Apple plans to release software updates for its iPhoneiPad and smartwatch on Monday, adding new features and designs for compatible devices.
Announced at company’s developer conference in JuneiOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 add a much-improved keyboard with autocorrect that will let you swear, new sleep modes, contact displays, greater customization, and Apple’s biggest interface overhaul Watch since its launch.
Here’s what you need to know about updates.
When can I get it?
Downloads of iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS updates typically begin around 6 p.m. UK time (1 p.m. in New York; 3 a.m. in Sydney). Unlike other manufacturers, all eligible Apple devices will be able to download and install the update as soon as it is released rather than in a staggered manner.
What devices can get it?
All Apple smartphones from iPhone XS 2018 or newer can install iOS 17. All tablets from the 2017 iPad Pro 10.5-inch or 2018 iPad (6th generation) and newer can install iPadOS 17. All 2018 Apple Watch Series 4 or newer recent can install watchOS 10.
How can I get it?
Open the Settings app on an iPhone or iPad, then go to General > Software Update. Tap install if available to download, check then reboot to install. You can also install the update through a Mac or iTunes on a Windows computer.
WatchOS 10 requires iPhone XS or later to work iOS 17 first. Next, open the Watch app on the phone and go to General > Software Update to begin the installation. You will need to put the smartwatch on its charger to complete the update.
How much will it cost?
Updates are free from Apple. If you’re asked to pay for an update, it’s probably a scam.
iPhone – iOS 17
Improved automatic keyboard correction
Apple’s keyboard will finally allow you to swear by learning from your manual corrections, which should ban “dodging” case typos. You can undo the corrected text by tapping the underlined words if you make a mistake. The keyboard can now predict and complete full sentences as you type, similar to the feature in Google’s Gmail and others.
Contact posters, video messages and live voicemail
Contact Posters include your photo, text, and customizable colors that appear on recipients’ phones and in their Contacts app when you make a call, letting you choose how you look when you contact people.
NameDrop lets you share your contact information with another iPhone or Apple Watch simply by bringing them together and choosing what to send. The same proximity process also works for other AirDrop file sharing interactions.
Initially only available in the United States and Canada, the phone app can now automatically transcribe voice messages in real time so you can see who’s calling and what it’s about before answering the call, which is practical to avoid unwanted calls.
FaceTime callers can now leave video voicemails if the recipient is unavailable. Video calls can also be made to a TV using an Apple TV box and an iPhone or iPad’s camera, while animated reactions including balloons rising and other elements, can be triggered by hand gestures such as thumbs up.
Sleep mode, just “Siri” and Apple Maps offline
The new sleep mode can turn the iPhone into a small smart display when turned on in landscape mode while charging, showing the time, widgets, photos and other information at a glance, including Siri interactions. A new option removes the “hey” from “hey Siri” when calling Apple’s voice assistant, which can now handle back-to-back requests without having to say Siri every time as well.
You can save areas of a map in the Apple Maps app for offline access, including directions, hours of operation and other information, matching the long-standing popular feature of Google Maps. Apple’s Safari browser now has profiles, catching up with competitors such as Chrome and Firefox. They allow you to have a different set of bookmarks, settings, sites and cookies, like one for work and one for home.
Registration
Check-in is a new safety feature that lets you share your location with friends or family. The system automatically detects your return home and lets them know. If it sees that you’re running late, it can send information to your contact such as your location, battery life, and other information so that it can help you.
iPad-iPadOS 17
Apple’s tablets get most of the new features in iOS 17 with a few additions only for larger screen devices.
Apple added extensive customization to iPhone lock screens last year with iOS16, which have now arrived on the iPad. Users can add widgets, use live wallpaper, change font and other options, while live activities, such as tracking flights and other real-time events, now appear on the lock screen.
The Health app now on iPad
Apple’s tradition Health app is now on the iPad, in which you can see data such as sleep tracking, activity and other elements from first-party and third-party applications. It has a new tablet-sized interface and can be used to look at trends in your data, as well as record things like your vision or mental health.
Stage Manager multitasking improvements
In multitasking mode, application windows can be resized and placed anywhere on the desktop rather than being limited to certain locations like with iPadOS 16. If you have a keyboard connected to the tablet, you can hold down Shift and tap or click an app icon to open it in your current desktop space. These small updates make the iPad feel more like a Mac or desktop.
Apple Watch-watchOS 10
WatchOS 10 benefits from many new features in iOS 17, including NameDrop, Contact Posters, and more. But Apple has also reworked how parts of the operating system work.
Revamped apps
Most of the apps built into the watch have been redesigned with more colors and animations, as well as more on-screen information per page for less scrolling. For example, tap the Weather app screen to toggle current conditions, temperature, chance of rain, and other metrics, while the Activity, Heart Rate, and Sleep apps display graphs bigger and better quality of your daily progress.
Widgets can now be accessed directly from the watch face by scrolling or swiping up to reveal a stack of them. Widgets update dynamically based on the time of day, your location, and how you use your watch so current information is shown first, but you can also customize widgets and pin the most important.
To accommodate the widgets, two key features had to be reworked. To access Control Center and adjust settings, now press the Side button instead of swiping up from the bottom. Double-clicking the Digital Crown now brings up the recently used apps dock from the previous watchOS. You can no longer just swipe left or right to change your watch face, but you must first tap and hold the face.
Snoopy, Woodstock, Palette and many other new watch faces
There are several new dials to choose from. The face of the palette changes color throughout the day using three layers behind analog hands. Snoopy and Woodstock’s face allows the titular characters to react in funny ways to your movements, the weather and the time of day. The watch’s sundial now has an analog version and a new animated Nike Globe dial.
The Watch Ultra also gets a new, more information-rich Modular Ultra watch face, which adds information to the screen bezel and can display up to seven complications on screen for the first time.
Cycling Power and Bluetooth accessories
The Workouts app can now connect to Bluetooth cycling accessories, such as pedal power sensors, allowing it to display and record metrics including cadence, speed, power, and workout zones. power. The watch can also connect to your iPhone to display live cycling data on the phone’s screen, turning it into a cycling computer substitute when mounted on your handlebars.
