iOS 17, iPadOS 17 public beta now live with new India-specific features: how to download

How to download iOS 17 Public Beta and more

Those who are eager to test out the upcoming software ahead of stable release in September can do so by opting for the Apple Beta program. While developers already have access to separate beta updates, the public beta is meant to be for general consumers and enthusiasts.

This release channel tends to be slightly more stable than the developer version.

• You can opt for the Apple Beta program through this portal.
• Just open the website on the device you wish to test new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, HomePod and tvOS.
• Log in with your Apple ID to get started with an easy process that will be displayed on the screen.

India-specific features in upcoming OS versions

• Siri now has a better bilingual experience with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma. Indian users can interact with the in-built voice assistant using a mix of English and Indian languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu, and Marathi.
• iOS, iPadOS, and macOS already support transliteration keyboards for Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati but the brand is introducing support for more languages with the new versions. The transliteration keyboard will now be available for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam too, making a total of 10 languages available for the Indian market.
• Other updates include a better dual-SIM experience on the iPhone. With iOS 17, users can now sort their messages between primary and secondary SIMs. Separate ringtones can be set for each SIM now which should come as major convenience to dual-SIM users.
• Some new features include signing into Apple ID with your phone number. Earlier, users could only use their registered email ID to log in to their Apple ID account.
• iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 also come with support for an extended call history function, full-page screenshots, message filtering, and a new built-in dictionary in Punjabi.

iOS 17 was unveiled during Apple’s WWDC 23 event in June and introduced new features such as StandBy mode, contact cards, a new Journal app, iMessage upgrades, and a Live Voicemail feature. Meanwhile, the brand focused on new Lock screens for iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma along with various other improvements.