Apple on Thursday released the first beta of its upcoming iOS 17.2 update, and it added a good-sized list of new features. Let’s take a look.
Journal App
iOS 17.2 includes the Journal app that Apple announced when iOS 17 was unveiled. iOS 17’s new “Journal” app allows users to make daily journal entries, using people, places, activities, music, and photos. Daily reminders can be set to remember to write an entry.
Collaborative Apple Music Playlists
Collaborative Playlists make listening to music with friends easier than ever before, and SharePlay in the car allows all passengers to easily contribute to what’s playing. Listeners can control the music from their own devices, even if they don’t have an Apple Music subscription.
Favorites Apple Music Playlist
Songs that you have favorited in the Apple Music app are now aggregated into a Favorites playlist.
Action Button Translate Option
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users can now assign a new Translate option for the Action Button. When the Action Button is designated to activate Translate, pressing and holding causes the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to display a Translate window that will listen for spoken text. It translates from one set language to another, using the languages that you have previously set up in the Translate app.
iMessage Contact Key Verification
iMessage Contact Key Verification is a feature designed for journalists, human rights activists, government officials, and others who face “extraordinary digital threats.” The feature helps ensure that there is no one snooping on iMessage conversations, and there is a Contact Verification Code so that iMessage users can verify that they’re speaking to the correct contact during in-person meetings or on FaceTime calls.
Messages in iCloud Syncing
The “Messages” section in iCloud in the Settings app has been renamed to “Messages in iCloud.” It shows the total amount of storage that messages are taking up, the number of messages synced to iCloud, and the time of the last sync. There’s also a “Sync Now” option to force an update.
Emergency Alerts Local Awareness
Under “Notifications” -> “Emergency Alerts” in the Settings app, there is a new “Local Awareness” option that can be turned on. Local Awareness is designed to use your location to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and reliability of emergency alerts.
Weather Widgets
There are new Details, Daily Forecast, and Sunrise/Sunset widgets.
Digital Clock Widget
A new Digital Clock widget can be added to the Home Screen or Lock Screen.
AirPlay Receiver
A new “AirPlay Receiver” setting will allow Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset to stream or share content to an iPhone.
Memoji
Apple added a “Body” section for Memoji where users can customize the waist, bust, shoulders, and arms for their Memoji.
News App
The News app now supports Live Activities, which comes in handy for following news-related events such as elections or other ongoing news stories.
(Via MacRumors)
