Everything new in iOS 17.2 Beta 1: Journal app, Translate action, iMessage sticker reactions, and more

by Julie Clover

Apple today released the first beta version of the upcoming iOS 17.2 update, which adds many new features. You can now access the Magazine app that Apple is working on and share playlists with friends so they can add songs.

iOS 17.2 is currently only available to developers, but it should soon be available to the public for beta testers. We expect iOS 17.2 to be released to the general public around November or December.

Journal app

iOS 17.2 includes the Journal app, which Apple announced as part of iOS. 17. With the Journal app, users can record their daily activities and thoughts, and Apple provides additional prompts that can be used as inspiration.

A journal entry can be added by tapping “ + ” in the Journal app, and from there, users can choose a sentence as the basis for their writing, or simply select “New Entry” to write whatever they want.

Entries are automatically tagged with a date icon for organizational purposes, but there are and options for creating bookmarks. Log entries can include images, voice recordings, and location tags.

Messages sticker tap response

You can now long press any chat bubble in the Messages app to add a reply sticker as an alternative to replying. By clicking “Add Sticker”, you can choose a sticker or emoji to be applied to the corner of the iMessage.

There was already an option to drag a sticker or emoji onto any message. bubble, but it's a much faster way to quickly respond to an incoming message with quick graphics that are more expressive than the reply-tap response.

Shared Apple Music playlists

Now Apple Music has the ability to create a playlist that can be added to by multiple people. In the playlist you created, tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the app.

From there, select the Collaborate option and select Start Collaboration. You will be able to create a link to the playlist and anyone who has access to that link will be able to add to it. You can also invite people to join using a QR code and, if you wish, approve each person who asks to join.

Apple Music Featured Playlist

Songs you've favorited in ‌Apple Music‌ are now combined into the Favorites playlist.

Apple Music listening history focus filter

For ‌Apple Music‌ There is a focus filter. Listening history function. If you want someone else to use your device to listen to music, you can turn it on to turn off your listening history so that your song selections don't influence your recommendations.

Translate action button

iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max users can now select a new translation option for the action button.

When the action button is set to Translate, pressing and holding causes the translation window to open on iPhone, which listens to the conversation speech. text. It can translate from one installed language to another using the languages you have previously set up in the Translator app.

Checking iMessage Contact Key

First viewed December 2022 iMessage Contact Key Verification is a feature designed for those facing “extreme digital threats,” such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials.

Users can verify that there is no “man in the middle” monitoring iMessage conversations, and there is contact verification code that allows iMessage users to ensure they are talking to the right person during face-to-face meetings or FaceTime calls.

Messages in iCloud sync

The Messages section in iCloud in the Settings app has been renamed to Messages in ‌iCloud‌. It shows the total storage space used by messages, the number of messages synced to ‌iCloud‌, and the time of the last synchronization. There is also a “Sync Now” option that allows you to force the update.

Apple previously said that additional settings would be synced through Messages in ‌iCloud‌ in ‌iOS 17‌, for example, Forward Text Messages, Send & Get accounts and filter SMS across devices so advanced settings can sync.

Apple TV app

Apple has removed separate tabs for movies and TV shows. in the Store section of the Apple TV app on ‌iPhone‌ and iPad. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple also plans to remove the ability to purchase TV shows and movies from the iTunes app as part of a redesign of the TV app, but that hasn't happened yet.

Emergency Alerts

In the “Notifications” section > Emergency Alerts in the Settings app, there is a new Local Awareness option that can be turned on. Apple says Local Awareness uses your approximate location to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and reliability of emergency alerts.

Weather widgets

New information has emerged, “Daily Forecast” and “Sunrise/Sunset” widgets. Information such as precipitation chance, UV index, wind speed and air quality is displayed in detail, while the daily forecast offers the weather for the next few days in a small widget. Sunrise/Sunset Time shows the sunrise and sunset times for each day.

Digital Clock Widget

There is a new digital clock widget that can be added to Home screen or lock screen.

Contact Posters

You can now choose a rainbow color for your name when customizing your contact poster in Contacts. app.

Animation of turning pages of books

In the Books application, a new option “Fast fade” has appeared for the animation of turning pages. Apple has also removed the icon that could be enabled to quickly scroll through content.

AirPlay

There's a new AirPlay Receiver option that the upcoming Apple Vision headset will allow Pro for streaming or sharing content on your ‌iPhone‌.

It also looks like ‌AirPlay‌ The hotel feature that Apple announced earlier this year is either live or coming soon. It is designed to let you ‌AirPlay‌ content from your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ on Smart TVs with AirPlay.