iOS 17.1 Beta 2 New features coming soon to your iPhone.
iOS 17.1 Beta 2 New features coming soon to your iPhone.
Apple Unveils Exciting New Features in iOS 17.1 Beta 2
Apple enthusiasts, rejoice! The tech giant has just released the second iOS 17.1 public beta for the iPhone, packed with even more exciting features and bug fixes. This latest release comes hot on the heels of iOS 17.0.3 and approximately two weeks after the initial launch of iOS 17. As always, it’s important to be cautious when downloading beta versions, so it’s advisable to use a secondary device instead of your primary one.
StandBy Mode Gets a Facelift
One of the standout features of iOS 17.1 beta 2 is the enhancement made to StandBy mode settings. This feature, personally one of my favorites, now offers users more options. With the latest update, you can choose to turn StandBy mode off after 20 seconds, never, or have it automatically activate. Apple explains that the automatic activation will occur when your iPhone is not in use and the room is dark, such as when you’re peacefully sleeping at night.
However, I must note that upon checking the settings on my iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone XR, I only found these options on my iPhone 14 Pro. This leads me to believe that these new settings may only be available on iPhones equipped with an always-on display.
Apple Music Gets Even Better
In the initial beta version of iOS 17.1, Apple introduced a new button in Apple Music that allows users to quickly favorite songs. When a song is playing and you’re viewing its card on your iPhone, you’ll notice a star outline near the song’s title. Simply tap this star, and the song will be added to your Favorites in a jiffy.
Additionally, there’s now an easier way to find all your Favorited playlists, albums, and songs. Just head into the corresponding category in Apple Music, tap the button in the top-right corner of your screen, and select “Favorited.” Voila! Your most beloved tunes are all conveniently organized in one place.
And that’s not all! Apple Music also presents users with personalized song suggestions in iOS 17.1 beta 1. To access them, dive into any of your playlists and scroll to the bottom to find the section named “Song Suggestions.” These recommendations are specially curated based on your musical tastes, ensuring you never miss out on fantastic tracks.
AirDrop Gets an Upgrade
AirDrop enthusiasts will be delighted to know that iOS 17 brought with it NameDrop, allowing devices to easily exchange contact information with a simple tap. Now, iOS 17.1 beta 1 takes it a step further by enabling the use of cellular data for AirDrop when two iPhones are out of range of each other. This terrific enhancement ensures seamless connectivity and data transfer between devices, even when traditional means are not available.
Flashlight Symbol in Live Activities
Have you ever accidentally turned on your iPhone’s flashlight and had someone point it out to you later? Fear not, as iOS 17.1 beta 1 has a new solution for you. When you activate your flashlight, a nifty little flashlight symbol appears in the Live Activities feed across the top of the screen of my iPhone 14 Pro. Sadly, I couldn’t replicate this symbol on my trusty iPhone XR, suggesting that this feature may only work on Live Activity-enabled iPhones, such as the iPhone 14 Pro and the impressive iPhone 15 lineup.
Classic Ringtones Make a Comeback
Apple has been known to surprise us, and they did it yet again. Initially, with the release of iOS 17, the company introduced all-new ringtones and text tones. However, with iOS 17.1 beta 1, these sounds mysteriously disappeared. But fear not, dear Apple fans! The ringtones and text tones have resurfaced with iOS 17.1 beta 2. You can still find all the older sounds under the Classic category on the Ringtone and Text Tone setting pages, ensuring that you can customize your iPhone’s sound profile to your heart’s content.
More Exciting Features Await
While these features are certainly exciting, bear in mind that they might not be the only ones heading your way with iOS 17.1. As the beta testing phase continues, more surprises and improvements could be in store for iPhone owners. Ultimately, only time will tell which changes will make it to the public release of iOS 17.1.
So, if you’re a developer or a beta tester itching to explore the latest advancements, be sure to grab iOS 17.1 beta 2 and experience the wonders that await you. For more detailed insights into iOS 17 and a handy iOS 17 cheat sheet, make sure to check out my comprehensive reviews.
And remember, always stay ahead of the curve with Apple’s latest and greatest updates!
