iOS 17 and iPadOS 17: Compatibility and New Features

At the “Wonderlust” event, Apple revealed that on Monday, September 18, both iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will be accessible to users with compatible iPhone and iPad models. These operating systems, initially introduced at WWDC 2023, have been undergoing beta testing since June, bringing a slew of new features.

RELATED: 17 Best Hidden iOS 17 Features on Your iPhone

What’s new with iOS 17

iOS 17 brings a host of exciting features:

Personalized Contact Posters: iOS 17 empowers users to create personalized “Contact Posters” for interactions with fellow iPhone users. These posters allow you to express your uniqueness by adding images and customizing typography, font colors, and various elements.

Voicemail Support for FaceTime: For the first time, iOS 17 brings voicemail support to FaceTime audio and video calls, enabling you to leave and receive messages during your conversations.

Immersive 3D Reactions: Enhance your FaceTime interactions with 3D Reactions, including hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, and rain, adding a touch of fun and emotion to your conversations.

Simplified AirDrop with “NameDrop”: The innovative “NameDrop” feature simplifies the sharing of contact details between iPhone and Apple Watch users, allowing for effortless information exchange when devices are brought into close proximity.

Interactive StandBy Mode: When you place your iPhone horizontally on a charger, iOS 17 presents an interactive StandBy mode. This customized interface offers easy access to widgets for time, calendar, alarms, and more.

Fully Interactive Home Screen Widgets: iOS 17 takes Home Screen widgets to the next level by making them fully interactive, providing a dynamic and engaging user experience.

What’s new with iPadOS 17

iPadOS 17, while sharing many features with iOS 17, brings a range of distinct enhancements:

Lock Screen and Wallpaper Customization: iPadOS 17 introduces a new Lock Screen experience inspired by iOS 16 for the iPhone. Users can now customize their Lock Screen with new wallpapers, color schemes, and fonts for the time. Apple has even designed Weather and Astronomy wallpapers tailored to the iPad’s larger screen. Users can also choose their own photos, complete with motion effects for Live Photos, create wallpapers using emojis, or select from Apple’s designed wallpapers.

Lock Screen Widgets: Widgets can now be seamlessly added to the Lock Screen. In landscape mode, a widget bar appears on the left side of the display, while in portrait mode, widgets are displayed below the time. You’ll find a comprehensive range of widgets, including Home, Clock, Health, Calendar, Batteries, Notes, News, Sleep, Wallet, Weather, and more. iPad’s larger display accommodates bigger widgets, maintaining a cohesive look with the wallpaper to ensure a distraction-free experience.

External Camera Support: For the first time, Apple introduces external camera support to the iPad, particularly enhancing apps like FaceTime. This feature not only enables webcam connectivity but also extends support to external displays equipped with built-in cameras.

Stage Manager Enhancements: iPadOS 17 further evolves Stage Manager, offering greater flexibility to users. You now have the ability to freely resize windows, reposition them, and arrange them according to your convenience.

New Apps: Apple is expanding its app offerings on iPadOS, including the addition of the iPhone’s Health app and the upcoming Journal app.

Compatibility: Will my device run iOS 17 or iPadOS 17?

• iOS 17 is compatible with iPhone models starting from the iPhone XS and newer, with support dropped for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X.
• iPadOS 17 is compatible with various iPad models, including iPad Pro (2nd gen and later), iPad Air (3rd gen and later), and iPad mini (5th gen and later).

How to identify your device model and software version

To identify your iPhone or iPad model, navigate to Settings -> General -> About, where you’ll find the Model Name. Check your device’s software version by visiting Settings -> Software Update.

Availability and closing remarks

Both iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will be available for download on Monday, September 18. iOS 17 is compatible with iPhone XR and newer models, while iPadOS 17 requires an iPad with an A10 Bionic chip or later. Detailed compatibility information can be found on Apple’s website, along with a comprehensive overview of all the fixes, features, and updates for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

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