Today, Apple released its latest updates, iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2. The previous updates, iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 dropped about a month ago. To find the new updates on either your iPhone or your iPad, go to the following:
- Open Settings
- Tap General, then Software Update
- Select iOS 17.2
One of the more intriguing, as well as possibly cutting-edge aspects of the update is that users now have access to the Journal app. According to one of the press releases on the update, the new Journal app will “helps users reflect on everyday moments and special events in their lives.” But what makes it cutting-edge–or potentially cutting-edge–is that the app uses on-device machine learning to create personalized suggestions to inspire a user’s journal entries, which is great for those who suffer from writer’s block or just can’t think of anything to write about.
But when using the app, you don’t need to stick to just prose, poetry, or other forms of writing. You can also include photos, videos, audio recordings, locations, and more to create rich memories.
And while we may be living in the social-media world, not all of us may choose to share our journals with the entire world. So, you can keep the entries personal and private. Apple says, “When iPhone is locked with a passcode, entries in the Journal app are encrypted.” You can also enable secondary authentication, and lock the Journal app with your device passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID. Also, all Journal entries are “end-to-end encrypted when stored in iCloud, so that no one but the user can access them.” In addition to the privacy settings, there are a number of other useful tweaks you can make in in the settings of the Journal app.
Powerful features that will intrigue content creators
The Journal app isn’t the only aspect of the update that’s using cutting-edge technology. If you have the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and you’ve updated to iOS 17.2, you can now start recording 3D video that you’ll be able to view on the Apple’s Vision Pro headset, once it’s made available in early 2024.
Here’s what Apple has to say about the new spatial video feature (which is really just a specific type of 3D video): “Once spatial video capture is enabled in Settings, users can leverage the advanced camera systems on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to capture their favorite moments in three dimensions. Spatial videos are captured in 1080p at 30 frames per second in standard dynamic range. With advanced computational videography techniques and HEVC compression, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max deliver stunning spatial memories in a compact file size.”
The new updates include a host of other changes. For instance, there are various security updates and a new enhanced security feature called iMessage Contact Key Verification, which Apple says provides users with "new tools to protect their most sensitive data and communications." Plus there are updates to Apple Music, AirDrop, the Weather app, and many others. To see the entire list of updates, go to Apple's iOS &iPadOS 17.2 Release Notes.
