The top of the yr is often a time when individuals mirror on what got here earlier than within the earlier yr, and the identical applies to Apple’s software program, iOS particularly.
Since 2007 with the debut of the iPhone and iOS, there’s been a yearly turnaround of latest software program updates that will deliver massive adjustments or small enhancements, akin to a redesign in iOS 7, or widgets on the house display screen in iOS 14.
Nonetheless, with iOS 16 bringing widgets to the lock display screen, customers appear to need an enlargement of present options, quite than new ones for iOS 17.
With this in thoughts, we have racked our brains and give you seven iPhone platform options that might profit loads of customers.
Begin-up display screen showcasing the brand new options
That is one thing I hear quite a bit: ‘I did not know my iPhone may do this.’ As I work in an open workplace, I am going to spot iPhones which can be up to date to iOS 16, however nonetheless on the previous lock display screen or others which can be nonetheless working iOS 13 on an iPhone 11 Professional.
Apple believes that design ought to be invisible, that you must intuitively know a function can be there, prepared to make use of, however it would not play out that method for everybody. A good friend had no thought you possibly can reply calls on a Mac by an iPhone for instance – a function that is been round since 2014.
That is why an additional start-up display screen ought to seem when you replace to iOS 17. Much like once you launch certainly one of Apple’s apps and a display screen seems exhibiting what’s new. As a substitute, have this present once you go to the house display screen, and make it clear that the Ideas app might help you strive these options out.
The Ideas app is a lesser-known app from Apple, however for a brand new consumer it is nice – it is simply not talked about a lot by the corporate, and you almost certainly do not know that you may go to the app and, because the above picture exhibits, have a look at an summary of all the brand new options.
Let’s examine it’s extra ubiquitous – maybe a random tip seems throughout the Dynamic Island in the course of the first day you replace to iOS 17, and even an e mail showcasing what you are able to do.
Redesigned Management Middle
That is one thing lengthy overdue, however it’s a tough problem to beat. First showing in iOS 7 with the massive redesign to a flat methodology, you’ll swipe up from the underside of your iPhone to entry some settings. It was later moved to the top-right nook because the iPhone X and past use the swipe-up gesture to return to the house display screen.
Virtually ten years later and Management Middle has gotten worse, primarily because of the variety of new options which have appeared, and in flip, stuffed up the menu a lot that it may be tough to exit the display screen once you attempt to swipe up.
Let’s examine a redesign the place we will resize the choices, much like widgets on the house display screen, and have third-party apps be given entry to Management Middle.
And as an apart, let’s additionally see Management Middle be a part of the multitasking menu on iPad, as an alternative of getting its personal part.
Stream video games extra simply from iOS to Twitch
Apple made a giant push on gaming at WWDC 2022, the place it introduced Resident Evil Village coming to the Mac, and No Man’s Sky coming to each the Mac and iPad, however in the event you needed to stream video games in your iPhone by Twitch, you are out of luck.
Granted, SharePlay permits customers to stream what they’re doing in sure apps, however that is inside a FaceTime name. As a substitute, let’s examine a function the place you’ll be able to press a button to load up your Twitch account and stream your Apple Arcade sport.
Let’s additionally make it potential to take a look at the chat window of these watching your stream, and hold observe of your subscriptions by notifications on one other Apple gadget you might have.
We’re in an age the place many customers personal a number of merchandise from Apple, and whereas iCloud lets you handle recordsdata throughout these gadgets, some particulars akin to health and battery life can solely be discovered on some Apple merchandise.
For instance, if you wish to look at your Transfer purpose on a Health widget out of your iPad, you’ll be able to’t.
If you wish to examine the battery of all of your gadgets, you are out of luck. The one approach to examine in the event that they’re working low on energy is to load up the Discover My app, go to the Units tab, and choose every of your Apple merchandise to examine how full the battery icon is for each.
If one app can do that, absolutely a battery widget in iOS, and in addition macOS, and iPadOS is feasible.
The house display screen on iOS had barely modified since 2007, so when a redesign lastly arrived in iOS 16 with widgets, it was nice to see. Nonetheless, let’s examine this effort develop much more in iOS 17.
Six widgets and a Stay Actions widget on the lock display screen aren’t sufficient for some – there’s loads of alternative to see extra widgets in additional sizes and extra locations.
For instance, the time ought to be allowed to get replaced by one other widget, alongside one other row of widgets under the three we will select already.
Extra widgets are at all times a great factor, so let’s examine extra of them, and in additional sizes.
Higher picture-in-picture controls
Whereas the power to observe a video anyplace in your gadget debuted on the iPad solely in iOS 9, there’s barely been enhancements since, aside from it showing on iOS 14 in 2019.
Nonetheless, the power to higher management the video, akin to timeline scrubbing and deciding on different movies nonetheless hasn’t arrived, which is why these ought to seem in iOS 17.
There’s additionally a hidden function when utilizing this in macOS – in the event you maintain Possibility whereas dragging a video, you’ll be able to place it anyplace on the display screen. Let’s examine this seem in iOS 17 as properly, so we’ve got extra management of its measurement and place.
Deliver again panorama mode
Again once I had an iPhone 8 Plus, I beloved being able to show the telephone in panorama, and the house display screen would rotate, alongside all the pieces else.
The keyboard would have added features akin to punctuation keys and shortcuts akin to copying and pasting textual content, in addition to making the most of the added size so some keys had been wider, however this was eliminated in future fashions by the point the iPhone XS launched in 2018.
Virtually each iPhone presently accessible, from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14 Professional Max, all have the identical or larger shows than the common iPhone 8 Plus, because of the completely different all-screen design. So let’s examine iOS 17 make the most of that, and develop it to different apps too, akin to Apple Music and even the Lock Display with its helpful widgets.
Is your want lacking?
We’re at some extent with iOS the place the high-hanging fruit of options has been fulfilled by Apple over time – from customized keyboards to redesigned widgets on the house display screen.
The seven listed here are what may improve somebody’s use of an iPhone, however individuality is one thing that Apple is aware of is necessary, which is why we will customise our redesigned lock screens in iOS 16 to make them our personal.
Is there one thing you suppose we have missed for iOS 17? Get in contact with us (opens in new tab) to inform us what you’d wish to see in a future launch from Apple.