It’s been a bit of an exciting ride, but the new iPhone update is here, and that’s as planned, too. Apple iOS 17. 3 introduces a key feature that until recently was a marvel, Stolen Device Protection, implements everything that has been promised for a long time. AirPlay for hotel TVs and more. Here’s everything you want to know.
Like other iOS 17 editions, you want an iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, or iPhone XR from 2018, or any edition of the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15 variants. It also includes second- and third-generation iPhone SE models.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone, select General, and then select Software Update. Here, see the sections on automatic updates and beta updates. Whether you’ve turned automatic updates on or off, you can decide to download the new software. Now, and that’s normally the choice to make. Choose Download & Install and your iPhone will be golden in no time.
There’s a lot in this release. First up is the big new feature, Stolen Device Protection. If your iPhone is stolen, that’s bad enough, but if the thief happens to know your passcode, perhaps because they shoulder-surfed you when you were tapping it in, then it could be much worse. Thieves can change the passcode, put their own biometrics in and lock you out while they empty your bank account, for instance. This new feature means that lots of things in the phone now need Face ID or Touch ID access, rather than the passcode. These include turning off Lost Mode, erasing the iPhone, accessing passwords and more. For the most sensitive changes, like changing the password, this new feature means a one-hour security delay is put in place if the iPhone is not in a familiar location. These actions include adding biometrics or turning off Find My. Thieves may still find a way in but this new feature makes the iPhone much more secure if stolen. You can read more about this feature here.
Unity Bloom Wallpaper, part of this year’s Black Unity initiative, is available for the iPhone and iPad lock screens, with flowers that bloom with color.
AirPlay hotel support has been promised for a while, and here it is. In select hotels, you’ll be able to stream content to the TV in your room.
Collaborative playlists mean you can invite friends to sign up for your playlists, and emojis can be added as a reaction to any track in said playlist.
Crash detection has been optimized for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models.
Finally, Apple Care and Warranty is your policy for all devices in Settings.
In other words, it’s a great upgrade.
Apple has full release notes available on its website here.