With iOS 17.2 now available, we focus on iOS 17.3 beta 1. Like you, I’m excited to get some of the delayed iOS 17 features, such as Apple Music Collaborative Playlists, AirPlay in hotel rooms, and so on.
But, unlike all the other betas, this one is a little bit tricky. Since iOS 15.3, Apple usually releases this testing version just after update X.2. Then, it takes almost an entire month to release beta 2 because, if you look at the calendar, it’s the end of the year, and the developers take their holidays very serious – as they should.
That said, if you find any major bug with iOS 17.3 beta 1 – or just that little annoying issue – you’ll have to wait until the second week of January to get a second testing version, which still might not even have the fix you’re waiting for.
The good part – and thanks, Thinky Bits, for refreshing my memory – is that Apple usually doesn’t take that long with version X.3. With iOS 16.3 and iOS 15.3, Apple seeded only two betas and then the Release Candidate version.
The issue, as mentioned above, is that you must keep with iOS 17.3 beta 1 for almost an entire month before getting a more polished version.
With that in mind, these are the possible new features coming with iOS 17.3 beta 1:
- Apple Music Collaborative Playlist: Apple Music won’t have many iOS 17 new features, but one big function is being delayed. In 2024, you’ll be able to invite friends to collaborate on playlists. They will be able to add, reorder, and remove songs. In addition, you’ll be able to react to the song choices in Now Playing.
- AirPlay in your hotel room: AirPlay will be available later this year in supporting hotel rooms. Apple is working closely with hotels so people can scan the QR code on their room TVs to securely share videos, photos, and music from their iPhones to the TV.
- Sync additional settings with Messages in iCloud: Text Message Forwarding, Send & Receive accounts, and SMS filters across devices.
- Apple ID proximity: Sign in with an existing signed-in and trusted iPhone or iPad.
BGR will let you know once iOS 17.3 beta 1 is out, including all the new features.
