If public betas are any indication of what's to come, the new features in iOS 17 are dome of the best so far from the brand. Apart from the occasional stray bug, the iOS 17 public beta has received a good response from testers, and new features like StandBy Mode, Contact Posters, and NameDrop have all been lauded by critics and fans alike.
While we may be just a month away from the official release of iOS 17, some features still need to be added to public betas. These won't immediately make it to the final release either. If you are wondering which iOS 17 features these are, we have you covered.
Which iOS 17 features won't be available at launch?
There are several iOS 17 features that Apple showcased at the WWDC 2023 event held in June. According to their official website, these features are part of the iOS 17 package but will not be available until later this year. Below are the top five iOS 17 features that won't be available at launch.
1) Journal
The new Journal app was one of the much-anticipated iOS 17 features showcased by Apple at the WWDC. The dedicated journaling app allows users to keep track of their mental well-being by documenting their daily activities, life milestones, and more. These prompts can be based on photos, places, or workouts.
Apple has also released APIs for third-party app developers to integrate journaling prompts into their apps. The Journal app will ensure users' privacy by using Face ID and end-to-end encryption when it syncs to iCloud. However, Apple has announced that the Journal app will only come to iOS 17 later this year.
2) AirDrop (over the Internet)
Apple also announced several new features added to AirDrop sharing, with NameDrop being one of the best. While NameDrop and other features like SharePlay (that trigger when two iPhones are brought close to each other) have been working well for beta testers, one feature won't be available at launch.
When using AirDrop to transfer files users have to ensure that their phones are close. This isn't usually a problem since it only takes a little while to transfer a few images or videos. However, if you need to send several pictures and video files, it could take a while to transfer them, and you'll need to be around the recipient for the entire duration.
To solve this, Apple announced AirDrop over the Internet, which lets users initiate an AirDrop transfer and part ways. The transfer will continue over the Internet, provided both the receiver and recipient are on iOS 17 and logged into iCloud.
3) Collaborative Playlists on Apple Music
The option to make Collaborative Playlists is the most exciting iOS 17 feature for music lovers. Apple Music lets users create personalized playlists, and Apple fans cherish the ability to create different playlists for work, commute, gym, and more.
The latest iOS update brings Collaborative Playlists, which is pretty self-explanatory. The new feature allows users to invite others to join their created playlists. Once they join, they can add, remove, reorder tracks, and also react with emojis on the Now Play screen.
The feature will be available in iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and CarPlay. Apple has stated in the fine print that the Collaborative Playlists will roll out through an update later this year.
4) AirPlay in hotels
Apple has introduced a new feature called AirPlay in hotels in iOS 17. AirPlay is Apple's version of Screencast, which can be used to beam videos, music, and photos from your iPhone to the smart TV in your hotel room. However, most hotels have peer-to-peer networking turned off for security, which causes issues for AirPlay.
Apple has partnered with leading hotels and LG to enable AirPlay in Hotels. LG's Pro: Centric Smart Hotel TVs support AirPlay, and all that the guest needs to do is scan a QR on the TV to authorize and initiate AirPlay. This feature will be available before the end of the year.
5) NameDrop to Apple Watch
NameDrop is, without a doubt, one of the best features of iOS 17. Those who have downloaded iOS 17 public beta simply need to bring their iPhones close to share contact data.
The best part about the new feature is that it works with Apple Watches running WatchOS 10. However, the NameDrop to Apple Watch will not be available until later this year. It will also require Apple Watch Series 6 or later, SE, or Ultra.
These are some of the features that Apple won't immediately include in iOS 17 upon launch, but the company will likely push an OTA (over-the-air) update before the year-end to add them.
However, even without these features, there is plenty to look forward to in iOS 17. The update comes out in September, soon after the iPhone 15 series launch.