Apple to roll out iOS 17 today: Time, Compatible iPhones, and Features
Apple is starting to roll out iOS 17 for its iPhones today, September 18. The new software update for mobile users was introduced during WWDC 2023 in June and has been available in beta form for the past few weeks. After months of testing, Apple is finally ready to launch its new operating system globally, following California's PDT time zone. The new UI features improvements like standby, name placement, and more, exclusively for iPhone XS and recent models.
Let's look closer at the list of devices eligible for iOS 17, their key features, and everything we know about the new mobile updates for Apple iPhones.
iOS 17: Rollout time in India
While Apple has not shared a specific time for the iOS 17 software update release, we can expect it to be available for Indian customers around 10 p.m. tonight or early tomorrow morning. This is in line with the fact that the launch will take place in the PDT time zone of California, USA.
iOS 17: Compatible iPhones with iOS 17
The new iOS 17 is compatible with iPhones with the A12 Bionic chip or a recent version. This means that the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, all released in 2017, will not be eligible for this year's update. Therefore, Apple will release the new iOS 17 for iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), iPhone XR and the above devices.
iOS 17: How to check the availability of iOS 17 on your iPhone
Apple usually notifies users when a new iOS update is available for iPhone. You can also check manually for updates by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 17: Latest Features
StandBy Mode in iOS 17: StandBy is a new full-screen view that displays information visible on a charging iPhone, including a clock, calendar, photos, weather, music playback controls, and widgets.
Contact Banners in iOS 17: iOS 17 will add customizable contact banners to the Phone app so users can choose what their contacts see when they call. Live voicemail and muting unknown callers will also roll out in select regions.
NameDrop: NameDrop will allow users to share contact information with another person by bringing both iPhones together.
New Widgets: iOS 17 will allow users to add interactable widgets to the lock and home screens. These widgets will work with both Apple and third-party apps.
FaceTime app updates: iOS 17 will add new features to FaceTime, such as audio/video messages, 3D video effects, and the ability to start FaceTime calls on Apple TV.