Considering testing out the iOS 17 public beta? From the new smart display mode to new health features, interactive widgets to a new Messages experience, Live Voicemail to offline Apple Maps, and more, here are the top 10 iOS 17 features you should try out.
iOS 17 has been in testing with developers since early June and now the public beta has launched.
Apple changed things up this year by making even the developer beta free for anyone. But the arrival of the public beta marks a more stable point in the testing process when Apple is comfortable with non-developers installing the software.
But even though the iOS 17 beta is quite stable at this point, bug and performance issues are common during the beta period. So don’t forget to make an iOS 16 backup for your iPhone just in case you want to downgrade.
Top 10 features to try out with the iOS 17 beta
StandBy mode
Contact Posters
Live Voicemail
Personal Voice
Offline Apple Maps
Share Passwords with friends, family, and colleagues
Automatically delete iPhone 2FA codes
Interactive widgets
Messages new UI and stickers
Screen Distance for eye health
iPhone StandBy mode
Apple enhances the Lock Screen experience this year in iOS 17 with the new landscape StandBy mode for iPhone.
Some of the available options include dual-view, customizable setups while others have different clock faces that take up the whole screen. Check out all the details in our full walkthrough:
Contact Posters
Another neat way iOS 17 gets more customization is Contact Posters. There are lots of ways to create different designs and you can make them for yourself as well as others.
Live Voicemail
Live Voicemail makes it easy to know if you’d like to pick up a call while someone is leaving a message without having to call them back.
Personal Voice
Personal Voice is an impressive capability that lets users bank their voice in the event they lose it in the future. Whether for those with a degenerative disease or if you just like to be prepared, Personal Voice makes it easy to create and securely store a replica of your voice.
Offline Apple Maps
Want to save battery or won’t have a connection where you’re going? With iOS 17 you can download Apple Maps for offline use.
Shared passwords
Password sharing with anyone or any group is seamless with the ability to create shared iCloud Keychain vaults.
Automatically delete 2FA codes
Simple and very useful, iOS 17 can automatically delete 2FA code texts after you’ve used them.
Interactive widgets
Widgets get a nice upgrade with functionality right on your Home or Lock Screen. Here’s a look at them in action with the Home app widget.
Messages stickers and new UI
Instead of emoji responses being limited to the six tapback choices, with iOS 17 you can respond to any text or image with an emoji or custom sticker.
Along with that, there’s a new UI for iMessage apps.
Screen Distance
This is a new eye health feature that helps prevent eye strain for all ages and helps reduce the likelihood of myopia for children.
It’s easy to set up and very effective.
one bonus feature. But this one requires signing up for an Apple Developer account and installing Xcode on your Mac (which is free but more involved):
AirPods Pro 2 Adaptive Audio
Coming with iOS 17 are a range of new capabilities for AirPods Pro that really feel like magic. Check out a closer look at Adaptive Audio with AirPods Pro 2.
Following the release of the iOS 17 beta for developers in June, Apple has now released a public beta for anyone interested in trying out the new software ahead of the official launch this fall. But if you’re planning to install iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 beta on your iPhone or iPad, be sure to archive a backup of your device running iOS 16 for an eventual downgrade.
As you may know, beta software is unfinished and can have a lot of bugs. That’s why it’s always important to have a backup of all your data in case you need to restore your iPhone or iPad to a stable version of iOS. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The most convenient way to back up your data is probably through iCloud. However, iCloud automatically overwrites your old backup with the new one, which means that even if you back up a device on iOS 16, it will eventually be overwritten by a new backup with iOS 17 data. This is not good for users who may need to downgrade their iOS version.
There’s a way to archive a backup of an iOS device for situations like this. However, it requires using a Mac or PC. Before you follow the steps below, make sure your Mac is running the latest version of macOS. If you have a Windows PC, make sure you install the latest version of iTunes or Apple Devices Preview.
Here’s how to archive a backup of your iOS device
Connect your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC via USB.
Find your device in Finder (macOS), iTunes or Apple Devices app (Windows).
You may need to set your computer as trusted on your iPhone or iPad by entering your Lock Screen passcode.
Click the Back Up Now button.
You may be asked to create a password to encrypt your backup. A password is required to back up passwords and data from the Health app.
Wait until the backup is complete. It may take a while, depending on how much data you have on your device.
Click the Manage Backups button.
Select the most recent backup from the list, right-click on it and choose Archive.
By following these steps, your Mac or PC will keep that backup archived. Even if you make a newer backup later, the archived backup will remain there untouched.
Downgrading with an archived backup
If you eventually downgrade from iOS 17 to iOS 16, your computer will ask you if you want to set up your iPhone or iPad as new or restore data from a backup. Select the Restore from Backup option and then choose the archived backup with iOS 16 data. That’s important because you can’t restore an iOS 17 backup on a device running iOS 16.
n order to downgrade the software of an iPhone or iPad, you also need to connect it to a computer and then put it in Recovery Mode. You can find more details on how to downgrade to a stable version of iOS on Apple’s website.
