Apple has released iOS 17.2, a major update for iPhones that introduces several new features and changes. The update is now available for compatible iPhone models.
Key Highlights of iOS 17.2
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New Journal app – iOS 17.2 adds a new first-party app from Apple called Journal, which provides a private space for users to write down thoughts, memories or notes, add images, categorize entries and more.
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Spatial video support – The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can now record videos with depth data for a more immersive viewing experience on supported platforms.
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Faster wireless charging – iPhone models as old as the iPhone 13 now support faster 15W Qi2 wireless charging speeds with certified chargers.
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Updates to built-in apps – iOS 17.2 brings updates for built-in apps like Apple Music, Wallet, Reminders and Siri. There are also improvements to Crash Detection and Emergency SOS.
The New Journal App for Logging Thoughts
The headlining feature in iOS 17.2 is the debut of Journal, Apple’s own app focused on journaling and logging your daily memories and thoughts.
Journal provides tools to let users write down noted with text, add tags, locations, photos and more to create vivid, searchable entries in a private, password-protected space.
Apple positioned Journal as an app to promote mental wellbeing, encouraging users to pen their thoughts and reflect on them later when revisiting old Journal entries.
With Journal, Apple is providing iPhone users with a dedicated first-party app for journaling and life logging purposes. While third-party options existed, Apple believes they could improve the experience.
Early reviews praise Journal’s simplicity and ease-of-use, while noting the lack of robust formatting tools or extensive customization options. Users cannot currently export Journal entries outside the app.
Privacy and Security
Apple claims Journal offers complete privacy for user content. All entries are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be read by Apple or anyone else without the user’s device and password.
Two-factor authentication via Face ID or passcode helps prevent unauthorized access. Users can also add a separate passcode to the Journal app for extra security.
Spatial Video Capture Now Available on iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are picking up a new “Spatial video” recording feature with the iOS 17.2 update.
Spatial video uses the TrueDepth camera on iPhone 15 Pro models to capture specialized depth data along with standard video footage.
This allows spatial video shots to provide a more three-dimensional, immersive viewing experience when played back on supporting platforms. Effects like auto focus, cinematic mode and more also gain depth awareness.
Apple says spatial video can be natively viewed on recent Apple devices running up-to-date software versions. Third-party services will roll out support for viewing spatial videos in the near future.
The feature provides iPhone 15 Pro users with more creative video capture abilities and showcases the capabilities of Apple’s TrueDepth camera system.
Faster 15W Qi2 Wireless Charging Now Supported
iOS 17.2 enables faster 15W Qi2 certified wireless charging speeds for a wider range of iPhone models – from the iPhone 13 series all the way up to the latest iPhone 15 lineup.
Previously, 15W wireless charging was only supported on the iPhone 15 series. But now the iPhone 13, 14 and 15 families can all charge at accelerated speeds with Qi2 chargers.
This provides convenience and versatility for wireless charging use cases across recent iPhone generations. Users no longer need the latest iPhone model to benefit from faster charging.
Several accessory makers have already confirmed upcoming releases of Qi2-compatible 15W wireless chargers that will work with iPhone 13 and newer devices thanks to the iOS 17.2 update.
What Else is New in iOS 17.2?
Beyond the major changes, iOS 17.2 includes tweaks and quality-of-life updates across various Apple apps and services:
- Apple Music gains support for more Spatial and Lossless audio tracks for subscribers
- Wallet app now lets you securely share keys stored in the app
- Support added for new smart home architecture Matter 1.1
- Siri audio playback now streams via Bluetooth devices
- Reminders can now be printed directly within the Reminders app
- Crash Detection optimized to better detect severe collisions
- Emergency SOS now requires holding the side button with volume buttons to activate unintended calls
And there are over 12 security fixes addressing vulnerabilities in components like the Camera, Weather and more. Users should update for the latest protections.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Apple and iOS?
iOS 17.2 marks another incremental improvement as Apple builds up features and functionally in preparation for the eventual iOS 18 update, likely coming mid-2023.
Some features originally speculated for iOS 17 like satellite connectivity for emergencies ultimately did not make it. These could potentially arrive in iOS 18 or later instead.
Apple will likely spend 2023 polishing iOS 17 and promoting new hardware like the recent iPhone 15 series. More iOS 17 point updates will continue introducing smaller changes over time as well.
Major new innovations may wait until iOS 18, where Apple could debut things like satellite connectivity, a mixed reality headset with dedicated software, the long-rumored Apple Car and more as 2023 unfolds.
For now, iOS 17.2 provides a solid update for iPhone users. The new Journal app creates an intriguing outlet for logging memories or having a digital diary. Extra pro camera functionality, faster charging and quality-of-life changes round out a beneficial update as we approach the new year.
Here is a table summarizing the key new features in iOS 17.2:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Journal App | New first-party app for journaling thoughts, memories and events with text, tags, location, images and more |
| Spatial Video (iPhone 15 Pro/Max) | Record video with depth data for immersive viewing on supported platforms |
| Faster 15W Qi2 Charging | Wireless charging at up to 15W now supported on iPhone 13 through 15 models |
| Apple Music | More tracks available in Spatial and Lossless quality |
| Wallet | Securely share keys stored in the Wallet app |
| Matter Support | Added support for new Matter 1.1 smart home connectivity standard |
| Siri | Audio playback now goes over Bluetooth devices |
| Reminders | Print reminders directly within the Reminders app |
| Crash Detection | Improved ability to detect severe car crashes |
| Emergency SOS | Now requires holding side + volume buttons to avoid false calls |
So in summary, iOS 17.2 provides a range useful updates headlined by the new Journal app, spatial video capture and faster wireless charging support across more iPhone models. It continues Apple’s incremental iOS improvements as we likely look ahead to more significant changes with iOS 18 down the road.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
