Apple Releases iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 – Major Updates for iPhone and iPad
Apple has released iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, the latest major software updates for the iPhone and iPad. These updates bring new features and improvements across the system and built-in apps.
iOS 17 Introduces Updates for Phone, Messages, Visual Look Up, and More
The iOS 17 update introduces several enhancements to the Phone app. Contact Posters allow users to customize what the caller sees when they receive a call, including choosing a photo, Memoji, color, and font. Live Voicemail provides a real-time transcription of voicemail messages on the lock screen.
Messages gains new features like the ability to edit or recall recently sent messages. Users can also mark conversations as unread even if they’ve been read. Shared albums in Photos allow users to collaborate on albums with friends and family.
The updated Visual Look Up feature can recognize birds, insects, statues, and more in photos. Users can also lift the subject from an image background in Messages and place it as a sticker.
Other iOS 17 additions include medication reminders for Health, customizable sleep schedules in Fitness+, always-on display for iPhone 14 Pro models, tweaks to notifications, interactive widgets, and more.
iPadOS 17 Brings New Multitasking Tools, Weather App, and More
For iPad users, iPadOS 17 introduces Stage Manager, a new way to multitask with overlapping, resizable windows and full external display support on M1 iPads. The update also adds a native Weather app, desktop-class apps like Final Cut Pro, Reference Mode which reduces on-screen colors, and the ability to use an iPad as a display for a Mac with Sidecar.
Additional features include collaborative notes and document editing in Notes, Quick Note straight from the iPadOS 17 boot screen, undo send and edit for recently sent Messages, shared photo albums, customizable icons on the Home Screen, and more.
Reddit Users Report Improved Performance and Battery Life
Many Reddit users who have installed iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are reporting improved system performance and battery life compared to iOS 16. Users with older iPhone models like the iPhone 11 Pro said their devices feel faster and smoother after upgrading.
One Redditor said “iOS 17 is the Smoothest iPhone Update in a Long Time and Makes My Phone Feel Like an iPhone Again.” They explained that recent iOS updates had caused their iPhone to feel slower and buggier but iOS 17 brought back the fast, smooth experience they expect from iPhone.
Other Reddit users agreed, with one saying their “iPhone feels brand new” after installing iOS 17. Some noted specifically improved performance in apps like Messages, Safari, and FaceTime. Users of older iPad models also reported speed boosts after upgrading to iPadOS 17.
Overall, early adopter Redditors seem enthusiastic about the optimizations and bug fixes in these new iOS and iPadOS versions, which appear to have improved real-world performance, especially on older devices. For iPhone and iPad users who may have been underwhelmed by recent updates, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 bring welcome speed and reliability improvements.