Top Stories: iOS 17, iPhone 15, and New Apple Watches Released

There may not have been a media event this week, but that doesn’t mean things weren’t incredibly busy in the Apple world. The week kicked off with the official release of iOS 17 and related updates, and then there was a daily trickle of media reviews for all of the incoming new hardware.

It all culminated with Friday’s launch of the iP،ne 15 lineup, Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models, and the tweaked AirPods Pro with USB-C case. There’s been lots to unpack with all of this, so read on for all the details!

iOS 17 Features: The Ultimate Mega Guide

Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 17 was released on Monday for the iP،ne XS and newer. The free software update includes a wide range of new features and changes, so check out our iOS 17 mega guide for our comprehensive coverage of everything new.

Apple also released iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17, while macOS Sonoma will be released on Tuesday.

Just Install iOS 17? Here’s 12 Things to Do First

After installing iOS 17 on your iP،ne, check out our list of 12 things to do first in order to take full advantage of the update’s key new features and configure some of the new settings that are available.

We’ve also rounded up some popular iP،ne and Apple Watch apps that have already been updated with support for interactive Home Screen widgets and some other new iOS 17 and watchOS 10 features.

iP،ne 15 Pro Reviews: Improvements Go Beyond USB-C

The new iP،ne 15 Pro and iP،ne 15 Pro Max are here! Ahead of Friday’s launch, the first reviews of the devices were shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels. Make sure to check out our unboxing and early hands-on video, as well as our top five reasons why you might want to opt for the iP،ne 15 Pro Max at the top of the lineup.

We’ve also rounded up early reviews of the iP،ne 15 and iP،ne 15 Plus, Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, and the updated AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case.

Warning: Update Your iP،ne 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iP،ne

If you are just unboxing an iP،ne 15, iP،ne 15 Plus, iP،ne 15 Pro, or iP،ne 15 Pro Max, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iP،ne, or else you might encounter issues.

An update notice screen appears early in the setup process, but don’t skip this step or you might find your ،nd-new iP،ne 15 stuck on the Apple logo screen and you’ll have to connect it to a computer to restore it.

iP،ne 15 Pro vs. 15 Pro Max Buyer’s Guide: 10 Differences Compared

Over the past week, we have been sharing a series of Buyer’s Guides to help customers with their purchasing decisions, including one for the iP،ne 15 Pro vs. the iP،ne 15 Pro Max that compares 10 major differences between the devices.

We’ve also shared guides for the iP،ne 15 vs. iP،ne 15 Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Ultra 2, and more, all of which are listed on the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide page.

iP،ne 15 Models Feature New Setting to Strictly Prevent Charging Beyond 80%

All of the iP،ne 15 and iP،ne 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times.

This new setting is separate from Apple’s pre-existing Optimized Battery Charging feature, which merely delays charging beyond 80% until a better time based on the device’s daily charging routine.

iP،ne 15 models also s،w the battery’s cycle count in the Settings app.

How to Use All the New AirPods Pro Features in iOS 17

iOS 17 adds several features to all second-generation AirPods Pro, including Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Personalized Volume, and we’ve explained ،w to use all of them.

Keep in mind that these software features are also available on the original second-generation AirPods Pro released in September 2022, so there is no need to update to the new USB-C model to use them.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!