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watchOS 10 beta 5 adds support for NameDrop so you can finally try it

Published Aug 9th, 2023 7:40AM EDT
Sharing contact information (NameDrop) via AirDrop between iPhone and Apple Watch.
Image: Apple Inc.

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One of the coolest features coming to iOS 17 and watchOS 10 is NameDrop. This function lets you easily share your contact information with another person by approaching your iPhone or Apple Watch to the other person’s phone/watch.

While NameDrop has been available since the early days of iOS 17 beta testing, Apple said this feature would come to iPhone-Apple Watch “later this year,” which usually indicates version X.1.

That said, until now, registered developers and public beta testers could only use NameDrop from one iPhone to another. With watchOS 10 beta 5, this changes, and you can try NameDrop from Apple Watch to Apple Watch and iPhone to Apple Watch.

The information comes from Twitter user @aaronp613. He discovered an animation inside watchOS 10 beta code that shows this feature in action. You just need to hold two Apple Watches or one Apple Watch and one iPhone close to the other, and your contact information is shared.

NameDrop iOS 17Image source: Apple Inc.

Although sharing your contact information might not sound like an exciting feature, Apple has revamped the Phone app with iOS 17 with Personalized Contact Posters. It provides a new way for users to express themselves by customizing how they appear, bringing a completely new look to incoming calls. They can choose treatments for photos or Memoji and eye-catching typography and font colors.

With that in mind, Apple gave the same iOS 16 Lock Screen treatment to Contacts with iOS 17, so users can have a more immersive experience when getting a call. In addition, it finally makes it easier to share your contact with someone else, so this person doesn’t need to write your details, and you can share your preferred photo and information just by holding your iPhone closer to the other.

In addition, iOS 17 beta 5 adds improved animation and sounds for AirDrop and NameDrop, so using these functions is even more pleasant.

In about a month, Apple will release iOS 17, watchOS 10, and other operating system updates to users. BGR will let you know about upcoming software changes on your devices.

José Adorno Tech News Reporter

José is a Tech News Reporter at BGR. He has previously covered Apple and iPhone news for 9to5Mac, and was a producer and web editor for Latin America broadcaster TV Globo. He is based out of Brazil.

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