The iPhone’s upcoming software update iOS17, due for release in September, will be making changes to the iPhone’s core capability.
While iPhones were originally known for their host of uses besides making actual phone calls, Apple will be making big changes to the phone call function. Tom’s Guide reports:
Let’s go over what exactly we’re dealing with. When in a call on an iPhone running iOS 17, you’ll see that compared to the current iOS 16 arrangement, the whole set of controls has been moved from the center of the display — with the End call button in the bottom center — to the bottom third.
The End call button has moved to the right, with its old spot now taken up by the FaceTime button, as well as the very top of the Keypad button. Some other changes, like the removal of the Contacts button and the swapping around of Audio and Mute, have also taken place, but haven’t alarmed iPhone users quite so much.
Apple did not make all these changes with no reason in mind. A big part of the iOS17 update is the introduction of “Contact Posters,” showing a picture of the person calling. Forbes goes on:
It’s all down to the introduction of Contact Posters, which mean you can see full-screen pictures of the person you’re talking to while you’re on a call. They are great, and are going to be widely adopted, I believe.
But, as so often with changes like this, there are knock-on effects. In this case, it changes the control buttons for the call, previously taking up the whole of the call screen which on iOS 16 is otherwise black save for the caller’s name and time you’ve been on the call. Now, in iOS 17, they have been shunted down to the bottom of the display.
The button changes will take time to get used to, but a phone-sized picture of the person calling them is just what they need to more efficiently sort their calls.
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