After two months of beta testing, iPadOS 17 RC has been seeded by Apple. The Release Candidate version means this will likely be the build number Cupertino will make available to iPad users once iPadOS 17 is out.
iPadOS 17 RC brings a revamp to the Lock Screen. There are stock wallpapers like Astronomy and Kaleidoscope, or you can choose a photo from your library. This system also brings an all-new motion effect for Live Photos that makes your Lock Screen feel more dynamic when you wake the iPad and settles into your Home Screen when unlocked.
It also introduces Live Activities, which help you stay on top of things happening in real-time, such as food orders, flights, sports scores, and more.
In addition, widgets on your Lock Screen allow you to see information like the weather, time, date, battery levels, or upcoming events at a glance. There are also interactive widgets on your Home Screen, which let you play music, turn off the lights, and more right from a widget.
iPadOS 17 RC introduces the Health app with a design optimized for a larger display. You can see rich details in favorites, review trends and highlights, and use interactive charts. You can create medication reminders, track your menstrual cycle, and log symptoms right from your iPad.
In addition, Safari got lots of new features. Now, you can create a profile to keep your browsing, history, extensions, Tab Groups, cookies, and favorites separated for topics like Work and Personal.
Apple says Search in Safari with Mac is also more responsive and shows easier-to-read and more relevant suggestions. Another feature is web apps that come to your dock. You can launch a web app to get an app-like experience with a simplified toolbar.
Apple is also enhancing private browsing by letting you lock your private browsing windows when you’re not using them with iPadOS 17 beta. It completely blocks known trackers from loading on pages and removes tracking added to URLs as you browse.
For Passwords, Apple now lets you share a set of passwords with your trusted contacts. You can create a group and choose a set of accounts to share. Passwords stay up to date for everyone in the group, and you can remove someone at any time.
BGR will update this article as we learn more about new features. The new public beta version should also be available soon.
