With the beta cycle of iOS 17.2 just getting started, there are several new features coming to iPhone users later this year. BGR is compiling everything we know so far about this software update, and we’ll continue to update the story during the testing cycle of this system.
Beta 1 features
Journal app is here: Apple is finally making available the first version of the Journal app. Using on-device machine learning, it displays personalized suggestions that can inspire a user’s journal entry. Apple says that suggestions are intelligently curated from recent activity, including photos, people, places, workouts, and more, making it easy to start a journal entry, and scheduled notifications can help build a journaling habit.
Apple Fitness+ Audio Focus: It gives users the ability to prioritize the volume of the music or the trainers’ voices during an Apple Fitness+ workout.
Apple Music Collaborative Playlist: With this feature, you are able to invite friends to collaborate on playlists. They can add, reorder, and remove songs.
Turn off Listening History on Apple Music: iOS 17.2 brings a Focus Filter, which lets you turn off the Listening History feature.
Favorite Apple Music Playlist: After iOS 17.1 added the ability to favorite songs, Apple created a Favorite Playlist with all your songs.
Action Button tweaks: Apple has added a Translate button as a new option for the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button (via iSoftware Updates).
iMessage Contact Key Verification: Contact key verification allows you to manually verify who you are messaging with by comparing contact verification codes in person or over the phone. Conversations with people who have contact key verification turned on also receive automatic advanced protections to help prevent even very sophisticated attackers from impersonating anyone in a conversation.
React to a message with any sticker: With iOS 17.2, you can react with any sticker or memoji to a message. Just long-press a text, select Add Sticker, and choose one.
Catch-up arrow: A catch-up arrow is again available in the Messages app so you can easily go to the last message you saw;
Memoji: There’s a new “Body” section for Memoji. You can customize the waist, bust, shoulders, and arms.
New TV app icons: Apple has revamped the bottom icons on the Apple TV app. More notably, the Apple TV+ section looks more prominent.
Beta 2 features and changes
Spatial video: With iOS 17.2 beta 2, iPhone 15 Pro users can record Spatial Videos, which can be seen in the upcoming Apple Vision Pro.
New Coverage section: Under Settings, there’s a new Coverage section showing if your iPhone/iPad is eligible or has an AppleCare+ warranty in addition to your Bluetooth devices. This feature was first available with macOS 14.1 (via @Johnthenormal).
New sections on App Store: The App Store now has a tab bar on top of the “Apps” and “Games” sections with different categories of apps (via @Johnthenormal).
Siri changes: Siri can now tell your estimated time of arrival when using Apple Maps.
BGR will update this story once we learn more about iOS 17.2 beta changes. In the meantime, you can check the new Apple TV app for tvOS 17.2.
