News

iOS 17 Has Arrived: Here Are The Standout New Features

Apple’s new iPhone operating system has a host of new additions and is available now to download.

Published

3 years ago

September 19, 2023

ios 17 has arrived here are the standout new features

iOS 17, the latest iteration of Apple’s Phone operating system, is now available to download. The software update has plenty of new features, though you’ll need an iPhone 11 or later to benefit from the new OS. (iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and 2nd gen iPhone SE models are also supported).

Upgrading To iOS 17

Tap Settings, scroll to General, then select Software Update. Remember that your phone will restart several times during the process, and it’s always wise to keep it plugged into a charger.

iOS 17 Features

Autocorrect Improvements

Autocorrect will now remember words for future use, and users can tap an on-screen undo button to revert back to what they actually typed.

Check-In

The new Check-In feature automatically alerts friends or family when you arrive at a preselected destination. If an iPhone detects that someone is no longer moving toward their destination, chosen contacts will be sent the route, cell connectivity status, and the phone’s battery level.

Set Multiple Timers

A glaring omission to iOS has finally been solved. Users can now set multiple timers without resorting to third-party apps.

StandBy Mode

iPhones now enter StandBy Mode when flipped horizontally while charging, turning them into a clock, calendar, digital photo frame, or information center using widget Smart Stacks. StandBy Mode can also distinguish between specific Magsafe docks, so different displays can be set for each location (such as bedside tables or kitchens).

Stickers And Call Effects

iOS 17 now allows quick access to all stickers — including those within third-party apps. You can even create new stickers from photos with added interactive effects. Users can also add effects to video calls, including rain, confetti, and hearts.

Voicemail To Text & Video Messages

Incoming voicemails can now be displayed as text on the iPhone’s lock screen. Meanwhile, Facetime also lets users leave video messages if someone doesn’t pick up.

NameDrop Contact Info

You can now bring iPhones together and instantly share contact details, which can also be customized and turned into a contact poster.

Safari Privacy

Apple has long made privacy a unique selling point of its operating systems. Now, iOS has received an update allowing Safari users to create multiple profiles to keep browsing information separate. Private Browsing tabs also require reauthorization after 15 minutes, hiding your browsing habits if someone else is handed the device.

Coming Soon: AirDrop Update And New Journaling App

Although we’re excited at the prospect of the iOS 17 update, there are a few additional features planned for the future that are also hotly anticipated.

A new end-to-end encrypted Journal app will soon be available where users can reflect and record their thoughts. In addition, an AirDrop update will allow file transfers to continue even if you move out of range.

Also Read: How To Clean Your Apple Watch Like A Pro

Aside from all the new iOS 17 features, it’s always a good idea to keep your iPhone up to date. There’s always a risk of a few temporary bugs, but the security benefits far outweigh any minor glitches you may experience during the first few days of updating.

News

Instagram Redraws Its Wordmark And The Internet Reads “Instagzam”

Instagram’s first wordmark refresh in a decade arrives with new fonts, a restrained gradient — and a Reddit verdict of sidegrade.

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2026

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Although Instagram’s famous camera icon hasn’t changed, the company has refreshed the handwritten wordmark at the top of its app. This is the first redesign we’ve seen in ten years, and one the internet promptly set about renaming.

“The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on August 13, describing the new version as “cleaner and more modern” while keeping references to the original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options — all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, even literal handwriting — before returning to script. “Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right,” Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. “The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram”.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand overhaul: an updated Instagram Sans typeface, two new fonts — the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono — plus refreshed motion and layouts, and more restrained use of the signature gradient. The wordmark is rolling out globally now, with the rest arriving throughout 2026 and beyond.

Also Read: Spotify Will Now Tell You If Your Favorite Artist Isn’t Real

The design mixes cursive and print lettering, some characters connected and others floating free. That hybrid approach, combined with unusually shaped “s” and “r” characters, led some users to conclude the logo actually reads “Instagzam”. On the r/logodesign subreddit, one user said the wordmark looked “fan-made,” like something built in Canva; another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive”; a third summarized it as a “sidegrade” — or, inevitably, a “zidegrade”.

Not everyone was hostile to the new look. Some found the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others called it an improvement on its predecessor, and one commenter argued Instagram was simply adopting minimalist branding later than everyone else. Either way, the platform now has a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and an unofficial new pronunciation.