I’m a religious member of the Android congregation and have been for some years, for quite a lot of causes I received’t go into right here. For sure I’ve made it very clear that I’ve no intention of leaving Android, particularly given Apple’s wonky and inconsistent tackle the again button.
However in the course of the course of the WWDC 2023 keynote I discovered myself very intrigued by the brand new options that had been coming to iOS 17, to the purpose the place I really felt myself considering “oh rattling, I want I had that characteristic on my cellphone.” Will they be sufficient to make me swap platforms? By no means, however these seven iOS 17 options are doing an important job of attempting to tempt me again to iPhone after a 12-year absence.
Reside Voicemail
It’s 2023, and bonafide cellphone calls are uncommon. Like most of you, proportion of the calls I obtain are a part of some sort of rip-off, however infrequently one thing essential slips by. I’m not one to disregard calls and go away the decision’s destiny to the voicemail gods, as a result of sometimes an essential name from an unknown quantity slips in. Fortunately Apple’s Reside Voicemail characteristic would make me a bit extra inclined to take action.
Why? As a result of as an alternative of answering a name to see who’s on the opposite finish, iOS 17 will ship them to voicemail and transcribe the message they’re leaving in actual time. It could be somebody attempting to persuade me I must pay overdue taxes with Apple reward playing cards, who I’d quite not communicate to. Or it could be the plumber I’ve been attempting to pay money for for a number of days explaining why he nonetheless hasn’t proven up.
Reside Voicemail helps me filter these calls, and if I really feel the necessity to really communicate to the caller I can decide up mid-message. To not point out the very fact it is going to apparently filter out spam calls earlier than they even get entry to your answering machine within the first place.
And to high all of it off iMessage will be capable of transcribe these pesky audio messages that no one likes receiving. Which might be very good to have, and it’s a characteristic WhatsApp hasn’t managed to roll out to my cellphone but.
StandBy Mode
I’m not a fan of sensible shows, however I’m intrigued by iOS 17’s StandBy mode. Primarily by way of the way you activate it, and the truth that the screens are kind of customizable to allow you to see what you wish to see — all with out having to buy a separate machine.
Merely flip the iPhone right into a horizontal place whereas it’s charging, and StandBy mode kicks into gear. It doesn’t even need to be MagSafe both, regardless of what Apple’s announcement appeared to indicate, simply as long as the cellphone is getting energy from someplace.
I presently personal a Pixel Stand 2, a wi-fi charging stand which does one thing related to this with my Pixel 6 Professional. Nevertheless it doesn’t appear practically as versatile, significantly because it’s reliant on the stand itself to activate — and is a bit inconsistent in its implementation from my expertise. So one thing a bit extra refined, and never reliant on a further accent, can be unbelievable.
Test-in
Test-in is presumably crucial iOS 17 replace, due to the way it has very real-world security purposes. The concept is that Test-in will be capable of robotically detect once you get house, and inform family and friends you made it safely. It may possibly additionally acknowledge if you happen to’re not making progress, and has the capability to ahead details about your location, route, cell service and battery.
That’s a vastly essential characteristic for individuals strolling or travelling alone, particularly girls. Test-in may also help your family members really feel extra snug, understanding they are going to be up to date in your progress it doesn’t matter what. Likewise travellers get to expertise that from the opposite finish, understanding there’s somebody who can summon assist in the event that they want it — it doesn’t matter what occurs.
I’m a fairly large man, and there aren’t many events that I’ll really feel unsafe when strolling alone. Nevertheless it does occur, and there are normally individuals ready for me to inform them I bought house safely. Having a characteristic like Test-in constructed into my cellphone may also help everybody really feel comfy.
Plus, on the very least, if my cellphone sends the “bought house safely message” for me, I can’t overlook to do it myself. I’m very dangerous at doing that (sorry, Mother).
Updates to AirDrop
I’ve discovered myself getting envious of AirDrop through the years, particularly because the Android equal was left lingering in improvement hell till very just lately. As a result of, frankly, getting recordsdata and pictures between my cellphone, pill and Home windows laptop computer might be difficult. AirDrop would have made that quite a bit less complicated, even earlier than the upcoming iOS 17 replace.
