Apple’s iOS 17.2 Release Candidate (RC) has been unveiled, offering a glimpse into the new features and improvements that users can expect. This update, which is most likely the final version before the official release, is a significant one, coming in at just under 6.4 GB on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The build number for this update is 21C62, and the modem firmware is 1.22.05 for the iPhone 15 series.
What’s New in iOS 17.2 RC?
The iOS 17.2 RC brings a host of new features and changes, some of which are unique to this version compared to previous beta versions. However, it’s important to note that not all anticipated features have been included in this release. For instance, collaborative playlists, a feature eagerly awaited by many, are not yet live in the 17.2 RC. This doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be included in the final 17.2 release, as they could be pushed server-side next week.
In the Music app, a new feature has been introduced: the favorite songs playlist. Every song that you favorite goes into a playlist of its own, and you have the option to add these to your library or not when you favorite them.
Camera Improvements
The camera section of the release notes mentions an interesting improvement: the telephoto camera focusing speed when capturing small, far-away objects on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max has been enhanced. This addresses a common issue where the telephoto camera struggled to focus on smaller objects.
Moreover, the ability to shoot spatial video has been introduced in 17.2, allowing users to relive memories on the Apple Vision Pro.
Messaging and Weather App Changes
The release notes confirm the introduction of the catch-up arrow in 17.2, which allows users to easily jump to their first unread message in a conversation by tapping the arrow visible in the top right corner.
Changes have also been made to the Weather application. The wind section now includes a wind map, and the moon phase section provides more detailed information, including dates in an interactive view.
Airdrop and Autofill Enhancements
Airdrop now includes expanded contact sharing options and the ability to share boarding passes, movie tickets, and other eligible passes by bringing two iPhones together.
The update also enhances autofill, enabling it to identify fields in PDFs and other forms, allowing you to populate them with information such as names and addresses from your contacts.
Wireless Charging and Health Data Access
iOS 17.2 RC brings support for CH2 wireless charging to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 series. While there are no CH2 chargers on the market yet, they are expected to roll out later this month.
The update also fixes a wireless charging bug that impacted GM vehicles.
Siri now has access to log health data. You can ask Siri to log your daily food intake, weight, and other health-related data. You can also ask questions like “how many steps have I taken today?” or “what’s my blood oxygen level?” and get responses.
Performance and Battery Life
The performance of iOS 17.2 RC seems to be more stable and better overall compared to 17.1 through 17.1.2. A Geekbench test showed slightly lower scores than the previous beta 4, but this could be due to the device still reindexing in the background.
As for battery life, it’s expected to be slightly better on the RC build compared to the 17.2 betas. However, it will take a week of usage to determine if it’s better or worse than 17.1 through 17.1.2.
AirPods Pro Update
Alongside the iOS 17.2 RC, Apple also released a new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C AirPods Pro. The new version is 6B34, but Apple has not updated the release notes to indicate any new features aside from bug fixes and other improvements.
What’s Next?
The final public release of iOS 17.2 is expected to be released next week, most likely on Monday, December 11th. The iOS 17.3 betas are also expected to kick off shortly after the public release of 17.2.
While the iOS 17.2 RC does not include all the anticipated features, such as collaborative playlists, it does introduce a host of new features and improvements that enhance the user experience. As we await the final release, it’s clear that Apple continues to innovate and improve its operating system, offering users more functionality and convenience.