With the fifth developer beta of iOS 17, Apple has continued to refine the major software update ahead of its fall release. Apple on Tuesday released the fifth beta of iOS 17 to registered developers who are busy testing Apple’s new software. The fifth beta, sporting build number 21A5303d, replaces the fourth, 21A5291h. With little over a month before the presumed release, Apple is now winnowing down its feature changes and focusing more on stability, reliability, and performance.
One of the initial changes noted was the smoothness of various UI animations. For example, opening the new list of apps within the Messages app is much more fluid. The Spotlight search animation looks better when you pull down from the top of the screen. In Health app, Apple has a new graphic atop the State of Mind category. When using the Shortcuts app, there are new Safari icons corresponding to some of the various actions. Apple has also restored the ability to automatically run automations based on location without confirmation.
The fifth beta also includes a modal to alert users when tracking their Siri Remote, though it still doesn’t appear you can track your Siri Remote yet. Additionally, Check In, a safety feature coming to Messages, got a minor update with the fifth beta, showing sample data to clarify what is shared when you select “full” or “limited” information. Lastly, Apple has changed the prompt when using Live Voicemail.
Apple is expected to release iOS 17 this fall, likely preceding the launch of the iPhone 15. The new iPhone 15 series is rumored to be announced on September 12 or 13, with the hardware hitting store shelves on September 22. Apple’s large swath of software updates will likely arrive between those two dates.
