Get the new iOS 17 BEFORE its public release – discover five game-changing iPhone upgrades

Let’s be honest. Most phone hardware upgrades are not worth it. Sure, it’s a bit faster and the camera is better, but that doesn’t mean much to most people.

Especially considering the price, it is rumored that when Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max (with 2TB storage) is announced in mid-September, it is expected to cost $2,100. Yes, the high-end iPhone costs about 60 percent more than a MacBook.

Software updates, on the other hand, are free. Apple’s iOS 17 update includes many new changes and features that you don’t want to miss.

DailyMail.com rounded up five of our favorites and how to update now if you don’t want to wait until the September launch.

just registering

Asking loved ones to text you when they get home is a thing of the past. With Apple’s new Check In feature enabled, you’ll receive a push notification when a family member or friend arrives safely at their destination.

Check In also shares your friend’s location, how much battery they have left, and whether or not they have good cell service.

Apple says that all of this information is end-to-end encrypted, so don’t worry about a scoundrel getting their hands on it.

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coming to you live

If you’re over a certain age, you’ll definitely remember the old-school voicemail machines, the kind that let you pick up the phone in the middle of a message if you decided the call was worth answering.

Apple is bringing that back with the Live Voicemail feature.

Live Voicemail transcribes the message in real time and allows you to take the call.

Each transcript is stored on your device and is private so you don’t have to worry about where your voicemails are going.

One of the best parts is that unwanted calls are automatically rejected and won’t show up as live voicemail. Wow!

Will your phone get the update? Not all models are compatible with iOS 17. Check here to see if your iPhone is eligible.

drop me a line

AirDrop makes it easy to share photos with a nearby iPhone or Apple device.

Now, Apple is taking things to the next level with NameDrop.

This feature replaces clunky business cards by allowing users to share contact information by pairing two iPhones (or an iPhone and an Apple Watch) together.

NameDrop isn’t just for networking events. The feature also includes SharePlay, where you can easily share your favorite music, games, and movies with other iPhone users nearby. Very sweet.

Listen

Do you love your AirPods? This one is for you. The new iOS update includes a ton of new features to customize your audio experience and improve auto-switching and call controls.

● Adaptive Audio lets you adjust the volume of what you’re listening to based on your surroundings and your interactions.

● Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of your music and reduces background noise when it detects a nearby conversation.

● Custom Volume knows you and your preferences to keep your volume settings where you like them.

Is personal

With the Custom Contact Poster feature, you can customize your image and change the look of incoming calls from friends and family.

You’ll also have access to up-to-date font colors and typography.

It’s much better than a small image to show you who’s calling.

Get it before everyone else

You can update to iOS 17 immediately if you’re willing to be a beta tester. Please note that beta software may still have some bugs and glitches. At this point in the process, iOS 17 is pretty close to being optimized.

● Sign up for the Apple Beta software program on the Apple website.

● Back up your device to iCloud or your computer.

● Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

● Look for a menu called Beta Updates and turn it on.

● Select iOS 17 Public Beta and install it.

Don’t forget to backup your phone before installing the beta version software. You can switch to your latest backup if things get more problematic during your test drive.