Now Responding to "Siri"... Apple Unveils iOS 17

Apple has unveiled iOS 17, which enhances communication features such as Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and AirDrop sharing. Notably, Apple’s AI assistant Siri has been upgraded to activate simply by saying "Siri" instead of "Hey Siri," drawing attention.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, revealed these updates on the 5th (local time) at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, USA. He said, "While preparing iOS 17, we took a closer look at the features we use every day and made the iPhone a more personal and intuitive device."

First, the Phone app has been updated to allow users to express themselves. Users can completely customize how they appear to the person they are calling. They can combine photos and emojis, and choose eye-catching typography and font colors.

Live Voice Messages allow users to see the transcription of the voice message in real time while the sender is leaving the message, giving the user the opportunity to answer the call during the message. Calls classified as spam by carriers are not shown as live voice messages and are immediately declined.

FaceTime calls now support more diverse expressions such as hearts, balloons, fireworks, and laser beams. These new effects can be activated with simple gestures, and third-party video calling apps can also utilize these new effects.

The Messages feature is also refreshed. The Messages app in iOS 17 offers a completely new sticker experience, including new emoji stickers and live stickers that can be created by isolating subjects from photos. Users can apply effects to live stickers to add vibrancy, and the new keyboard storage feature keeps users’ stickers in one place, making it easier to use stickers across iOS.

This update also applies to Apple TV 4K, allowing users to experience FaceTime on a big screen at home. With Continuity Camera support, users can start a video call directly on Apple TV or switch from a call started on iPhone to Apple TV to see friends or family on the TV screen. The Center Stage feature keeps users framed even as they move around the room.

The AirDrop sharing method has also been revamped. NameDrop allows users to easily share contact information by bringing their iPhones close together or by bringing an iPhone and Apple Watch close. This enables sharing content between iPhones or enjoying music, movies, and games together via SharePlay.

In iOS 17, the autocorrect feature has undergone a comprehensive update using state-of-the-art on-device machine learning language models, providing users with an enhanced typing experience and improved accuracy every time they type. The new design supports more convenient typing, and sentence-level autocorrect can fix a wider range of grammatical errors.

Checking information on your iPhone has also become easier. StandBy, introduced in iOS 17, offers a full-screen experience that displays various information at a glance even when the iPhone is placed horizontally and charging at a distance. It supports real-time status, Siri, incoming calls, and larger notifications, enabling iPhone use from afar, and users can customize clocks and widgets as they wish.

Siri’s usability has been improved as well. The wake phrase has been simplified from "Hey Siri" to just "Siri," and once activated, Siri can accept multiple commands consecutively without needing to be reactivated.

Additionally, iOS 17 includes a new journaling app, enhanced privacy features in Safari, simplified password and passkey sharing, new mental health features in the Health app, offline maps, expansion of AirTag sharing to up to five people, collaborative playlists in Apple Music, easier content sharing via AirPlay, enhanced AirPods features, activity history in the Home app, visual lookup, strengthened privacy protections, and improved accessibility features.