Note: If you’re having trouble connecting your iPhone or iPad running iOS 17 beta to your Mac running macOS Ventura, try downloading and installing “Device Support for macOS 14 beta” from the Apple Developer website.
Here’s how to install the iOS 17 public or developer beta
The iOS 17 beta is officially here for public testers after previously launching for developers. This summer, it’s easier to install the software thanks to a new streamlined process. Follow along for how to install iOS 17 beta, tips on what to do if it’s not showing up, and more.
Note as of 7/13/23: The iOS 17 public beta is now available alongside the first public betas for watchOS 10, macOS Sonoma, and tvOS 17.
Starting with iOS 16.4 Apple brought the ability to turn on developer and public betas right within Settings.
While Apple at first said you’d have to use the same Apple ID as in iOS Settings to get the betas, that changed earlier this spring. Now you can select which Apple ID you want to use with the beta.
Keep in mind even though the iOS 17 beta is relatively stable at this point, bug and performance issues are common during the beta period.
How to install iOS 17 beta – public
Make a fresh backup of your iPhone or iPad – important in case you want or need to downgrade to iOS 16 (Apple recommends doing a Mac or PC backup)
You may need to sign in with your Apple ID at beta.apple.com if you haven’t before
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad running at least iOS 16.4
Tap General > Software Update
Choose the new Beta Updates button (it may take a moment to appear)
Now choose iOS 17 Public Beta
If you need to change your Apple ID associated with the beta, you can tap that at the bottom
Choose Back when done
Look for iOS 17 Public Beta to appear, choose Download and Install
If you’re not seeing the option to turn on beta updates or iOS 17 appear:
Try quitting and relaunching the Settings app
Double check you’re running iOS 16.4 or later (if not you’ll need to update before getting the in-Settings beta option)
Sign in with your Apple ID at beta.apple.com for free then try the above steps again
How to install iOS 17 beta – developer
A paid Apple Developer account is no longer needed – but you may need to sign in with your Apple ID at developer.apple.com if you haven’t before
Make a fresh backup of your iPhone or iPad – important in case you want or need to downgrade to iOS 16 (Apple recommends doing a Mac or PC backup)
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad running at least iOS 16.4
Tap General > Software Update
Choose the new Beta Updates button (it may take a moment to appear)
Now choose iOS 17 Developer Beta
If you need to change your Apple ID associated with the beta, you can tap that at the bottom
Choose Back when done
Look for iOS 17 Developer Beta to appear, choose Download and Install
If you’re not seeing the option to turn on beta updates or iOS 17 appear:
Try quitting and relaunching the Settings app
Double check you’re running iOS 16.4 or later (if not you’ll need to update before getting the in-Settings beta option)
Sign in with your Apple ID at developer.apple.com for free then try the above steps again
Here’s how the process looks:
iOS 17 drops support for iPhone 8 and X; here are all compatible models
Apple has finally announced iOS 17, which brings a lot of improvements and new features to the iPhone operating system. This includes more customization options for the Lock Screen, improved iMessage and FaceTime, new features for the Health app, and a new Standby mode. But not all iPhone models will be compatible with the update. Read on as we detail which iPhones can run iOS 17.
The update has four focuses: communication, sharing, intelligent input, and new experiences. It’s worth noting that some features like the Journal app will not be available with the first release of iOS 17.
“With iOS 17, we’ve made iPhone more personal and intuitive by deeply considering the features we all rely on every day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Phone, FaceTime, and Messages are central to how we communicate, and this release is packed with updates we think our users are going to love. We’ve also reimagined AirDrop with new ways to share, autocorrect gets even better, and we’re introducing all-new experiences with Journal and StandBy, plus so much more. We can’t wait for everyone to try it.”
iPhone models compatible with iOS 17
Unfortunately, iOS 17 requires the A12 Bionic chip or later. This means that iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X won’t get the update.
Here’s a list of all iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 17:
iPhone XS and XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 12 and 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 13 and 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd gen)
More about the update
iOS 17 will be available as a beta software for developers later today. A public beta will be available next month, while the official release is expected this fall. Developers can learn more on iOS 17 on Apple’s website.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
One of the new privacy improvements with iOS 17 is a new embedded Photos picker for third-party apps plus alerts about which apps have full access to your photo library. Follow along for how to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17.
While Apple includes the ability to limit third-party photo and video access to selected content with iOS 16, there are several upgrades to improve awareness and privacy in this area with iOS 17.
