- WWDC 2023 - live updates
- Apple VR and the Reality Pro headset
- iOS 17
- macOS 14
- iPadOS 17
- watchOS 10
iPhone owners, get ready for the next update cycle! During the WWDC 2023 keynote on June 5, Apple announced iOS 17 - the latest update for iPhone, bringing a bunch of new features and refinements when it lands later this year.
This year Apple has made some big changes to Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, with new features such as personalized contact posters, building on the customization features of the Home Screen last year. Another exciting new phone feature is Live Voicemail, where you can see a live transcript of a voicemail as it's being left on your iPhone.
Apple has also made a major upgrade to FaceTime, letting you leave video messages if someone doesn't answer! Apple has also tweaked searches in Messages and has added transcription to voice messages.
Another cool new feature: Namedrop, a new AirDrop feature that lets you send your phone number to another device.
A welcome update
Another great update is a new autocorrect feature, which appears to have been vastly improved over previous years. No more telling people to get the duck off your lawn, Apple promises.
New features include a brand-new journaling tool to help people remember their days and write down their thoughts. It's called Journal, and the new app will be coming later this year. The app is powered by on-device machine learning that can suggest certain elements of a day you might like to write about.
Finally, iOS 17 also brings a stunning new Standby screen that shows you cool photos when your phone is charging in landscape.
Oh, and one more thing? Apple has dropped the "Hey," from "Hey Siri."
Last year's iOS 16 release was all about sharing and communication, with some of its most popular new features including incredible new ways to customize your iPhone's lock screen, taking advantage of the always-on display of the iPhone 14 Pro and the Dynamic Island.
In the weeks leading up to the WWDC 2023 event, the rumor mill ran at full tilt. We heard speculation that Apple would fully revamp the Control Center, marking one of the biggest changes to this area in years -- something long overdue, to be honest. There were also suggestions of improvements to the always-on display introduced with recent iPhones, in particular, the promise of a Smart Display feature to give more features to your iPhone when plugged in and placed horizontally on something like a nightstand.
While Apple hasn't yet shared an official release date for iOS 17, expect it to drop alongside the iPhone 15 in September. As expected, iOS 17 is being made available as a beta starting today if you're a developer, with a public one likely to follow in a few weeks.
We're covering all the WWDC 2023 announcements live and as they happen. Don't miss all our Apple VR, iOS 17, macOS 14, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 analysis so far.
