The development of the next major operating system for our iPhones, iOS 17, is in full swing in Cupertino. Following the usual 15-day release schedule, Apple released the third beta version of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma last night. These updates continue to fix bugs, improve performance and functionality, and also bring some noteworthy changes that we should mention.
A beta that already seems ready for public release
The list may be shorter than what we saw in the second beta, but what is noticeable is the optimization and bug fixing work. All systems feel more stable, faster, and virtually error-free. As for the new features, here is the list:
- Credits for Apple Music songs: Now, we can tap the three-dot button while playing a song, in search results, or in a playlist to bring up the option to view the credits at the top. By tapping it, we can see the artists, composers, and everyone involved, from lyrics to engineering. It also displays information about the available audio quality, whether it supports Lossless audio and Dolby Atmos.
- New features in the Home app: The Home app now has a new welcome page that informs us about the updates and what we can do with it. It includes details about controlling accessories through widgets, a new design for accessories like thermostats, and the option to view the history of accessories such as doors, locks, and security systems. Additionally, there is a new interface for multicolor lights that allows us to select the desired color more easily.
- Refinements in the Weather app: Now, the air quality index in the Weather app highlights the reading and status, while relegating the details to the bottom of the card.
- Improvements to the Photos interface: Now, when we go to the Recently Deleted album to delete or recover photos or videos, the menu is displayed on the side with representative symbols for the actions.
- Improvements in Messages: In the Messages app, it is now possible to rearrange the applications that appear when we tap the “+” button to the left of the text field. Additionally, the button for sending photos has been redesigned. Instead of displaying a static icon, it now shows the most recent photo in our photo library.
- More options for the Camera app: In iOS 17 Beta 3, within Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings, we now have the ability to instruct the system to remember or forget the Depth Control setting we use when selecting Photo, Portrait, or Cinematic mode.
- Details in iPhone storage: In the storage section of the iPhone and iPad, it is now possible to sort the list of applications at the bottom by name, storage size (the only available option previously), or last used date.
- Changes in Mood Logging: Apple has redesigned the mood logging section in the Health app. Now, the entire interface has a tint based on the selected mood. Both the background and buttons reflect that mood. Additionally, the option to add reminders for logging has been introduced. We can add as many reminders as we want and also disable the default ones.
Even with the list of new features before us and all the changes we saw in beta 2, it is clear that this is an update focused on the internal functioning of the systems. While the iOS 17 beta already impressed us with its excellent performance from the first iteration, now, as we approach the date when Apple should release the public beta for all systems, it is evident that the improvement is substantial. This is great news for when it officially arrives in the fall.
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