Apple has released a new major update for the iPhone and iPad inform of the iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3. It brings Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, and more.
Stolen Device Protection
The headlining feature is the Stolen Device Protection. There were reports of iPhone thefts where the thief spied on a victim to learn their passcode before going on to steal the device, leading to drained bank accounts, stolen passwords, and an untraceable iPhone. This new feature solves that issue by requiring biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID to access passwords in iCloud Keychain, turning off Lost Mode, erasing content, and making purchases in Safari.
Actions like changing an Apple ID password require Face ID and have a one-hour security delay. So if you (or someone else) tried to change your Apple ID login information, you would need to authenticate with Face ID and then wait an hour before the password could be updated. These wait periods are not required when you are in a trusted location like home or work.
Here’s a list of all the actions that need the user to use biometric authentication:
- Viewing/using passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain
- Applying for a new Apple Card
- Viewing an Apple Card virtual card
- Turning off Lost Mode
- Erasing all content and settings
- Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet
- Using payment methods saved in Safari
- Using your iPhone to set up a new device
The actions below will need a one hour security delay after you input your biometric authentication
- Changing your Apple ID password
- Updating select Apple ID account security settings, including adding or removing a trusted device, trusted phone number, Recovery Key, or Recovery Contact
- Changing your iPhone passcode
- Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID
- Turning off Find My
- Turning off Stolen Device Protection
Collaborative Apple Music Playlists and emoji reactions
Other features baked into the new iOS 17.3 update include collaborative Apple Music Playlists. It allows you to invite others to join in to add songs and listen to the playlist together. In addition, there’s an emoji reaction feature that allows listeners to add an emoji to any song that’s playing to express their feelings about it.
AirPlay 2 in Hotels
In select hotels, users can now stream content from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac directly to a hotel device without having to log in to the premises TV with their credentials.
Crash Detection
The crash detection feature has been updated to prevent it from triggering during activities that cause movement similar to a car crash.
TV Show and Movie Wishlists
Wishlist feature is back. Users can access their wishlist information again in the iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 updates. Apple has added a new “Go to Wish List” option so users can copy down their movie and TV show watch lists.
You can access the update right now for your new iPhone 15 series and previous models.