Apple Releasing iOS 17.3 Next Week With These New Features

​In its press release unveiling a new Black Unity Sport Band for the Apple Watch, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.3 will be released next week. The software update includes three new features for the iPhone, with more details outlined below.

Apple’s confirmation that iOS 17.3 will be released next week:The new Unity Bloom iPhone and iPad wallpaper for the Lock Screen will be also be available next week, and requires iPhone Xs or later running iOS 17.3 and 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) running iPadOS 17.3.New features in iOS 17.3 include Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, and a Unity Bloom wallpaper for the Lock Screen.

Stolen Device Protection

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported about thieves spying on an iPhone user’s passcode before stealing the device, often in public places like bars. With knowledge of the passcode, the thief can then change the victim’s Apple ID password, turn off Find My, and more to gain full control of the device. The thief can also use the passcode to gain access to passwords stored in iCloud Keychain and other sensitive information.

Stolen Device Protection is Apple’s hopeful solution to the problem. Apple says the feature is designed to add an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also obtained the device’s passcode.

When the feature is turned on, Face ID or Touch ID authentication is strictly required for the following actions, with a passcode fallback no longer available:Accessing passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain

Applying for a new Apple Card or viewing an Apple Card’s virtual number

Turning off Lost Mode

Erasing all content and settings

Taking certain Apple Cash and Apple Card Savings actions in the Wallet app

Using payment methods saved in Safari

Using your iPhone to set up a new deviceFor especially sensitive actions, including changing the password of the Apple ID account associated with the iPhone, the feature adds a one-hour security delay on top of biometric authentication. In these cases, the user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again. However, Apple says there is no delay when the iPhone is in familiar locations, such as at home or work.

Actions that require Face ID or Touch ID authentication, and have a one-hour security delay, when the feature is turned on:Changing your Apple ID password

Updating select Apple ID security settings, including adding or removing a trusted device, trusted phone number, Recovery Key, or Recovery Contact

Changing your iPhone passcode

Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID

Turning off Find My

Turning off Stolen Device ProtectionStolen Device Protection is an opt-in feature that can be found in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode, and it is available for all iPhones that are compatible with iOS 17.3.

Apple Music Collaborative Playlists

A new Collaborative Playlists option for Apple Music subscribers allows multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist. Users are able to leave animated emoji reactions next to songs in the playlist.

This feature was initially expected to launch with iOS 17.2, but it was removed from that update towards the end of the beta testing period. The feature was re-added in iOS 17.3, and Apple’s website confirmed that it would return in 2024.

Unity Bloom Wallpaper

iOS 17.3 will include Apple’s new Unity Bloom wallpaper for the iPhone’s Lock Screen, in support of the Black community. The wallpaper includes an outline of flowers that fill with color when the display is active.

Apple says the “blooming flowers and vibrant colors represent Pan-Africanism and symbolize generations working together to address injustice and dismantle systemic barriers.”

This article, “Apple Releasing iOS 17.3 Next Week With These New Features” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums