Ahead of Apple unveiling iOS 17 at WWDC in June, an anonymous source who shared accurate information in the past has revealed potential new features coming with the update, including improvements to Search, the Dynamic Island, Control Center, and more.
In a post on the MacRumors Forums and on Twitter, the source indicated that search functionality will be "heavily improved" in iOS 17, but no specific details were provided. The built-in search tool on the iPhone helps to surface information on your device and on the web, with results and suggestions provided as you type. Starting with iOS 16, there is a dedicated "Search" button at the bottom of the Home Screen for easy access.
Apple is expected to expand the Dynamic Island to all four iPhone 15 models this year. On the software side, the source said the Dynamic Island will be able to "do a lot more" on iOS 17, without elaborating. Introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro last year, the Dynamic Island currently displays system alerts like low battery percentage and incoming phone calls, and Live Activities such as Uber rides and NBA scores.
As reported last week, the source reiterated that iOS 17 will include "major changes" to the Control Center's design and customizability. Control Center was introduced with iOS 7 nearly a decade ago and has looked largely the same since iOS 11.
The source added that iOS 17 will include new custom accessibility settings that will give users more control over the iPhone's user interface. This could relate to a hidden "Custom Accessibility Mode" that was discovered in the iOS 16.2 beta last year. The new mode would allow users to replace the typical Lock Screen and Home Screen with more accessible UI elements, remove the Dock, set much larger app icons, and more.
Other changes the source expects in iOS 17 include additional settings for notifications and the always-on display, more Focus filters, car key improvements in the Wallet app, updates to the Camera and Health apps, and a significant number of new ARKit frameworks, as Apple gears up to launch its long-rumored AR/VR headset later this year. The source said Apple is also considering allowing for interactive Home Screen widgets.
Overall, the source believes iOS 17 focuses on performance and stability improvements. As a result, they are adamant that the update will remain compatible with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, contrary to a previous rumor.
We have elected to share this information since the same source leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro before the device was announced last year. However, given the source has yet to establish a long-term track record, it remains to be seen if all of these latest details will prove to be accurate.
Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 during the WWDC 2023 keynote on June 5, and as usual, the first beta version should be made available to developers for testing later that day. The first public beta will likely be released in July.
