iOS 17: A Compatibility and Features Overview
by Arthur Watine, on Oct 2, 2023On September 18, 2023, Apple unveiled iOS 17, the latest iteration of its mobile operating system. iOS 17 brings some new, exciting features and improvements that will enhance your iPhone experience. In this article, we'll delve into the key features of iOS 17, highlight the iPhones compatible with this update, discuss those left behind, and touch on the sustainability aspect of upgrading your device or keeping your good, older one.
Key Features of iOS 17
- Personalised Contact Posters: Users can now uniquely customise their appearance during calls using Contact Posters. These Posters offer personalisation options, including enhancing photos, integrating Memoji, and selecting eye-catching typography and font colours.
- Live Voicemail: Now, users get a ****real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. It also gives the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message.
- StandBy: This innovative mode provides at-a-glance information while your iPhone is on its side and charging, including the time, date, weather, and notifications, all easily viewable from a distance.
- AirDrop and NameDrop: AirDrop has received a fresh interface and the ability to send files to multiple recipients simultaneously. Additionally, NameDrop allows you to quickly share your contact information by simply bringing two devices together.
Apart from these significant changes, iOS 17 includes numerous smaller improvements, such as a safari update, an update to autocorrect and dictation, a privacy update and many other smaller features.
NameDrop allows users to exchange contact information by simply bringing their iPhone devices together.
List of Compatible iPhones
If you're eager to experience iOS 17, the following iPhones are compatible with this new update. Good news, they are all available on refurbed.
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone SE (2022)
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
StandBy gives users a full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging.
Your iPhone is not compatible? It’s okay, here's what you should know.
If your iPhone is not on the list above, it won't support iOS 17, and you won't receive a notification to download the latest software. For example, if you have an iPhone X or iPhone 8, the highest iOS version you can use is iOS 16.
What does this mean? While older iPhones won't receive the latest features, they will remain functional for a while. They will continue to receive security updates for iOS 16, ensuring your device remains secure and operational. Apple released the latest security update for iOS 15 in July 2023, and it will likely continue to release iOS 16 security updates in the near future.
What to do with your old phone when you upgrade?
It’s important for our planet that you responsibly dispose of your old electronics in order to avoid e-waste and the unnecessary mining of new natural resources. There is a number of ways you can do this, including: selling your device locally, donating your device to family or friends, or correctly recycling your phone to make sure it doesn’t go to landfill. To help, we have gladly put together an article on: How To Dispose of Your Old Electronics.