Users of Apple Inc.’s iPhone will soon be able to more easily screen calls, check-in with loved ones and exchange contact information.
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executives teased the elements of its forthcoming iOS17 software update at the keynote address of its WWDC event Monday, which also brought the introduction of new Macs.
Consumers will gain the ability to choose how they come up when they call others through a new “poster” feature. Users will be able to customize posters with photographs and fonts, and have these appear in another person’s contacts app.
The company is also changing up how calls work by adding a way for people to pick up calls while they’re in the middle of receiving a voice mail. A new on-device live-voicemail feature will show transcripts of a voice mail while it’s in progress, so people can determine that a call isn’t spam or is important enough to stop what they’re doing before they pick it up.
Users will also gain the ability to leave a message when using FaceTime, Apple’s video-calling app.
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Within iMessage, Apple will offer the ability for people to share their locations within a conversation and check in with loved ones. People will be able to set up a check-in option that can notify loved ones when they get home and offer alerts about battery, cell service, and location if they end up running late.
Apple is also enhancing the Stickers feature within iMessage with the ability to create “live stickers” from photos. Further, it’s tucking iMessage apps like Stickers behind a menu so they don’t initially clutter the message screen.
Within iMessage, Apple will make it easier for people to jump to the top of long group threads and swipe to reply to a given message.
Apple is introducing a NameDrop feature that lets people share contact information just by tapping their phones together. It’s also augmenting AutoCorrect with in-line predictions that go beyond one word and the ability for people to teach autocorrect their preferences better.
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The company is rolling out two new apps, including one for journaling. People will be able to collect photos, music, and written notes into moments. A new StandBy app will turn a locked iPhone into a smart display that users can customize based on their preferences and the time of day.