Along with the new Photos picker and alerts about apps with full access to your iPhone camera roll, Apple says when apps ask for Photos app privileges in iOS 17, users will “be shown more information about what they’ll be sharing…”
That includes reminding users that apps may be able to see location data and image captions, explaining why an app wants Photos app access, and the current amount of photos and videos in your library.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta. Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
After installing iOS 17 on your iPhone, look out for automatic alerts about apps that have had full access to your Photos app library and decide if you want to continue to allow it
You can choose between Limited Access, Allow Full Access, or Don’t Allow
You will also see the alert when an app asks for Photos app permissions for the first time
To limit iPhone Photos app access at any time, head to Settings > swipe down and find the app you want to restrict > choose Photos > tap None or Limited Access
Here’s how it looks to limit iPhone Photos app access when you open iOS 17 Settings > pick a third-party app:
After you switch an app’s access from full to limited, you’ll see the iOS 17 Photos picker. You can use the Photos or Albums toggle at the top, use the search bar, or just swipe and select.
Tap Done in the top right corner when you’re finished.
After you set up limited Photos app access for an app, you can revisit to change it at any point by heading back to Settings > app > Photos > Edit Selected Photos.
Note: There is a lower level of Photos app access in iOS 17 that some apps use. In Settings, just two options will appear: “None” and “Add Photos Only” with the latter being where you manually select content to use/send with the app.
iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17 protects your eyes, here’s how it works
One of the new health features for iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 can help prevent eye strain for everyone, as well as lower the risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in kids. Here’s how to use iPhone Screen Distance and how it works.
Apple highlights that it’s best to keep devices at least 12 inches away from your eyes. But of course, it’s easy to be in the habit of using them closer than that.
So with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, there’s a handy new feature called Screen Distance that makes it easy to build the habit of using your iPhone and iPad at a healthy distance. For kids that reduces the risk of myopia and for everyone helps reduce or prevent eye strain.
Here’s how Apple describes how it works:
“Screen Distance works by measuring the distance between the screen and your eyes. The camera is not capturing images or video, and the data collected remains on the device and is not shared with Apple.”
How to use iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta.Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
On your iPhone or iPad with Face ID running iOS 17, open the Settings app
Choose Screen Time now look below and tap Screen Distance
Now tap Continue, then Turn On Screen Distance
Here’s how it looks to use iPhone Screen Distance:
After you tap “Turn On Screen Distance,” you’re all set up.
Shown in the middle and right screenshot below, here’s what it looks like when iPhone or iPad detects you’ve been holding your device too close.
After you pull it away from your face, tap “Continue” to exit the Screen Distance pop-up.
In my time with Screen Distance so far, I’ve realized I tend to use my iPhone too close in the evening. And the feature has been really helpful in changing that habit.
Apple doesn’t give an exact time that’s too long to hold iPhone and iPad less than 12 inches but I’ve seen the Screen Shield pop up in about five minutes.
iPhone Live Voicemail: How to use and turn off/on in iOS 17
iPhone Live Voicemail is a new feature arriving with iOS 17 that will help with the growing problem of spam calls as well as deciding when you want/need to answer from callers you do know. Follow along for how to use and turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail.
Here’s how Apple describes the new iOS 17 feature:
“Live Voicemail gives users the ability to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Calls identified as spam by carriers won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined. With the power of the Neural Engine, Live Voicemail transcription is handled on-device and remains entirely private.”
Since 100% of spam calls on iPhone are not blocked by carriers, it’s possible some may make it through to iPhone Live Voicemail. Fortunately, there’s a block button built into the feature so you can take care of those quickly.
How to turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail and how it works
iOS 17 is currently in beta.
iPhone Live Voicemail is turned on by default with iOS 17
Head to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail to turn it off
When you receive a call and let it go or send it to voicemail, you’ll see the phone and recording icon in the Dynamic Island or at the top of your iPhone
Tap the phone icon to jump to the Live Voicemail transcription
Now you can block the caller, answer the call, or let them finish leaving a voicemail – and you can swipe up from the bottom to leave Live Voicemail at any time
Here’s how iPhone Live Voice Mail looks in action:
Australia’s prime minister has echoed the advice of cybersecurity professionals, in recommending that you turn off your iPhone for five minutes every night.
No, it’s not so you can reduce your daily Screen Time to 23 hours and 55 minutes, but to stop any spyware that may be running in the background on your device …
The idea that you should periodically force-quit apps in order to improve the performance of your iPhone has been one of the persistent myths among non-techies, but rebooting your phone is different. By closing all background processes, it can offer at least some degree of privacy protection against spyware.
The Guardian reports that Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, offered the advice while announcing a new security appointment.
Albanese, has told residents they should turn their smartphones off and on again once a day as a cybersecurity measure – and tech experts agree.
Albanese said the country needed to be proactive to thwart cyber risks, as he announced the appointment of Australia’s inaugural national cybersecurity coordinator […]
“We all have a responsibility. Simple things, turn your phone off every night for five minutes. For people watching this, do that every 24 hours, do it while you’re brushing your teeth or whatever you’re doing.”
