iOS 17.1 arrives with updates to AirDrop, Apple Music, and more

The update has been available in beta since late last month, during which time its biggest new feature has arguably been the ability to continue AirDrop transfers over a cellular connection if the two connected devices move out of Wi-Fi range after the sending process has started.
As shown in iOS 17.1’s beta releases, the update includes a handful of other minor tweaks and additions.

How to use the new Messages features in iOS 17

My favorite new feature in Messages for iOS 17 is Check In: it lets you share an estimated time of arrival with a trusted contact and can send out an alert if you don’t turn up at your destination as expected.
If you can’t listen to the audio messages you’re sent for whatever reason or simply want to glance at your screen to see what it’s all about, the new automatic transcription option is useful.

iOS 17 review: Notable new features and streamlined touches

Your latest iPhone update is officially here. iOS 17 brings some substantial new features and a lot of upgrades that streamline how you use your iPhone, especially when connecting with other iPhone users.
While the lock screen customizations introduced in iOS 16 formed the big visual change last year, Apple has now applied a similar makeover to your phone calls and contact lists. And at a time when there is no shortage of video call apps and services, it’s trying to make FaceTime even more compelling.
When I previewed the developer build a month or so ago, I focused on messages and FaceTime, both of which got a lot of attention in this update. After a little more time with the finished product, iOS 17 feels like a big quality-of-life upgrade for iPhone users. Without a big tentpole feature, it’s harder to pinpoint why it’s so much better — but I’ll try.

How to set up widgets in macOS Sonoma

In an otherwise incremental update, one of macOS Sonoma’s marquee features is interactive desktop widgets. Although Apple now lets you add widgets to the Notification Center on older versions of macOS, with Sonoma you can plop them down right on the desktop. Here’s how to set up and start using customizable widgets on your Mac computer.
Notification Center widgets First, if you have any existing Notification Center widgets you’d rather put on the desktop, you can now drag them over directly. They’ll move seamlessly back and forth between the two places, and you can reposition them around the desktop to find a spot you like.

These are the macOS Sonoma features you should actually pay attention to

Look, I know this feels like a small and insignificant release compared to the likes of Widgets and Game Modes and AI-powered video doodads that have headlined the Sonoma news cycle.
So rather than try to make any deep or poignant points about the constellation of odds and ends that constitutes macOS Sonoma, I’ve combed through the 32-page list of updates that Apple kindly sent over, and I’ve picked out the ones that I think are, legitimately, likely to improve my life (and might also improve yours).