Customisation makes each iPhone look different. Apple kept this in mind while designing iOS 17, which is now available to all users. Of course, you may have already placed an order for the iPhone 15 but the good thing about Apple is that a new version of its operating system can be installed on older devices. Needless to say, iOS 17 radiates with a high degree of maturity.

To install, open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap General, followed by Software Update. You may have a drop-down menu directly underneath to pick iOS 17 or a beta version. Your iPhone will automatically restart once it’s ready. Here are a few features that we are enjoying.

Standby dock mode

Expect a lot of people to use this. iPhones charging horizontally on a magnetic MagSafe dock now turn into something like a dashboard that can display time, your photos, upcoming appointments or a Live Activity, like if your Swiggy delivery is on the way.

Contact Poster

Among the biggest changes is a new feature that allows iPhone users to set a poster against each contact, containing a picture of choice and font. Whenever the person calls, the Contact Poster will show up. It is a way to customise the address book.

Better dual-sim experience

In India, we love to have two SIM cards. With iOS 17, users can see Messages sorted by their primary as well as secondary SIM. For example, you will be able to easily sort personal messages from work messages. You can even set different ringtones for each SIM, that is, to understand if iPhone is ringing because someone is calling a work phone number or personal phone number.

FaceTime improvements

You can now leave video messages when someone doesn’t pick up a call. Also, you can use FaceTime on an Apple TV with your phone acting as the webcam and microphone.

Better autocorrect

Autocorrect on iOS 17 is far better than it has ever been. Apple says it has adopted a “transformer language model” that personalises autocorrect to suit each user. iOS 17 can learn your personal preferences and word choices to be more useful to you.

iMessage interface

iMessage has become stronger. Hidden apps such as stickers or the camera has been moved to a menu on the left-hand side of the screen, as opposed to above the keyboard. Searching through old texts is also significantly improved.

NameDrop

If you are at a conference and want to share your contact details, you can NameDrop your Contact Poster by bringing two iPhones close together. You can also initiate an AirDrop using the same technique.