The US National Security Agency (NSA) endorses this advice. It has previously recommended hard-rebooting smartphones at least once a week, for the same reason.
In the case of highly sophisticated spyware like NSO’s Pegasus, it may achieve little: A lot of work is put into exploiting vulnerabilities that allow the malware to relaunch after reboots. But security experts say that it can be worthwhile even then.
Dr Priyadarsi Nanda is a senior lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney who specialises in cybersecurity development.
He said rebooting a phone regularly could minimise risk because it forcibly closes any applications and processes running in the background that could maliciously be monitoring users or collecting data […]
“If there’s a process running from the adversarial side, turning off the phone breaks the chain, even if it’s only for the time the phone is off, it certainly frustrates the potential hacker.
“It may not fully protect you, but [rebooting] can make things more difficult” for hackers, Nanda said.
New South Wales cybersecurity lecturer Dr. Arash Shaghaghi agrees, saying that it puts one additional hurdle in the way of attackers.
Shaghaghi said that with so-called zero click exploits – sophisticated attacks that don’t require an action from a user to give an adversary access – rebooting a smartphone “may challenge the attackers as they may need to find alternative means to exploit the device once powered back on”.
Just last month, Apple alerted Pegasus victims in the first known case of the spyware being used during a military conflict.
Apple alerted Pegasus spyware victims during first known use in a military conflict
Security researchers have documented the first known case of NSO’s Pegasus spyware being used in a military conflict. The hacks relate to the long-running military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, over a region claimed by both countries.
The victims – who included a United Nations official, journalists, human rights advocates, and a former government minister – received alerts from Apple that their iPhones had been hacked …
Pegasus spyware
NSO Group makes spyware called Pegasus, which is sold to government and law enforcement agencies. The company purchases so-called zero-day vulnerabilities (ones that are unknown to Apple) from hackers, and its software is capable of mounting zero-click exploits – where no user interaction is required by the target.
In particular, simply receiving a particular iMessage – without opening it or interacting with it in any way – can allow an iPhone to be compromised, with personal data exposed.
NSO sells Pegasus only to governments, but its customers include countries with extremely poor human rights records – with political opponents and others targeted.
Apple alerts
By the nature of zero-click attacks, it’s only possible to identify and patch the vulnerability after it has already been exploited. However, Apple has come up with ways to spot signs of a compromised iPhone, and it now sends alerts to devices it believes have fallen victim to a Pegasus attack.
Apple has sent these alerts to a range of people, including pro-democracy protestors in Thailand, senior European Union officials, a Polish prosecutor, and US State Department staff.
At least a dozen hacks in Armenia/Azerbaijan conflict
The Guardian reports that at least a dozen people had their iPhones hacked by Pegasus spyware.
Researchers have documented the first known case of NSO Group’s spyware being used in a military conflict after they discovered that journalists, human rights advocates, a United Nations official, and members of civil society in Armenia were hacked by a government using the spyware.
The hacking campaign, which targeted at least a dozen victims from October 2020 to December 2022, appears closely linked to events in the long running military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Apple detected that the devices had been compromised, and sent alerts to victims. These included Anna Naghdalyan, who was an Armenian foreign office spokesperson at the time. Her phone was hacked at least 27 times, according to the report.
Researchers said the timing of the attacks put her “squarely in the most sensitive conversations and negotiations related to the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis”, including the ceasefire mediation attempts by France, Russia, and the US and official visits to Moscow and Karabakh.
Naghdalyan told Access Now that she had “all the information about the developments during the war on [her] phone” at the time of her hacking
All the evidence points to Azerbaijan government
While researchers say that they cannot absolutely determine who carried out the spyware attacks, there is “substantial evidence” that Azerbaijan has a Pegasus contract.
Additionally, the victims selected for the hacks would also point to the Azerbaijan government. Neither government responded to a request for comment.
Pegasus threat remains
The US government banning the use of Pegasus by its own agencies had a severe impact on NSO’s finances, and the fact that Apple is now able to alert victims makes the spyware significantly less useful. Apple also offers a Lockdown Mode, allowing high-risk individuals to harden their iPhones against Pegasus, but at the cost of a great deal of functionality.
However, NSO’s financial struggles potentially make it more dangerous, as it reportedly planned to sell its software to red-flagged countries.
Privacy is a growing concern in today’s world. Follow along with all our coverage related to privacy, security, what Apple and other companies are doing to keep your information safe, and what steps you can take to keep your information private.
Apple has officially released iOS 17 beta 2 to developers. The update packs a number of changes, big and small, for iPhone users. Head below as we round up everything we’re finding as we comb through all of the details.
iOS 17 is currently available to developer beta testers. A public beta will be released sometime in July, followed by a release to the general public in September. It’s also worth noting that, especially during the early beta releases, changes and improvements aren’t necessarily linear. This means that something that worked in iOS 17 beta 1 may be broken in iOS 17 beta 2. As always, proceed with caution.
