In about two months we will have our first look at iOS 17, the latest update for the iPhone which, as always, will bring a lot of changes and improvements. Rumor has it that it will lack a key hook — such as the lock screen in iOS 16 or the App Library in iOS 16 — to entice users to upgrade. However, even without a major feature, iOS 17 is still shaping up to be one of the most exciting iPhone updates in years. Here’s why.
Compatibility
When iOS 16 arrived last fall, it dropped support for a few notable iPhones: the original SE, as well as the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. After a report that Apple will be ditching the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X this year, it now looks as though that won’t be the case, giving another year of life to the 2017 iPhones.
Most Wanted Features
We don’t know much about what’s in iOS 17 yet — and we probably won’t until the keynote — but what we do know is exciting. A report by Mark Gurman last month claimed that Apple will be bringing some of the iPhone users’ “most requested features” to iOS 17. Among the recent rumors is “major” changes to Control Center, which will certainly be among our most requested features.
Much needed maintenance
There was a time when Apple regularly released so-called “maintenance” builds of Mac OS X that focused on performance and stability rather than adding new features. It’s not flashy, but it’s essential to keep things running as fast and smooth as they should be. We haven’t had one of those in a while — and we never have with iOS — but it would go a long way toward making our older iPhones feel like they just got a speed boost.
Dynamic Island 2.0
Apple introduced Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Pro last year, and there are rumors that it will come to all iPhone 15 models. This means that Apple wants it to be the next big interface feature — and iOS 17 is likely to take it to the next level. The possibilities are pretty endless, and we can’t wait to see what plans Apple has for them.
The next generation of CarPlay
At WWDC 2022, Apple gave us a sneak peek at the next generation of CarPlay, with a stunning interface designed to control so much more than your car’s entertainment system. But we didn’t get more than a few great screenshots and a promise that vehicle announcements are coming in 2023. We hope to see more about them during the iOS 17 section of the WWDC demo.
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