Apple has confirmed that the presentation of the updated iOS 17.3 operating system to the general public will take place next week.

Currently, it is known that users of the mentioned technology giant’s smartphones will have access to new features, including anti-theft protection of the device and joint Apple Music playlists.

The company unobtrusively announced the presentation of the updated operating system in a press release dedicated to the debut of the Black Unity Sport Band and accompanying watch face for the Apple Watch, which is decorated with green, yellow, and red colors symbolizing the rich cultural diversity of Black communities around the world.

iOS version 17.3, which will be unveiled next week, will also offer Unity Bloom wallpaper for the iPhone and iPad.

The most anticipated new feature of the operating system is Stolen Device Protection. In this case, the security parameter is meant to provide an additional layer of protection. This function is designed to be activated in the event of an iPhone being stolen or a password being obtained by third parties. The new security solution can be activated via Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection.

The anti-theft feature of the device provides for the mandatory use of Face ID or Touch ID before performing confidential operations, including access to passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain, using saved payment methods in Safari, and interacting with certain Apple Cash and Apple Card Savings actions in the Wallet app, such as, for example, transferring money to a bank account.

If the user changes confidential settings, there will be a delay in the security system. The person will need to create a new Apple ID password. Also, in this case, the Find My function will be disabled. Moreover, there will be a need to update the selected Apple ID security settings, including removing a trusted device or phone number. At the same time, there is no requirement for delay if the smartphone is at home, at work, or in other familiar places.

The new protection feature is probably a solution to a problem that was reported by the media last year. Criminals have been discovered who spied on the passcode of the owner of the technology giant’s smartphone in public places before committing the theft of a mobile phone. Access to the passcode allowed them to quickly change the set of confidential characters in the Apple ID. After that, the criminals received personal user information stored in the iCloud Keychain.

Apple Music collaborative playlists will be another innovation as part of the update. The feature was originally announced for iOS 17. Over time, the launch of the new solution was postponed until 2024. Later, collaborative playlists appeared in the beta version of iOS 17.3.

The importance of joint song lists is obvious. Subscribers of the music listening service will be able to create playlists together with other users. The functional solution is likely to be positively received by friends who have the same or similar preferences in music. Also, the feature is likely to be in demand by families listening to songs together. As part of the new solution, users will be able to use emojis to respond to the selection of a musical composition in playback mode.

The co-playback function is activated when the user clicks on the person-shaped icon in the playlist. After that, the subscriber will be provided with a link. The user can add multiple accounts to the shared listening list. In this case, each can make changes to the playback sequence and delete songs. The playlist administrator will be given the authority to approve requests to add music. These are not all the possibilities of the playlist creator. The administrator can also delete users and completely disable the virtual interaction feature.

Spotify, which is Apple Music’s main competitor, has already launched the ability to listen to playlists together in real-time. The new feature in the iPhone developer’s service, likely, is a retaliatory measure.

As we have reported earlier, Apple’s Vision Pro Headset to Go on Sale on February 2.