iOS 17 Public Beta

Apple made an announcement of iOS 17 in June. This latest version of iPhone OS is available in a public beta form. The iPhone owners can try it for free of cost. Remember that it is a beta version, a preview of the final software. This version helps the company to find & squash bugs before its official release to the wider public. The company will also officially release the software alongside new iPhones to everyone who has a compatible iPhone in the fall. According to Apple, users who feel uncomfortable with this software should wait until then.

What devices support iOS 17?

iOS 17 Public beta version works on the following devices:

• iPhone 14 
• iPhone 14 Plus 
• iPhone 14 Pro 
• iPhone 14 Pro Max 
• iPhone 13 
• iPhone 13 Mini 
• iPhone 13 Pro 
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 
• iPhone 12 Mini 
• iPhone 12 Pro 
• iPhone 12 Pro Max 
• iPhone 11 
• iPhone 11 Pro 
• iPhone 11 Pro Max 
• iPhone XS 
•  iPhone XS Max 
• iPhone XR 
• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) 

It does not support the iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus.

How can you install the iOS 17 Public Beta?

The installation procedure of the beta release of iOS has been made easier than ever by Apple. Here, we are going to mention the method that you need to follow.

Ensure that your device runs iOS 16.4 or later. Hence, you have to run Settings > General > About. Update the software if it's not done yet. And to do this, you need to go to Settings > General > Software Update. Then, you should download iOS 16's latest version.

Once you complete this:

• As it is about public beta, you need to move to Apple’s beta software portal on the Safari browser of the device. Then, you should use your primary Apple ID to sign up on the device. 
• Have you signed up already? Then, you can sign in and choose Get Started. 
• Are you signing in on this site for the first time? Then, your job is to enrol the Apple ID into Apple's Beta Software Program. Hence, you have to agree on a set of terms and conditions. 
• After you have agreed, you can complete the enrollment process. The Apple ID will essentially become your beta pass. 
• This step is optional. If you want to have more information about the beta program, you should scroll down to review information from Apple about providing feedback. Choose the option Enrol your iOS device under Get Started. Then, you will get reminders on generating a backup of the device's content onto a Mac when you want to revert to an old state.

Changes in iOS 17:

Here, we are going to mention a few significant changes in iOS 17.

Contact posters: It is one of the noticeable changes in iOS 17. In this case, you need to select a photo & font to change how you look when you will call an iPhone user. Creating your “contact poster” is possible similarly as you customize your lock screen.

Better autocorrect: The company said this feature has been revamped with a new transformer-based language model. It has to improve the accuracy level & grammar on the sentence level.

iMessage improvements & interface revamp:

The text messaging app of this company has received a massive update in years. The most visible changes can be noticed in the interface that includes hidden apps like stickers or cameras. You can now find them inside a menu on the left-hand side instead of on the top of the keyboard. The company improved message search, stickers, etc. It lets you transcribe short audio messages.

Journal app:

This latest iOS version has a new Journal app encouraging you to type in some thoughts daily. After that, it uses on-device machine learning to prompt the user to write more about their memories, people, music, or photos. You will not see this in the beta version because it is supposed to appear later.

New standby dock mode:

You need to place your iPhone horizontally on a wireless charger. Once you do this, a new interface will appear with widgets like a calendar or clock, alarms, etc. It is very useful for those who are willing to use their iPhones as a bedside clock.

Business card replacement:

With the help of the new feature NameDrop, two iPhone users are capable of sharing contact info just by bringing their phones close together.

Mental health features in the Health app:

Inside the company's Health app, you can log your daily moods & emotions and access tests and other assessments for diagnosing depression & anxiety.

Offline maps:

Apple will allow you to download & use maps offline in iOS 17. Although Google Maps has included the feature for years, Apple is going to enable the feature for the first time. You can download Maps for entire regions.

New AirPods features:

If you use AirPods Pro, you can see new capabilities enabled through the new iOS. Adaptive Audio is the new feature that uses machine learning & other software to understand what you are listening to and the sounds around you. This feature helps to reduce the volume in your earphones to offer better awareness of your surroundings.

Don’t have to say “Hey” to Siri anymore:

By making the command, Apple has awakened its voice assistant shorter.

Photos recognize pets as their person:

Apple's machine learning can recognize cats or dogs in images for a few years. Now, it is even able to detect individual pets and put the pets in their respective photo folders. Therefore, when you have two dogs, Apple Photos can differentiate the two in search and other applications.

Grocery lists in Reminders:

The Reminders app takes groceries in an unstructured list and sorts them automatically into categories like produce, frozen foods, or dairy. Shopping has become more efficient with the help of this feature.

The phone is too close to face:

Screen Distance is a detector created by Apple. It warns the user if your face remains too near to your mobile for an extended period.

Leave voicemails:

As an iPhone user, you can see a transcription of a voicemail that is left in real time. It allows them to decide to pick up the call anyway.

FaceTime voicemails:

The company has included voicemail support for FaceTime calls.

Better two-factor authentication:

This feature is the most loved one as it can take two-factor codes from text messages. Then, it drops these into the correct box on websites and apps. Apple can input 2-factor authentication codes from emails received in the Mail app in iOS 17.

Smooth transitions in Apple Music:

Apple Music has given the ability to cross-fade between tracks. You can collaborate on playlists that Spotify has given for years.

These are some more features of iOS 17:

• This latest iOS version transcribes the voicemail feature because people speak and leave you a message. 
• The Location-sharing feature works in Messages, indicating that you can see it directly in the conversation as a bubble. 
• The check-in feature informs your family members once you arrive home or somewhere safely. 
• Sharing passwords is possible with other people. 
• When you play a song, the operating system will suggest nearby AirPlay-enabled devices. It may benefit you or annoy you, depending on what you actually want to do.

The bottom line:

Overall iOS 17 can make you feel like an improved iOS 16, but it is always not the case with software updates. If you are thinking about what happened to Journal, which is one of the big new features in iOS 17, it will not come until later this year. With the help of this iOS 17 public beta, you can generate journal entries with the locations you visited and images of the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do you get public beta on iOS 17?

You need to navigate to Settings. Then, your task is to click on General and Software Update. Next, you have to choose a new Beta Updates item underneath Automatic Updates.

Q. What's new in iOS 17 public beta?

The new beta version comes with features like StandBy mode, interactive widgets, NameDrop, and updates to the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps.

Q. How stable is iOS 17 public beta?

It will be a more refined and stable version of the developer beta.