Something else to keep in mind is that the second beta of a major iOS update is usually the least exciting. This is because Apple hasn’t had time to address major concerns and feedback quite yet. In fact, iOS 17 beta 2 was compiled on June 10, less than a week after WWDC. iOS 17 beta 3 will likely be a far more interesting update with bigger changes and features.
With that out of the way, here’s what’s new in iOS 17 beta 2.
iOS 17 beta 2 features and changes
The Software Update interface in Settings has been updated in iOS 17 with a new design, as seen above.
iOS 17 beta 2 adds support for tapping two iPhones together for AirDrop. This was announced at WWDC but was not available in beta 1.
The Settings app on iPhone now includes a dedicated section for the Fitness app for managing data and settings.
iPadOS 17 beta 2 enables the ability to Shift-click in Spotlight to add a window to your current workspace in Stage Manager.
Crossfade for Apple Music now offers a slider to control the length of the fade between songs. This did not work in iOS 17 beta 1.
iOS 17 is set to be released in September with a number of new features, ranging from upgrades to Messages, major upgrades to autocorrect, and more. There are multiple new iOS 17 features, however, that Apple previewed at WWDC but says won’t be available until sometime later this year.
The new Journal app
According to Apple’s website, there are at least three features in iOS 17 that won’t be included when the initial update is released in September. First is the highly-anticipated Journal app. Using the Journal app, Apple says that iPhone users will have a new way to “appreciate life and preserve memories.”
might want to remember. The app will prompt you to journal based on things like photos, music, workouts, and more.
The new Journal app will be available “later this year,” according to Apple, and is not available in the iOS 17 beta.
Upgraded AirDrop features
iOS 17 includes a number of updates to AirDrop, including the ability to swap numbers using NameDrop and the ability to initiate sharing content just by bringing two devices close to each other.
At WWDC, Apple also touted a new feature for AirDrop that will finish sending transfers over the internet. This means that you can initiate an AirDrop, then move away from the other device, and the transfer will continue. “Content you share over AirDrop will continue to send securely and in full quality over the internet if you leave AirDrop range and both you and your recipient are signed in to iCloud,” Apple explains.
This new upgrade for AirDrop transfers, however, won’t be available until “later this year.” It’s not included in the iOS 17 beta.
Collaborative playlists in Apple Music
Last but not least, Apple Music is finally set to gain support for collaborative playlists with iOS 17 this year, but the wait’s not over just yet.
With iOS 17, Apple Music will let you invite friends to join a playlist. From there, everyone will be able to add to that playlist, reorder songs, remove songs, and use emoji to react to the songs shown in the Now Playing interface.
Support for creating collaborative playlists in Apple Music isn’t available in the first iOS 17. Apple says it will be available “later this year.”
Wrap-up
Even though Apple isn’t currently planning on making these three features available in the first version of iOS 17 that launches in September, plans can always change. At the same time, it’s possible that features currently slated for inclusion in the first iOS 17 release could be delayed. After all, we’re only on the first iOS 17 beta, and Apple still has two months to respond to feedback, make changes, and update its timelines.
Where are iMessage apps in iOS 17? Here’s how to access and customize them
A big change comes to Apple’s Messages with a new expandable menu for iMessage apps on iPhone. The update brings a cleaner and simpler UI but at first, you might be thinking, where are iMessage apps in iOS 17? Here’s a look at how to access, add, and customize them.
Apple describes the new UI like this: “An expandable menu that can be accessed with a simple tap to display iMessage apps gives Messages a sleeker look.”
The fresh iMessage app menu arrives alongside new features like Messages stickers, improved search filters, the Check In safety feature, and more. All of these improvements are part of Apple’s efforts to “enhance the way users communicate” on iPhone in iOS 17.
Where are iMessage apps in iOS 17?
iOS 17 is currently in beta. Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
Open the Messages app on your iPhone running iOS 17
Instead of apps appearing above the keyboard, tap the + icon to the left of the text field
You’ll see the main 6 native apps first
Swipe up or tap the More button to see the rest of your iMessage apps
Note: Leaving voice messages in the Messages app is now under Audio in the app menu
How to add and customize iMessage apps
Press, hold, and drag iMessage apps to reorder them – you can move them from the lower section to the top section to prioritize your most used apps
On an iPhone 14 Pro, after moving apps from the bottom to the top screen I was able to fit 10 apps (11 including the More button)
To add apps, after tapping More, choose Store to add new iMessage apps
At this time, the Store can’t be moved from the bottom to the top section
In the first beta, there doesn’t appear to be a way to delete Messages apps – that will likely come before long
What do you think about the new iMessage app menu? Do you like the cleaner design? Share your thoughts in the comments!
