After a couple of weeks of testing the first beta of iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and the rest of the systems, Apple has released the second version. Following the usual schedule of a release every two weeks, the Cupertino company brings us a significant number of changes. Let’s take a look at what they are.
A long list of new features and improvements
If the first beta already impressed us with its good performance, albeit with some flaws, this second version fixes most of them and also brings new features. These new features come in the form of functions that had been announced but hadn’t yet arrived on the systems, or even as details that we were previously unaware of. Specifically, here is the list of changes:
- Tips in apps: something we had already seen in macOS Sonoma in the first beta and now expands to iOS 17 as well. Apps provide us with small tips, such as swiping on a message to reply, sending a voice message, or using Siri. They also suggest bringing two iPhones together to initiate an AirDrop transfer.
- Crossfade in Music: from Settings > Music, we can now activate Crossfade without the application encountering an error. Additionally, we can customize the number of seconds we want for the blending of the two adjacent tracks.
- Notifications in StandBy: In the StandBy mode settings, we can now choose whether to receive notifications while it is active. The system itself notifies us that critical notifications will always be displayed, even if we disable the option.
- Improvements in AirDrop: Now we can bring two iPhones together to initiate an AirDrop transfer, something that was not available in the first beta.
- New gesture for Stage Manager: Using Stage Manager on the iPad with an external keyboard, we can now hold down the shift key and click on Spotlight to add a new window to the workspace.
- Fitness settings management: In the iPhone’s Settings app, we now have a dedicated section for the Fitness app.
- Changes in software updates installation: Now the Software Update section provides more information about the update and displays larger buttons for Install or Install Tonight.
- New location settings: Now in the Settings app, under Location, there is a new option called “MicroLocation.” Meanwhile, the location settings for App Clips and StandBy watch faces have been removed.
- Small change in Check In: The Check In feature, which allows us to notify someone that we have arrived, has changed the way we choose whether to send “Only our location” or “All visited locations” if we don’t arrive. Now we simply see “Complete” or “Limited.”
- Apple Music Widgets: Now available in more size options.
- Siri messaging options: In iOS 17, when we ask Siri to send a message, we can select which app to use by tapping the Messages icon in the assistant’s response.
- Monthly view of the mental health calendar: now it shows us information not only for the past week but for the entire month, giving us more perspective.
Obviously, all these updates are accompanied by bug fixes and performance improvements. These small details may go unnoticed, but they are of utmost importance and showcase the great work being done by the engineers in Cupertino.
From here, we can only wait for a couple more weeks until the next beta. Additionally, let’s remember that the public beta of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will be released next month. Apple has not provided specific details on when exactly, but it could be in 15 days with beta 3 or within a month with beta 4. In any case, keeping in mind how to install iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and WatchOS 10 in their developer beta versions, let’s remember that the software is still in beta. It may be very stable, but it’s still in beta. Meanwhile, we will continue to discover new features.
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