous buildings.
The camera now recognizes various everyday symbols, including laundry labels or car symbols.
Shopping lists in Reminders are now automatically sorted into categories, such as fruits and vegetables.
A symbol for turning the Macro Mode on and off is now available in the Camera app.
If you have photographed a dish, you can search for matching recipes via the Photos app.
The Weather app displays additional information about the moon phase and weather trends.
Safari can read any online article to you.
Individual notes can now be linked to each other in the Notes app.
You can ping the Apple Watch through the Control Center if you have misplaced it.
Private Tab Groups in Safari can be protected from unauthorized access with Face ID and Touch ID.
The Photos app now recognizes your pets as important “personalities” and creates a dedicated album.
If you have moved apps on the home screen, you can undo the change by shaking the iPhone.
Settings can now be turned on and off via Spotlight Search when you search for them.
Apple Maps now supports offline maps.
You can create stickers from your subjects in the Photos app. Press and hold the subject and then tap the arrow to the right and select “Sticker”.
The user interface of Apple Music has been updated and allows sharing of playlists.

Of course, iOS 17 offers a plethora of other hidden features. This list gives you a good overview of the small but significant improvements awaiting you with installing the upcoming iPhone update.

Not long now, and iOS 17 will officially be available for all compatible devices. Have you thoroughly tested the beta version? Which new features do you find particularly good? Are there any functions you miss that Apple should deliver with upcoming updates? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!