Apple’s latest major operating system upgrade, ios 17, offers some exciting new features for iPhone and iPad. These include extensive customization for the Phone, Messages and FaceTime apps with Contact Posters that let you add photos and Memojis and choose fonts and text colors.
Accessibility upgrades include Personal Voice for people at risk of losing their ability to speak and Live Speech that lets you type to be read aloud in Messages, phone calls and FaceTime.
StandBy Mode
One of the more intriguing new features introduced by iOS 17 is StandBy mode, which offers a full-screen experience with glanceable information when your iPhone is on its side while charging and locked. This feature essentially turns your iPhone into a smart display that’s similar to those offered by many popular home automation devices like the Amazon Echo Show.
This feature is surprisingly powerful and can be customized to fit your needs, with options that range from clocks and weather updates to reminders, calendar events, and photos. You can also use interactive widgets, which let you check off items on your to-do list or turn off home devices with a single tap.
To activate StandBy mode, just connect your iPhone to a power source and set it down in landscape orientation. It will automatically display a horizontal clock and other widgets that you can swipe through. If you’re using a MagSafe charger with a dedicated stand that keeps your device in the right position while charging, this is the perfect way to keep up with time and other relevant information without having to unlock or even touch your phone.
You can configure your preferred view in the Settings app, and StandBy mode will remember it for each specific charger it encounters. Additionally, the screen will turn on with a red tint to accommodate low ambient light in sleep environments.
Interactive Widgets
Widgets are a great way to customize your iPhone and access important information without having to launch an app. With iOS 17, widgets are getting an interactive upgrade. You can now perform actions on these widgets from anywhere—Home screen, Lock screen, or even the new StandBy mode. For example, you can tap on a Reminders widget to check off tasks you’ve completed or tap on a Music or Podcasts widget to resume playback.
To add an interactive widget, simply swipe right from your Home screen or open the Today View on your iPhone. Then, select a widget from the list that appears. It will begin to jiggle, which means you can now interact with it.
The iOS 17 update also includes a Smart Stack feature, which allows you to group multiple interactive widgets into a single stack so you can easily swap between them. You can also create a custom background for the Smart Stack and change its size to match your desired display.
iOS 17 will introduce a number of new Interactive Widgets for Apple’s apps, including the Reminders widget that lets you see your tasks at a glance and mark them off as done, the Music widget that offers quick controls over playback, and the Health app that lets you log things like water and coffee consumption, mood, steps, and more. Third-party apps can also introduce their own interactive widgets.
Personalized Posters
Personalized Posters is one of the coolest new features in iOS 17. The feature lets you add a poster to your contact info that will appear full-screen on other iPhones (and even third-party calling apps) when you call them. You can choose from a photo, Memoji representation, or a simple monogram initials poster to express yourself through your Caller ID.
To get started, open the Phone or Contacts app and tap your name at the top of the list (it will say My Card). Next, tap Contact Photo & Poster and then select Camera, Photos, or Memoji to create your poster. The interface is very similar to designing a Lock Screen, and you can swipe left or right to navigate through different filters that will distinguish your face from the background for better application of color effects.
When you’re done, just tap Done to save your creation. You can also change your poster at any time from the same menu. The feature works hand-in-hand with another new iOS 17 addition called NameDrop, which offers a faster way to swap your contact info with someone else by simply holding your iPhones together.
Once you’ve set up your poster, it will automatically be shared with your contacts who have also enabled the feature. You can adjust your poster settings to always ask before sharing if you prefer.
NameDrop
Apple’s iOS 17 update recently landed itself in hot water over a feature known as NameDrop. The feature allows iPhone users to easily swap contact information by simply holding their devices together. Some police departments and TikTok videos are warning adults to be wary of the new contact-sharing tool, claiming it is dangerous because it allows strangers to steal your information without your permission.
The truth is, while NameDrop is convenient and does save you time when exchanging numbers at a networking event or dinner party, it’s not something to be worried about. Apple made sure to point out that users will be prompted before sharing their information, so no random person walking down the street can bump into you and walk away with your phone number.
When two iPhones running iOS 17 are within centimeters of each other, a prompt will appear on both screens asking if users want to Share or Receive Only. Users can cancel the process at any time by moving their phones apart or locking their device.
Apple says that NameDrop will only share names, initials, and one of your contact poster images. It will not share any other details including email addresses, phone numbers, or addresses. It also will only work when both devices are unlocked and connected to a stable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.
