iPadOS 17 brings Redesigned lock screen Interactive widgets Health app more
Apple showcased iPadOS 17 during its WWDC 2023 event, introducing enhanced personalization and versatility to the iPad. The update includes a revamped Lock Screen, interactive widgets, smarter PDFs and Notes, improved Messages, FaceTime, and Safari, as well as a new Health app.
Here’s a list of the key highlights of iPadOS 17:
Customizable Lock Screen: Users can now personalize the Lock Screen with their favorite photos, font styles, and colors. Live Activities provide real-time updates on sports, travel plans, and more.
Interactive Widgets: Widgets become interactive, enabling users to perform tasks with a single tap. Developers can incorporate interactivity into their widgets, which can be accessed from the Lock Screen and Home Screen.
Improved PDF Handling: iPadOS 17 employs machine learning to identify fields in PDFs, making it easier to add details from Contacts. The Notes app introduces enhanced PDF organization, annotation, and collaboration features.
Enhanced Messages: Messages offers emoji stickers and the ability to create Live Stickers from personal photos. A new drawer consolidates all stickers, while improved search and inline message replies enhance usability. Audio messages are automatically transcribed, and location sharing updates in real time.
FaceTime Enhancements: FaceTime allows users to leave audio or video messages. Reactions, such as hearts and fireworks, bring more expression to video calls. Apple TV 4K supports FaceTime, and Center Stage ensures optimal framing during calls.
Productivity in Safari: Safari introduces Profiles, enabling separate browsing experiences for work and personal use. Private Browsing locks windows with Face ID or Touch ID, while search suggestions and readability are improved.
Health App on iPad: iPadOS 17 introduces the Health app to iPad, offering detailed insights, trends, and interactive charts for health data. Users can track medications, emotions, moods, and view health records from multiple institutions. HealthKit on iPad allows developers to create innovative health and fitness experiences while ensuring privacy and data security.
These features in iPadOS 17 aim to provide users with greater personalization, productivity, and convenience on their iPads.
Here are the additional features in iPadOS 17:
- Stage Manager: Offers more control over window position and size, supports built-in cameras on external displays.
- Freeform: Provides new drawing tools, hover and tilt support, snap to shape, connection lines, and Follow Along for collaborative work.
- Spotlight: Offers shortcuts to the next action, improved visual results, video search, and expanded recognition for food, storefronts, signs, and symbols.
- Keyboard: Improves autocorrect, introduces inline predictive text, and enhances speech recognition in Dictation.
- Siri: Can be activated by saying “Siri” and allows issuing multiple commands in succession without reactivation.
- AirPlay: Easier content sharing with on-device intelligence learning preferences and support for TVs in select hotels.
- Reminders: Introduces an intelligent grocery list with automatic grouping and a column view for easy shopping.
- Maps: Enables offline map downloads, search, exploration of place information, and routes for all mobility modes.
- Privacy Updates: Communication Safety for children, Sensitive Content Warning, enhanced Photos and Calendar permissions, and Lockdown Mode for improved protection against spyware.
- Accessibility Tools: Assistive Access for 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.
Availability
iPadOS 17 beta is available now for developers and will be released for users next month.
This fall, it will be a free update for several iPad models, including the iPad (6th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), and iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 11-inch, and 12.9-inch).
Commenting on the introduction of iPadOS 17, Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, said:
iPadOS makes our most flexible device even better. You can do so much on iPad, and iPadOS 17 adds more features that you’ll love. You can use widgets on the Lock Screen, work with PDFs and Notes, and enjoy Messages and FaceTime more. iPadOS helps you do things easier and faster than ever.