How to make and use iPhone Messages stickers with iOS 17
The Messages app gets a number of valuable upgrades with iOS 17. One of the biggest changes is the ability to create and place stickers including emoji, custom ones, and Live Stickers anywhere in a message. Follow along for how to make and use iPhone Messages stickers with iOS 17.
Arriving as a big expansion beyond the six Tapback reactions with iMessage, Apple has an all-new iPhone Messages stickers experience with iOS 17.
There’s tons of fun and customization with the ability to easily make your own static or GIF-style stickers. And you can now use and place any of the emoji, Animoji, Memoji, or even third-party app stickers anywhere in a message.
iPhone Messages stickers: How to make and use with iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta.Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
On iPhone running iOS 17, open the Messages app
Tap the + icon to the left of the text field
Now choose Stickers
Tap the sticker icon (next to the recents clock icon) and choose the “New Sticker” button to make one or tap the emoji or Memoji icon to use existing stickers (read more below on how to make and customize stickers)
Drag a sticker into a message and let go to place it where you’d like
If you just tap a sticker from the sticker drawer, you can send it in the message like an emoji or text
Alternatively, you can make stickers directly in the Photos app by long pressing on a subject in an image, letting go, then tapping Add Sticker
Here’s how it looks to make and use the new iPhone Messages stickers in iOS 17 and more fine details:
If you haven’t made any stickers yet, you can tap the second icon to make some or tap the emoji or Memoji icon to immediately start using those stickers (look for the + or “New Sticker” button.
Now you can drag your sticker and place it next to a message or press and hold on the sticker to add an effect or rearrange your stickers.
Memoji stickers open up a lot of fun options.
And when you’re creating a new sticker, look for the “Live” tab at the top to quickly create “Live Stickers” which are essentially GIF stickers 😁. Even with Live Stickers, you can add an effect.
Make Messages stickers in the Photos app
Along with making stickers in the Messages app, you can also do it any time in the Photos app. Just long press on a subject in a photo, then let go and look for the “Add Sticker” option.
Stickers with SMS texts?
It does work to put stickers in SMS texts but while Apple hasn’t specified, I assume it does not show up for users on the receiving end, but can be seen on the iOS 17 sender’s side.
iPhone Messages stickers wrap-up
All-in-all, the new Messages stickers experience is a fantastic improvement that allows a lot more freedom with communication and expression. And the legacy Tapback reactions for Messages remain as a fast way to respond.
One thing to keep in mind, along with all the other iMessage apps, stickers are behind the new + icon so it takes an extra tap to get to it as opposed to the iOS 16 and earlier UI that had iMessage apps right above the keyboard.
On Thursday, Applereleased iOS 16.5 to the public with new wallpaper choices, updates to Apple News, and more. As it turns out, this update also breaks compatibility with Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter accessory for iPhone and iPad users.
This dongle connects to an iPhone or iPad via Lightning and has a built-in USB-A port that you can use to connect a myriad of accessories to your iPhone or iPad. There’s also a built-in Lightning port for charging the iPhone or iPad. According to users who rely on this accessory, however, iOS 16.5 breaks compatibility with both of those ports.
In posts on Apple’s Support forums, Reddit, and the MacRumors forums, users say that the Lightning and USB-A ports on this accessory are rendered useless after updating to iOS 16.5. The Lightning port does not passthrough power to charge the iPhone and iPad. Connecting an accessory to the adapter via USB-A results in an error message that says the adapter requires too much power to operate.
While Apple bills this as a “camera adapter accessory,” iPhone and iPad users actually rely on it for connecting a range of USB-A products to their devices. This includes things like Ethernet adapters, digital audio converters, and more.
One affected user explains:
iPhone 13 Pro Max here hitting same issue. I’ve been using the official Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter for months to send lossless Apple Music to my DAC, and it’s worked flawlessly and charged my phone at the same time. As soon as I updated to iOS 16.5 this morning, the adapter not only doesn’t communicate to the DAC at all, it doesn’t even charge my phone. When I test plugging in an iPad on a previous OS version, it communicates and charges just fine.
This has to be an issue with iOS 16.5, and I hope it’s resolved quickly – very bad look for an official Apple accessory to be rendered inoperable by a step update of iOS.
Apple support has been unable to help the affected customers. The problem is likely software-related, given that it was tied to the release of iOS 16.5. This means Apple will likely have to release iOS 16.5.1 at some point in the near future to fix compatibility with the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter accessory.
Following over a month of beta testing, iOS 16.5 is now available to the general public. This update includes changes to Apple News, the addition of a new “Pride Celebration” wallpaper, and more. Head below for the full release notes with details on bug fixes, new features, and more.
What’s new in iOS 16.5?
Here are Apple’s official release notes on iOS 16.5 new features and bug fixes. The build number for today’s update is 20F66.
