Apple has seeded the first beta updates of iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 to developers and beta testers. The latest beta updates were released a day after iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 were rolled out to the public.
Here are all the new features in iOS 17.2 beta 1 we have found so far. [Update: The following, additional, new features in the latest beta are listed and detailed in the post.
- Messages app updates include:
- React with stickers
- Improved iCloud syncing
- AirPlay integrated with Apple Vision Pro to stream content on iPhone.
- Live Activities in the News app
- Memojis additional customization options
- TV app redesigned UI
- Siri Health Requests
- Emergency Alert settings add a Local Awareness option
iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 Beta 1 bring new features in Apple Music, iMessage, Books, and more
Journal App
The Journal app is finally available in iOS 17.2. The app allows users to document their thoughts, feelings, and activities on their iPhones or iPads to look after their mental health. Users can also add photos, workouts, and music preferences in their journal entries and receive topic suggestions to write about. All data in the app is protected with a passcode or Face ID and end-to-end encryption. Suggestions are processed on-device.
iMessage updates: Contact Key Verification, sticker reactions, and more
iMessage Contact Key Verification allows users to verify who they are corresponding with. The feature is designed as a security layer for individuals who face “extraordinary digital threats like activists, journalists, politicians, and others.
Who have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification receive automatic alerts if an exceptionally advanced adversary, such as a state-sponsored attacker, were ever to succeed breaching cloud servers and inserting their own device to eavesdrop on these encrypted communications. And for even higher security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users can compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call.
React with Stickers option is now available in iMessage, in addition to the tapback reaction. When you long-press on a message, tap on the “Add Sticker” feature to add a downloaded or custom sticker or live sticker.
In the Setting app, iCloud has renamed the Messages section to “Messages in iCloud” and lists information on the number of messages synced to iCloud, the time of last sync and the total storage messages have taken up. It also features a “Sync Now” feature for manual updates.
Apple Music app updates
- Apple Music app is updated with three new features in iOS 17.2.
- Favorite Songs playlist is now available in the Playlists section. As you Favorite a song, the playlist is automatically updated.
- Collaborative playlist allows subscribers to invite other subscribers via a link to join in creating a collaborative playlist. All participants can edit and reorder songs.
- Use Listening History in Focus Filter for the app. When enabled, the feature selects song recommendations and mixes based on the music played or listened to.
Miscellaneous updates in Memoji, Apple TV, Emergency Alert, Action Button, and more
- Memoji updated with a new Body section to customize the shoulder, bust, waist, and arms of the characters.
- Apple TV app for iOS and iPadOS has redesigned the interface by removing Movies and TV shows tabs in the Store section. Previously, there were separate tabs for Movies and TV shows in the Store section.
- In the Settings app, the Notifications section for Emergency Alerts has added a new Local Awareness option. When enabled, the feature allows Apple to use your approximate location to improve the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of emergency alerts.
- The News app now supports Live Activities for users to get updates on news events in real-time on their Lock Screen or Dynamic Island without opening the app.
- In the Settings app, the AirPlay section has added the “Stream or share content from Apple Vision Pro to your iPhone” option.
- Action Button adds new Translate action option on iPhone 15 Pro models. The new action will translate spoken text from one language to another supported in the Translate app, when invoked.
- According to the developer, the new Siri Health Requests feature, codename Scribe, allows the voice assistant to access users’ health data with users’ consent. Users have to accept the permission prompt to enable the feature: “With your permission, Siri can read and write certain Health app data. Your Health app data does not leave your device to complete your Siri request.”
- The Weather app offers three new widgets to show details, sunrise and sunset timings, and daily forecasts.
- Contact Poster gains a new Rainbow color option for text.
- The Books app adds a new “Fast Fade” page-turning option.
- New digital clock widget.
The update also resolved the personal hotspot issue which prevented Android devices from connecting to the iPhone personal hotspot and lists eight known issues.
We will continue to update this post, as other new features are discovered in iOS 17.2 beta.
