The beta 2 version of iOS 17.2 has arrived with a host of new features and significant improvements, promising to make the upcoming iOS 17 update one to look forward to. The system, currently available for developers and beta program participants, is expected to officially roll out to everyone in just under a month, approximately. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the new features that this second beta brings.
Several small changes in specific elements
One of the most notable features is the introduction of “spatial video” for the iPhone 15 Pro, in preparation for the launch of the Apple Vision Pro. Now, you can record videos that can be later viewed in 3D through the Vision Pro, providing a fully immersive experience. To record these videos, you need to do so with the iPhone horizontally at 30 frames per second in 1080p. Keep in mind, however, that spatial videos will occupy approximately 130MB per minute of recording, and while they can be viewed on the iPhone, the full 3D effect will only be apparent on the Vision Pro.
Another notable feature is the expansion of the “Sensitive Content Warning” function in iOS 17. Now, this feature extends to stickers in the Messages app and Contact Posters in the Contacts app. Using on-device machine learning, this function analyzes photos and videos to automatically blur sensitive content before we unintentionally view it.
Regarding the App Store, iOS 17.2 beta 2 brings a small change in the form of application categories. Now, you will find a new navigation bar at the top that allows you to easily scroll through various categories such as Entertainment, Education, Photo and Video, among others. This update aims to streamline the search and discovery of new applications, reflecting a design similar to that already present in the Apple Arcade tab.
On the other hand, Siri also receives improvements with the ability to report the estimated time of arrival using Apple Maps and our current altitude. Finally, we must mention the integration of Shazam into macOS, where we can now add it to the Mac’s menu bar and Control Center.
After all the innovations from the first beta of iOS 17.2, such as the new Journal app, it’s clear that iOS 17.2 beta 2 brings several small yet significant improvements in terms of features and ease of use. With this, Apple continues to evolve its systems and prepares for its official release before the end of the year. We’ll see what other surprises may come in the following betas.