A new Pride Celebration wallpaper for the Lock Screen to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture
Sports tab in Apple News gives easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more, for the teams and leagues you follow
My Sports score and schedule cards in Apple News take you directly to game pages where you can find additional details about specific games
Fixes an issue where Spotlight may become unresponsive
Addresses an issue where Podcasts in CarPlay may not load content
Fixes an issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices
Earlier iOS 16.5 betas included the addition of a new Siri command for starting and stopping a screen recording. Apple removed this feature in subsequent iOS 16.5 betas, and it’s not included in the final version of the update.
iOS 16.5 will be the final major point-release update to iOS 16 before WWDC in June. This is where Apple will debut iOS 17 and release the first developer betas.
Apple is, however, expected to continue releasing updates to iOS 16 through the summer and likely even alongside iOS 17. iOS 16.6 is expected to enter beta testing soon.
You can update your iPhone by going to the Settings app, choosing General, then choosing Software Update.
watchOS 9.5 debuts with new Pride Celebration watch face
Alongside iOS 16.5, Apple has also released watchOS 9.5 for Apple Watch users today. The headlining change in this update is an all-new Pride Celebration watch face to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture.
What’s new in watchOS 9.5?
watchOS 9.5 is rolling out now to all users. You can update your Apple Watch by going to Settings, choosing General, then choosing Software Update. You can also install the update via the Apple Watch companion app on your iPhone.
Here are Apple’s release notes for watchOS 9.5:
watchOS 9.5 includes new features, improvements and bug fixes, including a new Pride Celebration watch face to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture.
And some more details on the new Pride Celebration watch face:
Inspired by multiple pride flags, this new watch face combines colors to represent the strength and mutual support of the LGBTQ+ movement. Mirroring the woven loops of the Sport Loop, each strand of vibrant thread contributes to the overall composition of the watch face. The colorful threads move as the Digital Crown on Apple Watch is rotated, the display is tapped, or the user’s wrist is raised.
The new Pride Celebration face included in watchOS 9.5 pairs with the similarly-designed wallpaper for iPhone users. The new wallpaper is included with iOS 16.5, which is also available starting today.
macOS Ventura 13.4 with new sports-related features
After months of beta testing, Apple has finally released macOS Ventura 13.4 to the public. The update, which is now available for macOS users, comes with new sports-related features, as well as a new system for installing beta software. Read on as we detail what’s new with macOS Ventura 13.4.
One big change coming with macOS Ventura 13.4 is the new system for installing betas that was introduced with iOS 16.4. The operating systems now asks for the Apple ID to show and download beta software updates.
macOS checks whether the account is associated with a developer or user registered in the public beta program. It then shows the beta update available for that program. With this change, regular users will no longer be able to install developer betas, for example.
macOS 13.4 full release notes
Sports feed in the sidebar of Apple News gives easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more, for the teams and leagues you follow
My Sports score and schedule cards in Apple News take you directly to game pages where you can find additional details about specific games
Resolves an issue where Auto Unlock with Apple Watch does not log you into your Mac
Fixes a Bluetooth issue where keyboards connect slowly to Mac after restarting
Addresses a VoiceOver issue with navigating to landmarks on webpages
Fixes an issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices
You can install macOS Ventura 13.4 by going to the Software Update menu in the System Settings app. It may take a while before the update shows up on your computer; make sure that your Mac is compatible with macOS Ventura.
The update build number is XXXXX.
OpenAI launches free ChatGPT for iPhone app with Whisper support and more
OpenAI has announced that it is releasing a dedicated iPhone app for its ChatGPT service. The app, which is available via the App Store, gives users the ability to use ChatGPT through a native app on their iPhone. The app is free to download and includes no ads. It’s currently only available in the United States, but OpenAI says availability will expand “in the coming weeks.”
ChatGPT for iPhone now available
As announced by OpenAI in a blog post, ChatGPT for iPhone will offer the same set of features as the web version of the service. This will include ChatGPT Plus support, which lets users subscribe to pay for more advanced versions of the service.
The app will also sync your ChatGPT history across all your devices, including the web. It also includes support for Whisper, OpenAI’s open-source speech-recognition system. This integration with Whisper enables voice input for the ChatGPT app on iPhone. The ChatGPT app is also completely ad-free.
As ChatGPT has gained popularity over the last six months, a number of copycat and scam apps have surfaced on the App Store. Apple has cracked down on these apps, in part by blocking apps that use “GPT” in their name. By releasing its own version of ChatGPT for iPhone, OpenAI hopes to directly control the experience of using the service on an iPhone.
Additionally, Microsoft’s Bing app for iPhone has seen a major boost in popularity since it added ChatGPT integration.
ChatGPT for iPhone is rolling out starting today to users in the United States. OpenAI availability will “expand to additional countries in the coming weeks.”
