9 lesser-known iOS 17 features you need to try

Heads up, Apple users! The new iOS 17 update is now available.

According to Apple, the latest update is designed to "enhance the things you do every day, express yourself like never before when you call or message someone, share content in convenient new ways, and do even more with new experiences for your iPhone."

Aside from its well-known features like the interactive widgets, the improved AirDrop, and the new NameDrop, there are also hidden features that you can enjoy in the latest software upgrade. Check them out below:

Visual Look Up for laundry codes and car's warning lights

Not sure what the symbol on your clothes tag is about? Look it up—using your camera.

Visual Look Up, a built-in Photos tool that can identify words, plants, monuments, and other objects and provide you with information about them, can also help you with your laundry codes. This will be your guide when it comes to washing and drying your clothes by just taking a photo of the tag and using the tool. 

Furthermore, it can analyze any possible warning lights on the dashboard of your car if you take a photo of it.

A New Messaging experience

iOS 17 has made searching in the Messages app way easier as you can now filter your searches by contact, link, photo, location, and more, to quickly find what you're looking for.

Likewise, you can also access your applications directly from Messages using the + icon that quickly brings up options like the camera, stickers, and more. 

iOS 17 also ensures that security is in the hands of the users as it has a setting that automatically deletes your verification codes after you've entered them in Messages and Mail. It can quickly clutter up codes in your text messages or in emails. 

Slight make-over of Siri

Are you into audiobooks and podcasts? Well, the iOS 17 also caters to audio learners as Siri can now read news articles, informational sites, or anything else in Safari.

You also no longer need to say, "Hey, Siri" when asking the personal voice assistant for requests. Instead, just  say "Siri."

Other features

• For travelers, you can now make use of the Apple Maps even if you don't have internet service. Download and use offline maps on the Maps applications so that you can easily navigate roads and highways without the worry of internet signals or consuming your data usage.
• With iOS 17, you don't need to completely wipe your iPhone when you forget your passcode. All you have to do is use your old passcode to get in for only 48 hours so that you can create a new passcode.
• If you're always losing your Apple watch, iOS 17 enables your phone's Control Center where you can just take a single tap on it to look for your Apple Watch.
• Cropping photos in iOS 17 also made it easier. You don't need to go to edit mode; You just need to zoom a photo and then hit the new Crop button that appears to resize an image to exactly what you see on your screen.

There will also be other features in the next versions of the iOS 17, including the Journal App and the Collaborative Playlist, which will be available later this year.

According to Apple, the Journal App aims to offer a comprehensive platform to capture your daily experiences and memories through photos, music, and audio recordings instead of just text. 

The Collaborative Playlists feature, meanwhile, enables you to add, reorder, and delete songs in a shared playlist with other iPhone users, making the Apple Music experience more social and interactive.

To get the iOS 17 update, just go to Settings > General > Software Update.