iOS 17 announced with cool features that Android lacks
While Vision Pro was definitely the biggest highlight of WWDC23, Apple announced a bunch of other exciting stuff too. Including iOS 17. And in this article, we have listed out the 5 new iOS 17 features we want Android to borrow.
iOS 17 Features:
1. Check In
Let’s start with something called “Check In”. This is a communication feature that enables select contacts like friends and family members to get notified if a user has made it to their destination safely or not. So you can send a Check In to your friends and family via the Messages app and the receivers will get updates throughout their journey.
Also, alerts and updates are provided when the sender is not making expected progress towards their destination. As such, the receiver will be able to receive some details like the sender’s device location, battery level, and cellular status. With Apple’s integration, this is a great security feature and a godsend for parents. Or just about everyone else.
2. Customizable contact posters
Apple has also introduced a slew of upgrades to the Phone app with iOS 17. And you can now customize a contact poster for each of your contacts; similar to the lockscreen wallpaper styles introduced in iOS 16. And the best part is that Apple says Contact Posters will be available for third-party calling apps as well. Of course, it’s not like you can’t set contact posters on Android phones or anything, but Apple’s implementation definitely looks a lot nicer.
3. NameDrop
On a related note, iOS 17 users can share Contact Posters (or select info like phone numbers and email addresses) simply by bringing their iPhones together. This is just AirDropbut for exchanging contact information. It also works with an iPhone and an Apple Watch, by the way. So gone are the days of one person dictating and the other typing it on their phone.
Likewise, Apple has also simplified the way AirDrop works. Now, you can share files just by bringing the users’ iPhones together. Large files are also temporarily stored via WiFi so that you don’t need to stick around the AirDrop range for a long time.
4. Live Stickers
If you’ve ever used Apple’s Messages app, you know that one of the best things about it is how fun it is. And Apple continues to add to the experience with iOS 17. You can now create custom Live Stickers from your photos (or live photos) and even add effects to them. And all your Live Stickers are stored in a new draw in the keyboard, which means you can use these animated stickers system-wide.
Apple has also converted emojis into stickers that you can not only send in Messages but also as reactions. Yes, that means your dog making a derpy face is now a reaction you can send to serious texts from your mom.
5. StandBy
iOS 17’s StandBy feature looks pretty cool as well. When your iPhone is locked and in a landscape orientation on an upright charger, the phone turns into a smart screen of sorts and shows different glanceable information with a bunch of widgets. You can check the time, calendar, use music controls, or see a slideshow of your photos.
Besides that, Live Activities and Siri results are also displayed alongside the widgets. And with the iPhone 14 Pro series that supports Always-On Display, StandBy will be always available while you’ll need to tap the screen on other iPhones. All this is pretty similar to the Nightstand mode on an Apple Watch, while some Pixel phones also support smart display functionality when placed on a charging dock.
So those were all the iOS 17 features that we wish Android would borrow. And the beauty of Android is that it isn’t necessarily exclusively up to Google to bring all these features into the platform.
iOS 17 Compatibility and Release
iOS 17 will be available on iPhone XR and newer models. iOS 17 Developer Beta 1 is already available for download (that you can install without an Apple Developer account), while its stable public release is expected to arrive sometime in September. Check the following list of all iPhones eligible for the iOS 17 upgrade:
Meanwhile, check our iPhone 14 Pro Max review
