Apple released the second developer beta of iOS 17.2 for iPhone on November 9, and there are some new features for Camera and Siri and quite a few changes from iOS 17.2 beta 1.
So far, there have been many new features discovered on iOS 17.2 since it was first released to beta testers on October 26, including the new Journal app, sticker Tap Back reactions, collaborative Apple Music playlists, Contact Key Verification for iMessage, and some interesting changes to the Apple News and Apple TV apps. Many of these new features also appear on iPadOS 17.2.
The second iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 betas, which became available to public beta testers on November 10, has the following differences from the first beta.
1. Spatial Video Capture in Camera
Spatial Video Capture for Apple Vision Pro is finally available to turn on via Settings –> Camera –> Formats.
Record spatial video with remarkable depth for viewing in the Photos app on Apple Vision Pro. For best results, keep iPhone in landscape orientation and stable while recording. Video is recorded at 30 fps at 1080p. A minute of spatial video is approximately 130 MB.
The Apple Vision Pro icon will appear when you're in Video shooting mode in Camera but not in macro range. Tap the icon to shoot spatial video. You'll be instructed to rotate your iPhone to landscape orientation before you can start recording.
In Photos, spatial videos are stored in the Recents, Videos, and Spatial albums. When viewing one, it will say "Spatial" in the corner, just like you'll see with Cinematic, Portraits, and Live Photos. You can edit Spatial videos but only trim or mute them right now.
2. Ask Siri for Your Steps, Heart Rate, Sleep Data, and More
Any iPhone model running iOS 17.2 beta 2 or later can ask Siri about health and fitness information from the Health app. Before, you had to use complicated shortcuts for similar results, but now it's built right into Siri. You can ask Siri a question like:
- What's my basal body temperature?
Or you can even get more specific:
- What was my basal body temperature this [week/month/year]?
- What was my average basal body temperature last [week/month/year]?
You can try various data points in topics including but not limited to:
- Active energy
- Activity rings
- Basal body temperature
- Blood glucose levels
- Blood oxygen
- Blood pressure
- Body temperature
- Cardio fitness
- Cycling distance
- Flights climbed
- Heart rate
- Height
- Menstruation
- Minutes exercised
- Push workouts
- Respiratory rate
- Resting energy
- Running distance
- Sleep data
- Standing minutes
- Steps
- Walking distance
- Walking heart rate
- Weight
- Wheelchair distance
WatchOS 10.2 also has the power to answer health and fitness questions on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, but older Apple Watch models are not supported.
3. Ask Siri to Log Health and Fitness Data for You
Siri on an iPhone running iOS 17.2 beta 2 or later can also log your health and fitness data for you, such as medication, weight, and workouts. You can ask Siri to log health and fitness data including but not limited to:
- Active energy
- Blood pressure
- Cycle tracking
- Cycling distance
- Flights climbed
- Height
- Medication
- Menstruation
- Push workouts
- Running distance
- Walking distance
- Weight
- Wheelchair distance
WatchOS 10.2 also gives Siri on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 the ability to log your health and fitness data.
4. Sami Language Keyboard Layouts
The iPhone now supports Sámi language keyboards. Sámi languages are spoken by the Sámi people in Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden, Norway, etc), and some of these Uralic languages are endangered. You can pick between Inari, Kildin, Lule, Northern, Pite, Skolt, Southern, and Ume Sami layouts in Settings –> General –> Keyboard –> Keyboards –> Add New Keyboard. We first found this in iOS 17.2 beta 1's code, but it wasn't live yet in the Keyboard settings. On beta 2, it is.
5. Different Buttons in the TV App
On iOS 17.2 beta 1, Apple changed the "Watch Now" tab from a triangle-shaped play icon in a circle to a TV icon. The triangle-shaped play icon was then moved on top of the "Library" tab's stack icon.
On iOS 17.2 beta 2, "Watch Now" is now called "Home." Its triangle-shaped play icon returns but within a rounded rectangle instead of a circle. Also, the "Apple TV+" tab has been redesigned with an enlarged Apple TV+ icon sans the rounded rectangle, and its name has been changed from "Originals" to "Apple TV+" (which is pretty repetitive).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
6. Bust Is Now Chest for Memoji
In the Memoji editor's Body section, introduced in iOS 17.2 beta 1, the new "Bust" option has been renamed "Chest" in beta 2.
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
7. One New Memoji Pose Changed
The first beta also introduced three new Memoji poses, and the second beta tweaks one so that its left arm is slightly bent and away from the body.
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
8. Totals Is Now Precipitation Totals in Weather
In beta 1, the Conditions view in the Weather app placed a new "Totals" section below the Chance of Precipitation chart. That section is called "Precipitation Totals" in beta 2. The current day view showed the past 24 hours and the next 24 hours in beta 1, and it still does, but now it says "last" instead of "past."
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
9. 24-Hour Total Is Now Precipitation Total in Weather
In the same section in the Weather app, but on a future day, beta 1's new section was called "24-Hour Total." On beta 2, it matches the current day's as "Precipitation Total," singular since it only shows the forecasted amount.
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
10. Coverage Moves to General Settings
If you check the warranty and AppleCare+ terms for your iPhone frequently, you'll have a faster time finding the information since beta 2 moves the "Coverage" menu from Settings –> General –> About on iOS 17.1 and earlier to Settings –> General.
iOS 17.1 (left) vs. iOS 17.2 beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.1 (left) vs. iOS 17.2 beta 2 (right).
11. Lock Screen Wind Widget Reverts to Old Design
On the iOS 17.1 beta 1 software, the Wind widget for the Lock Screen was changed to a compass with the arrow pointing toward the direction in which the wind is flowing. Beta 2 reverts it to the original design, where the wind direction shows as abbreviated text, for example, W, NE, or SSE.
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
12. Ask Siri for Your ETA
If you were following directions in Apple Maps and asked Siri what your ETA was on iOS 17.2 beta 1, Siri would throw an error. But on beta 2, it can tell how much time it will take for you to reach your destination.
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
iOS 17.2 beta 1 (left) vs. beta 2 (right).
Cover photo and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks
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