Apple releases iOS 17 Beta 3 for developers just a few months before its official release

Apple has released the third beta of iOS 17 to developers, indicating that the public beta release is coming soon. This update brings several new features and improvements, including the personalized Contact Posters feature in the Phone app, where uers can customize the appearance for incoming calls with treatments for photos, Memoji, and typography. Another handy feature is NameDrop, which allows users to easily share their contact information by simply bringing two iPhones close together.

FaceTime has also received some enhancements, including the ability to leave audio or video messages for unavailable recipients. They also added support for reactions, such as like hearts, balloons, and fireworks during FaceTime calls. Autocorrect in iOS 17 beta has been updated with a transformer language model, resulting in improved word prediction. The design of the autocorrect feature has also been refreshed to provide better typing support. Text entry has become faster and more efficient with the introduction of predictive text recommendations displayed inline as users type.

The Apple Health app in iOS 17 introduces new features for tracking mental wellbeing. Users can now log their state of mind and see how it correlates with lifestyle factors. The app includes a dedicated Mental Wellbeing section to track anxiety and depression, providing users with valuable insights into their mental health.

You can find many more changes in the official Release Notes, but for developers who want to try out iOS 17 beta 3, the process involves accessing the Settings app, navigating to General Software Update, and enabling the iOS 17 Developer Beta. It's worth noting that different Apple IDs can be used for beta updates without affecting iCloud settings. And don't forget that iOS 17 will be available later this fall (September) for iPhone models starting from iPhone XR and newer. Support will be dropped for iPhone 8 and iPhone X versions, so users of these older models will need to consider upgrading to continue receiving the latest OS updates.