We are a few weeks away from the presentation of iOS 17. It will be, as usual, at the WWDC event, which will take place between the 5th and 9th of June. More than 100 news should appear, but these 7 will probably be the most important.
iOS 17 will mainly bring improvements
There are less than two months left until the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023, and the rumors about the next generation version of iOS have increased. Some voices say that iOS 17 will not bring big changes like those we saw in iOS 16, but significant improvements could be important for a better operating system.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who often provides credible details about Apple's plans, said iOS 17 will "include many of the most requested features by users".
There are rumors about more and more common areas in iOS, such as the control center, shortcuts, Dynamic Island, widgets, as well as other tools to better manage devices, such as AirPods for example.
There are 7 rules of evolution that we will definitely receive in the next iOS. Let's get to know the predictions.
1 - Performance improvements
Although iOS 17 is not a major update when it comes to introducing new features, the upcoming version will be all about increasing performance, efficiency and stability.
Furthermore, the company is focusing on long-term support for older devices, suggesting that it is working to make iOS 17 a bug-free update even on iPhones that lack the latest hardware.
It is no coincidence that Apple continues to provide security support for equipment such as the iPhone 6S, which appeared in 2015. That is, the longer it manages to keep an iPhone running, the more users it adds to its service network. And services are a major source of revenue for the Cupertino company.
2 - Interactive widgets
Apple is testing interactive widgets for the home screen and Today view on the iPhone, but this feature will not appear with the first version of iOS 17.
Interactive widgets will let you do much more than you do now, thanks to buttons, sliders and more. Basically, Apple is bringing back this tool, widgets, to what Android has done for many years.
3 - Search improvements
With more and more content, apps, contacts, files, pictures, music, messages, notes and many other data stored on the iPhone, search becomes extremely important. But it cannot fail, nor be slow to show what is asked.
By the way, as we have seen, new versions of iOS often introduce improvements to Search and Spotlight, and these improvements are also expected in iOS 17.
Rumors about future improvements to this feature haven't revealed many details, but Apple has worked in the past to simplify search results, localize text in photos and videos, and allow users to search for specific subjects in images. Improvements can be made to all these features along with the introduction of new tools.
One area that urgently needs improvement is Apple's search, as well as the search function in the Settings app. The latter usually does not provide direct results to quickly get to the point when searching for something in the Settings.
4 - Third party app store
European regulations will soon require Apple to support side load and alternative app stores. Despite the Cupertino company complaining that this opening to other stores could bring major security problems for the system and devices, the European Union continues to demand that this happens.
This change may only be for Apple users in Europe. As such, Apple is working to include this feature in iOS 17.
We can expect Apple to have security controls for apps downloaded from alternative stores similar to the Mac Gatekeeper feature, which prevents the installation of untrusted software. This method also won't help developers avoid the fees that Apple applies in its store.
Apple actually plans to charge developers for access to iOS, although the rates could be 15-30% lower.
The company has until March 2024 to comply with the new European laws.
5 - Novo CarPlay
During WWDC 2022, Apple demonstrated a next-generation version of CarPlay that is expected to launch in 2023. This includes support for multiple screens in a vehicle, so the CarPlay experience can be implemented in the infotainment system, dashboard and even in other areas.
Instrument cluster integration is a new feature that will give CarPlay more control over vehicle functions and will integrate with speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge and more.
The vehicle's climate controls will be directly accessible via CarPlay and will allow you to adjust the heating or air conditioning, and Apple also plans to add several useful widgets that will display information such as trip duration, fuel consumption, weather, HomeKit devices and other details.
6 - Redesigned control center
Control Center was first introduced in iOS 7 and allows users to perform quick tasks like turning on/off Wi-Fi, mobile data, Bluetooth, AirDrop and more. However, it hasn't been updated since iOS 11.
This suggests that Apple may finally give Control Center a new look this year. One of the novelties may be the new adaptability.
7 - New features for Dynamic Island
Currently, in Dynamic Island, we can view timers, incoming phone calls, directions from Google Maps, sync with Apple devices and much more. But, considering the potential, there's definitely a lot more to do, especially with third-party apps.
While we don't have many details, it looks like Apple is adding more features to Dynamic Island to make it more useful and informative. For example, the company could integrate the Siri interface into Dynamic Island.
In summary...
We will probably see a lot of new graphics, small tweaks that improve the equipment's usability. We'll have access to new menus, so we can manage features and updates to the accessories' software (also because Apple Glass is coming), and we'll see more performance.
Of course, we cannot forget that Apple is working on the Home application for a better interface, as well as that we will see improvements in some native applications. It remains to be seen if this is where the Cupertino company brings Siri to speak Portuguese from Portugal on iOS 17.