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Marques Brownlee - iOS 17 Hands-On: Top 5 Features!

Thumbnail of the video “Marques Brownlee - iOS 17 Hands-On: Top 5 Features!”
Community upload. AI output has not been independently verified.
Author: Marques Brownlee
Categories: Technology
Tags: technology
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 08:09 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: The video counts down the five most impressive new iOS 17 features, noting most work best when the other person also has an iPhone. The biggest upgrades are the Phone app improvements, StandBy mode as a HomePod-like smart display, and NameDrop for quick contact sharing. Several features, such as NameDrop, SharePlay bumping, and iMessage features, are designed around the iPhone-to-iPhone ecosystem.

Key Points

  • Top 5 iOS 17 features, as listed in the video:
    1. AirDrop / NameDrop
    2. Personal Voice
    3. The little things (keyboard, interactive widgets, Check In in Messages)
    4. StandBy mode
    5. The Phone app (Contact Posters, live voicemail transcription, FaceTime video voicemail)
  • Ranking note: the video counts down from number five to number one, with the Phone app as the top pick.
  • The speaker says many new features depend on a second iPhone, so the benefits are limited if the people you interact with don't use iPhones.
  • Personal Voice is an accessibility feature aimed at people at risk of losing their voice, not a mainstream feature.
  • StandBy mode is presented as potentially better than a HomePod for most people who already own an iPhone.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions:
    • NameDrop: hold two iPhones an inch or two apart to trigger the animation and share your contact poster. Before bumping, choose what to share (phone number, email, or other info) from the My Card section at the top of contact settings. Customize your contact poster's photo and fonts there too, since changes appear for people who have you in their contacts.
    • NameDrop can also share photos, videos, links, or start a SharePlay session by bumping phones.
    • Personal Voice: go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech > Create a Personal Voice. Take the phone to a quiet place and read about 150 displayed phrases aloud. The phone compiles the voice overnight on-device, and no recordings are sent to servers.
    • Live Speech: enable it in Accessibility settings, then triple-tap the power button to bring up a text box, type what you want spoken, and send.
    • Check In (Messages): tap the plus button, choose Check In, and select who can track your arrival and how much data to share.
    • StandBy mode: place the iPhone horizontally while charging. Swipe between preset layouts and vertically through styles.
    • Siri in StandBy is conversational and doesn't require "Hey Siri" each time.
  • Caveats: the speaker notes that AirDrop can be glitchy. The video was based on a beta, and the features were expected to launch in September with the new iPhone.
  • NameDrop can resume an unfinished AirDrop transfer over cellular if the two phones move apart.
  • Contact Posters update automatically for people who have you saved and use an iPhone.
  • Voicemails are transcribed live as they are left, and you can still interrupt and pick up.
  • FaceTime voicemail is a recorded video message left when someone doesn't answer.

Bottom Line

iOS 17 is a substantial update, but its most useful features are strongest when the people you communicate with also use iPhones.