The wait is over. Apple has just released iOS 17.2, a software update packed with new features and improvements designed to enhance our user experience, ranging from the new Journal app to changes in the Music app. Let’s review all the innovations.
Journal: a Smart Diary
The new Journal application is the most outstanding novelty. Designed to record the most significant moments of our daily lives, the app aims to encourage reflection in various aspects. With smart suggestions, Journal automatically organizes outings, photos, workouts, and more, creating small moments that can be easily added to the diary for writing about them.
Afterward, the filters will be very useful for us to locate specific entries, while scheduled notifications encourage us to maintain a consistent writing practice. The Journal app offers the option of locking via Touch ID or Face ID, and thanks to the end-to-end encrypted synchronization with iCloud, our entries will be secure.
Translate and Camera: the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max receive updates
In the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, a feature has been added to the Action button that allows us to quickly translate phrases, ideal for conversations in other languages. Regarding the camera, the new spatial video function enables capturing memories in three dimensions, compatible with Apple Vision Pro. Additionally, the focus speed of the telephoto camera has been improved, especially useful for small and distant objects.
Messages and Memoji: small adjustments and much greater privacy
The Messages app also receives significant updates. Now, it’s possible to jump directly to the first unread message in a conversation, and an option to add stickers directly to chat bubbles has been integrated.
Memojis are also updated, allowing adjustments to the body shape. For increased security, Contact Key Verification is introduced, providing automatic alerts to confirm that individuals under high-level digital threats only communicate with their contacts and not with anyone pretending to be them.
Weather: more details and new widgets
The Weather app now provides more details such as precipitation amounts and a range of new widgets, including hourly rain forecasts, current conditions like air quality and wind speed, and an interactive lunar calendar. It also introduces a snapshot of the wind map, offering a quick assessment of wind patterns for the next 24 hours.
Other changes and bug fixes: improvements to make everything work as it should
iOS 17.2 also includes improvements in Siri, allowing access to and private logging of Health app data. AirDrop is enriched with expanded options for sharing contacts and the ability to share boarding passes and other tickets by simply bringing two iPhones close together.
For music enthusiasts, the Favorite Songs playlist in Apple Music makes it easier to revisit songs marked as favorites, and Listening History can be turned off in a specific concentration mode. Additionally, a new Digital Clock Widget is introduced, improvements in AutoFill, and support for keyboards in 8 Sámi languages.
The .2 version of iOS 17 improves the existing functionality, undoubtedly, and also introduces novelties to significantly enrich the user experience in various aspects. With this update, Apple continues to improve —while simplifying— what we can do with our devices.