Now Apple is making AirDrop even higher. Come iOS 17 you’ll be capable of provoke an AirDrop switch by bringing your telephones shut collectively, nearly just like the previous Bluetooth-bumping apps from the early 2010s. Recordsdata will also be despatched over the web, of their full authentic high quality, in case you’ll be able to’t hold round collectively for them to switch totally.
To not point out the very fact NameDrop makes sharing contact data an absolute cinch. Not will I’ve to fret whether or not it issues that my enterprise playing cards are three years outdated. Nor would I’ve to both sort out contact data or scan QR codes to get somebody’s particulars.
It’s such a disgrace that, like many options, the brand new model of AirDrop is firmly an Apple-exclusive characteristic.
Cleansing up two-factor verification messages
Should you’re something like me, your textual content messaging app is probably going crammed to the brim with two-factor verification codes — all of which turn out to be utterly ineffective 5 minutes or so after they arrive. For sure deleting all of them is sort of a ache, which is why I’m comfortable to listen to iOS 17 will be capable of do this robotically. iOS 17 even does it to your electronic mail inbox, since these verification codes don’t all the time come through SMS.
That catch is that you must use auto-fill to log into all of your accounts. Should you want to log in manually iOS 17 received’t be capable of register that you just really used and entered the code — and leaves it undeleted indefinitely.
Higher EV charging help in Apple Maps
One private bug-bear of mine is how little help electrical automobiles get from the likes of Apple and Google. Regardless of being titans of software program and navigation, they’re frequently being outmatched by third-party apps and companies. Fortunately iOS 17 will see Apple Maps go a way in direction of fixing that drawback.
Now Apple Maps will allow you to discover electrical automotive chargers in your cellphone and through CarPlay, alongside real-time details about that charger’s standing. As a result of driving to a charger and discovering it’s already in use completely sucks, and it’s a sure-fire method so as to add a bunch of pointless ready to an extended street journey. Not less than this manner you could find out forward of time, and probably reroute to a vacant plug.
Apple Maps may even give you the prospect to filter which charging networks it’ll give you. Simply in case you’ve gotten some type of vendetta towards Electrify America or one among its many rivals. The one main draw back is that this may initially solely work in choose automobiles — and it’s not clear which of them.
It’s removed from an ideal resolution, and it will be good for Apple Maps (and Google) to supply extra sturdy EV routing with out connecting to your automotive. However it’s a begin, and it leaves room for Apple to supply much more within the coming years.
Turning your iPhone right into a pet-tracking digicam
So this one hasn’t really been confirmed, and it appears to depend on a further accent, however it’s nonetheless fairly darn cool. The concept is that some sort of MagSafe-enabled 360-degree motorized mount might work along side iOS 17 to monitor your pets actions once you’re not house.
Not simply that, however Apple’s Animal Physique Pose API would possibly be capable of learn your pet’s physique language and perceive what sort of emotional state they’re in. I can simply foresee a scenario the place your pet could seem distressed, or needs to go exterior for a loo break, and also you’re not round, so that you get a notification about it.
Heck, Apple had me offered with 360-degree pet monitoring. I’ve a digicam in my front room by my canine’s mattress, which I exploit to maintain tabs on him after I’m not there and to warn me about any potential barking. However that digicam has a single viewpoint, and there are occasions when my canine wanders out of view. 360-degree monitoring might show useful, particularly if there’s further pet-specific software program concerned as effectively.
The one draw back is that I’d want a spare iPhone that I don’t use on a regular basis. Good factor I don’t really intend to modify then, proper?
Backside line
A number of weeks again I wrote about how I wouldn’t contemplate switching to an iPhone till Apple sorted it’s again button scenario out as soon as and for all. We haven’t heard something about this with iOS 17, so I can solely assume navigation will stay utterly untouched. So I cannot be shopping for an iPhone as soon as I’m able to ditch my Pixel 6 Professional.
However it’s honest to say that Apple has been killing it with the software program updates this yr. The truth that these options could make me, a fully-committed Android person, really feel some critical envy is testomony to that. Particularly since expertise tells me that Google, Samsung and different big-name Android builders aren’t prone to step in with their very own options anytime quickly.
However who is aware of, possibly Apple will type out its dodgy navigation as soon as and for all, and I can genuinely contemplate making that swap. However till then I can solely take a look at these options and dream of what could possibly be.