Apple introduced the iOS 17 system at its WWDC23 developer conference, and alongside the recent launch of the new Apple iPhone 15 series, it made it available for all users who have an iPhone XR (or XS) or newer. In this article, we’ll take a look at the hidden gems that might not be immediately apparent. Apple (much like Google) traditionally highlights significant changes, but inexplicably overlooks some. As a result, users might not even know that their phone is capable of something new.
Lock Incognito Mode in Safari
iOS 17 finally allows you to secure the private browsing mode, just like Google Chrome on Android has been doing since January of this year. So, if you’re browsing sites that only you should see, you now have that option. When you enable private browsing mode in iOS 17 for the first time, you’ll be prompted to decide if you want to protect your privacy with a password. Of course, you can also use Face ID or Touch ID, depending on your phone. You can change this setting anytime in Settings > Safari > Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing.
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Photos Can Now Recognize Your Pets
For several years now, iPhones, or rather iOS, have been able to recognize both people and animals. It even has no trouble identifying breeds. However, until now, it wasn’t possible to name your pet and quickly locate them. In the Albums category in Photos, the item “People” has been renamed to “People and Animals,” allowing you to save your favorite canine, feline, or other companion and view them instantly without the need for searching.
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Crop and Edit Your Photo Right Away
Another feature relates to photos. In iOS 17, you can instantly start editing a photo that you zoom in on in the Photos app. If you zoom in on any image, the app will offer you the Crop function in the top right corner. After tapping it, you can quickly save that moment or further edit it in the editor. Just be careful – if you save the crop, you’ll lose the original photo.
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New Wallpapers
In recent years, Apple has enjoyed experimenting with wallpapers, and it’s no different in iOS 17. Apart from new astronomical wallpapers (such as Saturn), it offers an entirely new type – kaleidoscopes. Moreover, they are dynamic – changing color and shape throughout the day, and personally, I really like them. To add a new wallpaper, simply go to Settings > Wallpaper and tap the ‘Add New Wallpaper’ button.
“Hey Siri” Can Be Replaced with Just “Siri”
It might sound trivial, but the ability to say just “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri” after a few hours becomes a very pleasant change, and it’s a shame that something similar isn’t offered by Google. Amazon’s Alexa also responds to just her name without the awkward “Hey” or “OK.”
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