Unveiling the 9 Transformations: Exciting Features in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

iOS 17.1 Beta 1 introduces several new features showcased at the WWDC 2023 event, not present in the initial release of iOS 17. Here's a rundown of all the exciting updates in this latest release.

Apple Music Favorites

In iOS 17.1 Beta 1, you can now favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the Music app. The Favorited Music feature has been added to the Library, enhancing recommendations. Favoriting replaces the previous 'Love' system and can be done directly from the Now Playing widget on the lock screen.

It's known that a star appearing next to a track in an album means that the music is favored, while a dot next to it indicates the most-played song. With the favorites system, the Music app will suggest songs to add to your playlist.

Ultimately, Apple plans to provide Favorite Songs playlists and collaborative playlists, but these features seem to be awaiting deployment.

AirDrop

In iOS 17.1 Beta 1, transferring data via AirDrop can be completed over mobile or Wi-Fi connections even if you move out of range while sharing. This means you won't have to stay close to someone while transferring a large number of files.

There's a new 'Out of Range' toggle in the AirDrop section of the Settings menu that you can switch to allow or disallow transfers over the mobile network.

NameDrop on Apple Watch

With watchOS 10.1 and iOS 17.1 Beta 1, your iPhone and Apple Watch can now be used to exchange contact information through the NameDrop feature.

Ringtones and Text Tones

More than 20 new Ringtones and Text Tones introduced in the initial release of iOS 17 seem to have vanished in the first beta of iOS 17.1, but Apple may reintroduce them in a later update. Additionally, custom sounds for Mail and Messages have been reinstated.

Account Balance for UK Banks in Wallet App

Users in the UK can now add their bank accounts to the Wallet app in iOS 17.1 Beta 1, allowing them to view their account balance, payment amounts, purchase transactions, and deposits.

Books App

The 'Reading Now' section in the Apple Books app has been renamed to 'Read Now'.

Battery Indicator in Dynamic Island

When the battery indicator is activated on iPhones with the Dynamic Island hole-punch design running iOS 17.1 beta 1, you'll see the battery icon in the notch area, indicating that the battery indicator is on. The battery indicator for Dynamic Island was previously limited to ‌ and ‌ Pro‌ Max.

Game Controller Support

iOS 17.1 beta 1 includes support for Nintendo Switch N64 game controllers.

Expandable Wallpapers

When setting up a new background, Apple has added an 'Expand' option that can be used if the image doesn't fit the screen.