Apple held its annual developer’s conference last week when it revealed new features coming in iOS 17. While there’s nothing groundbreaking – which can sometimes be a good thing because the learning curve is not so steep – there are some useful features that everyone will appreciate, a number of accessibility improvements and a few just-for-fun features for light-hearted moments.

The new operating system will be released following Apple’s hardware event in September, assuming the schedule remains the same as in past years. A public beta or test version will be available in July, but when you hear “beta” that means “bugs,” so the average user should wait until the final version in September.

Before we jump into what’s new, you should know which iPhones will be able to download iOS 17. Compatibility starts with iPhone XS (released in 2018) and includes XR, series 11 through 14, and the second-generation SE. If you’re unsure what model you have, head into your phone’s settings, scroll down and you’ll see your phone’s model. Tap the arrow to open a new window with further details.

Let’s start with Live Voicemail, which is a top feature for me in a work setting. With iOS 17, you’ll see a live transcription of a caller’s voicemail so you can decide to answer it, deal with it later or ignore it as you would if it turned out to be spam.

iMessage is getting similar useful upgrades, including real-time transcription of audio texts and the ability to see a person’s shared location without having to leave iMessage and go to Maps or Google. You’ll use a new plus button to share your location or request one from a friend. iMessage will also offer automatic check-ins to a specified person, so there will be no more excuses like, “Sorry, Mom. I forgot to let you know I got home safely.”

NameDrop, a new feature for AirDrop, will allow iPhones to share contact information by putting two iPhones next to each other. You will be able to select on the screen what emails and phone numbers you’d like to share with the other person. This feature will be a boon to conference attendees as long as your new connections have an iPhone.

FaceTime will also get a much-needed addition. Currently, you cannot leave a message when you FaceTime someone who does not answer the call, but come September, you will be able to leave a video or audio message. You’ll also be able to connect FaceTime to Apple TV and you can use your iPhone as a camera, which will be great for group calls.

A new Standby mode will become available that makes your phone useful even while it’s charging. In landscape mode, you can choose to display a clock (multiple designs available), photos from your library or interactive widgets such as progress on your Door Dash order. Only the iPhone 14 Pro has an Always on Display option, so if you have an older model, you’ll have to tap the screen to wake it up. You can adjust the time that it takes for your phone to enter lock mode by visiting “Settings,” “Display & Brightness” and then “Auto-Lock.” Here you can change the time to a maximum of five minutes.

iOS 17 will bring a new app to iPhones called Journal that provides prompts to help you record your thoughts about the places you visited, your activities and more. Journal can only be accessed by the phone’s owner, Apple said in its presentation. The company also said this app is coming later in the year so it may not be available at the iOS 17 launch.

Accessibility has long been a priority for Apple and this new operating system offers several innovative features. First, Assistive Access adds a customizable interface to make the iPhone easier to use for people with cognitive disabilities. Second, Personal Voice lets people create a voice that’s similar to theirs that can be used with text to voice communication. Third, for those with low vision, Point and Speak lets people point their phone at a physical object and then hear text describing that object.

Finally, Apple is going all-in on custom stickers. Remember when it introduced the ability to cut out a part of a photo and paste it elsewhere? Soon you’ll be able to turn those cutouts into stickers and store them in iMessage right along with emojis, so you can use your own personal stickers in any message.

Leslie Meredith has been writing about technology for more than a decade. As a mom of four, value, usefulness and online safety take priority. Have a question? Email Leslie at asklesliemeredith@gmail.com.

Newsletter