After a month of beta testing, Apple is now making iOS 17.5 available to all iPhone users. This is possibly the last main update for iOS 17 before Cupertino unveils iOS 18 in early June. Although this iOS 17.5 update doesn’t bring major features, it has a few new functions users will love to have. Here they are.
Pride wallpapers: To celebrate Pride 2024, Apple brings “bold, symbolic color to Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. Signaling hope, strength, and fellowship to LGBTQ+ communities, the beams of light glow against a dark background and stack on top of each other to represent the everlasting impact of LGBTQ+ activism and its role in illuminating the path to greater equality for future generations.”
Podcasts widget change: The Podcasts widget has a new dynamic color that changes depending on what you’re listening to.
Tracking Notifications: Cross-platform tracking detection delivers notifications to users if a compatible Bluetooth tracker they do not own is moving with them, regardless of what operating system the device is paired with.
Apple Universal Link for eSIM install: This new feature offers a link instead of a QR code to activate an eSIM on your iPhone.
Apple News+: For Apple News+ (or Apple One subscribers), users can have a new offline mode that gives access to the Today feed and News+ tab even when they don’t have an internet connection.
Quartiles and Scoreboards: One of the possible iOS 17.5 more popular features could be Quartiles, a new and original daily word game for Apple News+. You can see new player data for Crossword, Mini Crossword, and Quartiles with a Scoreboard, including stats and streaks.
Besides these iOS 17.5 features, this operating system update brings exclusive functions for EU users. Here’s what you should know:
Web Distribution: With this change, EU users download apps directly from a developer’s website. This is part of the Digital Markets Act, which has added alternative app marketplaces for EU users. Here’s how Apple describes this new feature:
Web Distribution, available with a software update later this spring, will let authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website owned by the developer. Apple will provide authorized developers access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of their apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, back up and restore users’ apps, and more.
Here are the developers that can take advantage of this change:
- Developers need to be a member of the Apple Developer Program for at least two continuous years
- Developers need to accept Apple’s Notarization process
- Apps need at least one million annual first installs or more on iOS in the EU in the past year.
New privacy option: On Screen Time settings and the Content & Privacy Restrictions tab, you can allow app installations from the web.
iOS 17.5 device compatibility
- iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd gen)
- iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (3rd gen)
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
BGR will let you know if we find even more features with iOS 17.5.
