Apple Previews iPadOS 17: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

At the WWDC 2023, Apple previewed iPadOS 17, which brings enhanced personalization and versatility to the iPad. The update features a redesigned Lock Screen, interactive widgets, smarter PDFs and Notes, improved Messages, FaceTime, and Safari, and a new Health app. 

Key Features of iPadOS 17

Here’s a detailed rundown of all the features Apple announced for iPadOS 17:

Health App Arrives on iPad

The Health app is now available on iPad with the release of iPadOS 17. This new version has an improved design for the iPad display and includes new features such as Favorites with a new look, Trends, Highlights, and detailed interactive charts. Additionally, iPad users can now use the app to track and manage their medications, monitor their menstrual cycle, record their momentary emotions and daily moods, and view available health records from multiple institutions. All of this information can be accessed in one secure and private place.

Developers in health and fitness can now utilize HealthKit on iPad to create innovative app experiences that incorporate user data with privacy and data security protocols. The Health app on iPad is optimized for the larger display and provides users with fresh ways to view their health data.

Customizable Lock Screen, Live Activities

The iPad display can now be used to customize the Lock Screen with personal and beautiful touches. The updated photo features make it easier to select and stylise favorite images, which can be chosen from the user’s personal library, a set of photos that shuffle during the day or a Live Photo that gives a smooth slow-motion effect when waking the iPad.

On iPad, users can select a wallpaper from the Lock Screen gallery, which will look great on the large screen. They can also choose from various font styles and colors to customize the appearance of the date and time. Furthermore, users can create their unique designs by combining their favorite emojis and colors. With Live Activities now available on iPadOS, users can keep track of real-time events from the Lock Screen, such as sports games, travel plans, or food delivery orders.

Powerful Widgets

In iPadOS 17, widgets are now interactive which means users can perform tasks with a single tap. For instance, users can turn on lights, play a song, or mark a reminder as done, all from a widget.

Moreover, developers can now design interactive widgets with updates to WidgetKit. These widgets are accessible both on the Lock Screen and Home Screen, providing useful information at a glance. On the Lock Screen, widgets smoothly blend with the wallpaper adapting the tint to improve legibility.

Easier Working with PDF

Users can now perform various tasks such as completing to-do lists, managing media playback, and accessing home controls directly from the widgets on the Home Screen and Lock Screen with the help of interactivity feature.

Moreover, entering information in PDFs has become easier in iPadOS 17 as it identifies fields in PDFs with the help of machine learning. This makes it convenient for users to quickly add information such as names, addresses, and emails from their Contacts.

Updated Notes App

The Notes app has been updated to include new features that allow users to organize, read, annotate, and collaborate on PDFs. When using an iPad with iPadOS 17, PDFs appear full width, making it simple to navigate through pages, make annotations, or draw directly onto the document using an Apple Pencil. Users can now work on PDFs and scanned documents within their note and see real-time updates when collaborating with others.

Interactive Messages

Messages now has new features that allow users to connect with each other in fun ways. There is a sticker experience with emoji stickers, and users can create Live Stickers using their own photos by removing the background of a subject.

The latest updates in Messages now offer a user-friendly interface with new features such as expandable menus that provide access to frequently used iMessage apps with just a tap. There is also an enhanced search experience through filters that assist with finding specific people, keywords, or content types. In active group chats, users can conveniently go back to their last-read message while inline message replies are now faster and easier with a simple swipe on a message bubble.

Messages automatically transcribe audio messages for users to read or listen to later. If a user shares their location, it will be displayed in real-time in the conversation until the session ends.

Improved FaceTime

Users can leave an audio or video message in FaceTime when the receiver doesn’t answer the call. Reactions like hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, rain, and more are available to make the call more expressive. The new effects can be activated using simple gestures and can work with third-party video-calling apps too.

The latest update of Apple TV 4K allows users to make FaceTime video calls on their TV screen using Continuity Camera. They can initiate a call either through Apple TV or start on an iPad and transfer to Apple TV to have a bigger view. The Center Stage feature automatically adjusts the framing even when the users are moving around in the room.

Safari Updated

Safari has introduced new features, including Profiles and Private Browsing, that can help users increase productivity. With Profiles, users can keep their work and personal browsing separate as each profile has its own history, cookies, Tab Groups, and Favourites. Switching between profiles is easy. Moreover, Private Browsing now allows users to lock their browsing window and eliminate trackers used for cross-site tracking. Search experience has also been improved with better responsiveness and more relevant and readable search suggestions.

Additional Features Coming with iPadOS 17

Here are the additional features in iPadOS 17:

• Stage Manager: This feature provides greater control over the positioning and sizing of windows, and it also enables the use of built-in cameras on external displays.
• Freeform: The updated features include new drawing tools, support for hover and tilt functionalities, snap-to-shape, connection lines, and Follow Along, which allows for collaboration.
• Spotlight: The feature provides shortcuts to quickly move to the next action, enhances the visual results, enables searching of videos, and improves the recognition of food, storefronts, signs, and symbols.
• Keyboard:Enhancements made in this update include improved autocorrect, the introduction of inline predictive text, and enhancements to the speech recognition feature in Dictation.
• Siri: The “Siri” feature can be activated by saying its name and it enables giving multiple commands without needing to reactivate it.
• AirPlay: Content sharing is now made easier with on-device intelligence that learns your preferences, and there is also support for TVs available in certain hotels.
• Reminders: Our grocery list is designed to be smarter. It automatically groups items and presents them in an easy-to-navigate column view to simplify your shopping experience.
• Maps: This app allows you to download maps while offline, search for places, explore information about them, and find routes for all types of transportation.
• Privacy Updates: Some new features have been added to improve safety and privacy. This includes Communication Safety for children, a Sensitive Content Warning feature, enhanced permissions for Photos and Calendar, and Lockdown Mode which provides better protection against spyware.
• Accessibility Tools: It now includes Assistive Access for individuals with cognitive disabilities, Live Speech for typing and reading aloud, Personal Voice for personalized speech, and Point and Speak in Magnifier for interacting with small text labels. 

iPadOS 17 Release Timeline

Apple Developer Program members can now access the developer beta of iPadOS 17 at developer.apple.com. Next month, there will be a public beta available for iPadOS users at beta.apple.com. These new software features will be available for free as a software update this fall for the following devices: iPad (6th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation and later), 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later).