Apple has rolled out the beta version of iOS 17.3, bringing several notable features to enhance security, collaboration, and user experience.

iOS 17.3 Beta Introduces Stolen Device Protection and Collaborative Apple Music Playlists

One of the key additions is the Stolen Device Protection feature, designed to bolster iPhone and Apple ID security. When activated, this feature mandates Face ID or Touch ID verification for sensitive actions, such as accessing passwords in iCloud Keychain, turning off Lost Mode, and making purchases through Safari with saved payment credentials.

Notably, there's no passcode fallback when Stolen Device Protection is active.

Additionally, specific actions, like changing an Apple ID passcode or iPhone passcode, turning off Find My, and turning off Face ID, now have a one-hour delay and require an extra round of biometric authentication.

With this update, Collaborative Apple Music playlists debut, allowing users to invite friends to join playlists. Everyone asked can contribute by adding, reordering, and removing songs. Emoji reactions can also be added to any track within a collaborative playlist.

The release also introduces a new Unity Bloom wallpaper that pays homage to Black history and culture to celebrate Black History Month.

For added convenience, AirPlay hotel support lets users stream content directly to the TV in select hotels, and the "AppleCare & Warranty" section in Settings now displays coverage for all devices associated with the Apple ID.

Moreover, the beta version includes optimizations for crash detection on all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models. There are release candidate builds with security fixes for older devices available for iOS 16.7.5, iPadOS 16.7.5, iOS 15.8.1, and iPadOS 15.8.1.

Next week, the official release of iPadOS 17.3 and iOS 17.3 is anticipated.

Apple Pulls iOS 17.3 Beta 2 Over Boot Loop Issue, Confirms Official Release Next Week

In a surprising turn of events, Apple had a problem when they recently released the second developer beta of iOS 17.3, in which they promised a highly anticipated vital upgrade.

However, the excitement quickly turned to dismay for some users who found their iPhones bricked and stuck in boot loops, rendering them unusable. Complaints prompted Apple to swiftly remove iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 from the Developer Center, preventing further installations.

The unprecedented speed of this action suggests a significant issue.

Apple's official release notes acknowledged the problem: "iOS & iPadOS 17.3 Beta 2 has been withdrawn temporarily due to an issue that prevented a small number of devices from starting up." Interestingly, the glitch appears more prevalent among users with the Back Tap feature activated, allowing specific responses to double or triple taps on the back of an iPhone.

Confirmation has arrived regarding the imminent release of iOS 17.3, which is expected to be available from Monday, January 22 onwards. Concerns about potential delays arose due to removing a problematic developer version, causing iPhone issues.

Apple's resolution with a new beta raised questions about the general release timeline. However, Apple has now clarified that the finalized iOS 17.3 will be officially launched next week, alleviating the software's availability uncertainties.