With the new year, comes the possibility of a brand new range of iPhone series. And along with it comes an updated operating system, this time the iOS 17.
In 2023, we expect the iPhone 15 series with the advanced iOS 17. Generally, these come with new features, quality improvements, and possibly more convenience for users.
According to some reports, Apple is not focusing on a lot of new features. After the plethora of issues in iOS 16, this won’t be too surprising.
But here are some of the possible features that could be a part of the new iOS. Read on to find out the expected release date and device support options.
Possible iOS 17 new features
As is common with Apple, software features are being kept under wraps, leaving us to speculate or rely on our wishlists.
Newly released iOS 17 beta 6 now available
Apple showed off the new iOS 17 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5th. They gave a sneak peek of cool stuff that’s coming to iPhones, like StandBy, Live Voicemail, and better AirDrop. You could get a sort of early version of iOS 17 since the beginning of June. Last month, they let more people try it out before it’s fully ready.
And there’s more news. Apple didn’t just work on iOS 17 beta 6. They also made updates for watchOS 10 and tvOS 17. If you’re curious, you can find the specific version numbers below:
- iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 beta 6: 21A5312c
- tvOS 17 and HomePod Software 17 beta 6: 21J5339b
- watchOS 10 beta 6: 21R5341c
If you’re using the early versions of iOS, watchOS, or tvOS on your devices, remember to get the newest update. Just go to Settings and then choose Software Update.
Apple says that all this new software will come out for everyone in the fall. People are guessing that Apple’s big announcement event will happen in the third week of September. That’s likely when they’ll tell us exactly when iOS 17 will be ready for everyone. While we wait, you can keep following our news to know all the latest info.
Here’s everything new in the iOS 17 beta 6 version
Apple shifted the red button to end calls in the Phone app. They moved it from the center at the bottom to the right at the bottom. However, since people are used to tapping the center, this change didn’t go over well.
Apple has also made more adjustments to the animations for the moods in the mood tracking feature. The circles around each mood now move faster around the shapes, and there are more of these circles.
When you open the Photos app, you’ll notice a new screen that appears first. This screen tells you about the fresh features that have been added.
Reworked iMessage App
We already got some new iMessage features with iOS 16, but based on leaks, the entire app may get a revamp from the ground up (though we don’t think it will include RCS support).
Record calls
Apple has long refused to include native call recording in the iPhone’s phone app. It is possible to do it with third-party software, but we would prefer a first-party solution. Recording calls for later review or reference can be beneficial. To contend with Google’s Record app for Pixel phones, a live transcription feature would be ideal.
Redesign of the keyboard
To put it straight, the iOS keyboard is not so cool. It’s slow and frequently inaccurate, and it sometimes refuses to learn/suggest contractions. The auto-suggest feature can occasionally pull random words out of thin air while doing so notably slower than any of the better Android phones.
Third-Party App Stores
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman announced last year that Apple was planning to allow “alternative app stores” on the iPhone to adhere to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. According to the report, the changes would enable iPhone users to install apps from sources other than Apple’s App Store.
According to Gurman, Apple hopes to have the changes ready as part of an “update to iOS 17,” which means the changes could be implemented out in a point update like iOS 17.1 or later. The law will be fully implemented in March 2024.
More Predictions
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 17 could have “fewer major changes than originally planned” due to Apple’s focus on the “xrOS” operating system for its AR/VR headset. This could mean that iOS 17 focuses more on bug fixes and reliability improvements.
Next Gen CarPlay
Apple demoed the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC 2022, which will support different displays, widgets, and connectivity with vehicle functions such as the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.
Apple has stated that the earliest vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be officially confirmed in late 2023. And the connected iPhone will most likely require iOS 17 or later. Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others, according to Apple, have committed.
Apple Headset Support
Apple is considered likely to unveil its long-awaited AR/VR headset this year, and iOS 17 will almost certainly include support for the device before it becomes available.
Expected release date of iOS 17
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes that Apple’s event might occur on either September 12th or 13th. If Gurman’s prediction is accurate and Apple holds its event on one of these days, and then releases iOS 17 about five or six days afterward, we could anticipate a timeframe around September 17th to 19th.
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that Apple typically avoids releasing iOS updates over the weekend, and this year, September 17th falls on a Sunday, making it an unlikely release date. This leaves us with a potential launch window of September 18th or 19th for iOS 17.
Considering that Apple has often introduced previous iOS versions on Mondays more frequently than on Tuesdays, our expectation is that Apple will unveil iOS 17 on Monday, September 18th.
For comparison, iOS 16 was released on September 16, 2022, while iOS 15 was released on September 12, 2021. So we can safely predict that iOS 17 will be released in mid-September 2023. The launch should coincide with the release of the new iPhone 15 lineup.
Supported Devices
We clearly have no idea which devices Apple will support with iOS 17, but we can speculate. The iPhone 7 was removed from the list of iPhones that could run iOS 16.
The iPhone 8, which is now more than five years old, is the next one to go. It’s also probable that the iPhone X is nearing the end of its useful life, as it’s more than five years old.
Here are the devices that are expected to receive iOS 17:
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 11
- iPhone Xs
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone SE (2022)
We can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for us (quite literally). Until then, all we can do is speculate and observe previous trends to get an idea about the upcoming features and improvements. We hope some of our speculations come true and we look forward to the all-new, faster iOS 17 for our iPhone devices. Along with it, we are excitedly waiting for the next iPhone series of 2023.
