Just in time for the iPhone 15 to go on sale later this week, Apple has officially released iOS 17 today. The new operating system version is compatible with every device released after the iPhone XR, including the iPhone SE (2nd-gen or later). If you buy the new iPhone 15, it will arrive with iOS 17 preloaded right out of the box—whenever it gets to you.
If you’re ready for the update on the iPhone you have now, be sure to back up your data, connect your iPhone to wifi and a power source, then head into the settings panel. Under General > Software Update, you’ll see that iOS 17 is waiting for you to download and install.
The new version of iOS is a subtle upgrade, as most mobile operating systems have been these last few generations—Android has likewise struggled to “wow” with its most recent versions. Regardless, existing iPhone users will be happy to know that most of the new abilities coming are helpful utilities for the expensive smartphone.
No matter how much we insist that business cards are no longer relevant in today’s digital age, someone finds a way to make them relevant again. Enter iOS 17’s Contact Posters, which are essentially contact cards visualized. This wallpaper you create to represent yourself shows up on the other end when you call another iPhone toter. Your Contact Poster displays vital information: your name, phone number, and even your memoji. You can customize the Contact Poster’s font size, style, and color and preview it before settling on a design.
Apple plans to make APIs available to developers so that services like VoIP apps can take advantage of the calling cards. You can also use Contact Posters with NameDrop, another new iOS 17 feature that lets you exchange Contact Posters by simply tapping devices. Unfortunately, Contact Posters won’t appear for Android users or anyone running iOS 16 or earlier.
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