Apple competitors like Samsung have been trying to push foldable smartphones and tablets for some time. And while this is a niche market, Apple is rumored to have been experimenting with this idea internally. We don’t yet know when, or if, the company will introduce a foldable iPhone or foldable iPad – but read on as we detail what we know so far.
Latest rumors on Apple’s foldable iPhone and iPad
Rumors suggest that the Cupertino-based company is internally developing prototypes of foldable iPhones and iPads, but those devices are far from seeing the light of day. Analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young reported that Apple’s first foldable product is expected to be introduced in 2025 “at the earliest.” Details about these devices remain unclear at this point.
This comes as no surprise since Apple has been following a more conservative approach in recent years. Due to the large number of devices the company ships each year, Apple would likely face several supply issues with the launch of a foldable phone at this point, since this technology is still limited and more expensive.
But what would an Apple foldable device look like? People familiar with the matter have been saying that the company has different prototypes inside its campus. One of them looks more like an iPhone that folds – an idea similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip. Another prototype looks more like an iPad that folds into a phone. Kuo said this year that he believes the foldable tablet will come first.
I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix. My latest survey indicates that the foldable iPad will feature a carbon fiber kickstand. Carbon fiber material will make the kickstand lighter and more durable.
Last year, Young claimed that Apple was in talks with its suppliers to order 20-inch displays for a foldable laptop. Of course, these are all for experimental prototypes and none of these are product designs that are about to see the light of day. Still, it’s interesting to see that although having a foldable device is not a priority for Apple, the company is not ruling out the idea for the future.
CCS Insight also predicted that Apple’s first foldable device will cost around $2,500, much more expensive than current iPhones. But at the same time, foldable devices from other companies are not cheap either. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799. Google’s new Pixel Fold also comes with a price tag of $1,799.
Are foldable phones worth it?
Some people think foldable devices are nothing more than a gimmick, while others really see the potential in this technology.
Samsung has been doing a great job with its foldable phones, and these devices open up a lot of new possibilities. For some people, it’s all about making large phones fit into a pocket or purse. For others, it’s about new ways to interact with the phone when it’s folded. I had fun taking selfies with my Z Flip without having to hold it or put it on a stand.
At the same time, these devices still look more like prototypes than devices for end users. There’s still the crease where the display bends and they’re still quite fragile. These are things that Apple can change with its own foldable device.
Report rumored: Foldable iPhone pushed to 2025, Apple mulling 20-inch foldable MacBook display
As part of its broader report focused on the growth of foldable smartphone shipments for companies like Samsung, Display Supply Chain Consultants has new details on Apple’s work on a foldable iPhone.
According to DSCC analyst Ross Young, Apple has likely delayed its foldable iPhone until 2025, but it is also investigating the idea of “foldable notebooks.”
First off, based on conversations with supply chain sources, Young says that DSCC has delayed its expectations for a foldable iPhone to 2025. This represents a delay of around two years compared to previously-reported timelines of a foldable iPhone launching in 2023.
We delayed our expectations for Apple entering the foldable smartphone market by two years to 2025 after discussions with our supply chain contacts. The company does not appear to be in a hurry to enter the foldable smartphone market, and it may even take longer than that.
Perhaps more interestingly, DSCC says that Apple is now investigating the idea of a foldable notebook of some sort. The company is reportedly in discussions with suppliers about this category, and while a product is still several years away, its interest is in a 20-inch foldable of some sort.
On the other hand, we are now showing Apple in our roadmap for foldable notebooks. We hear there is interest at the largest size yet, around 20.x”. This size could create a new category for Apple and would result in a true dual use product, a notebook with a full-size keyboard when folded and for use as a monitor when not folded and used with an external keyboard. It may also allow for UHD/4K resolution or even higher at that size. The time frame is likely later than 2025 though, it could be 2026 or 2027.
Even if this product is several years away, DSCC says that this is “good news for the foldable space” in general.
For those unfamiliar, Ross Young is an analyst for Display Supply Chain Consultants. As such, his reporting is usually based on indications from the supply chain similar to analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo. He’s proven to be extremely reliable over the past year, including being the sole analyst to report that the 2021 MacBook Pros would feature mini-LED displays with ProMotion.
While Android counterparts like Samsung have entered the foldable smartphone industry with full force, Apple has been much more reserved thus far. Samsung has developed its foldable smartphone products in public, with its most recent being the Galaxy Z Flip3. As usual, Apple’s approach has been to develop a foldable iPhone secrecy and release a product only when it’s deemed ready for the public.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted in the past that Apple could sell 20 million units of the first foldable iPhone, whenever it eventually comes to market.
More interesting than the foldable iPhone delay, however, is Young’s claim that Apple is working on a 20-inch foldable MacBook product of some sort. Details here are a bit sparse, but it sounds like an incredibly intriguing product — regardless of whatever form factor it ultimately ships with.
Some find the idea of a foldable MacBook or iPad much more intriguing than a foldable smartphone.
