iOS 17.3 Beta 3 Unveils Potential Upcoming Features for Your iPhone

Apple rolled out iOS 17.3 beta 3 to the public beta testers on Wednesday, just a day after the release of the developer beta. This follows an incident about a week ago when Apple introduced iOS 17.3 beta 2 to developers but swiftly withdrew it due to issues causing some iPhones to malfunction during startup. The recent update brings several new features, including Stolen Device Protection, along with bug fixes for iPhones owned by beta testers and developers.

It is strongly advised to download the beta version only on a device other than your primary one. Given that this isn’t the final iteration of iOS 17.3, these features may exhibit glitches, and battery life could be compromised. It’s prudent to reserve such potential inconveniences for a secondary device.

For developers or public beta testers, iOS 17.3 beta 3 introduces some notable features. However, as the beta is not the conclusive version of iOS 17.3, there might be additional features when the official release occurs. The public release date for iOS 17.3 is yet to be announced.

One of the noteworthy additions is Stolen Device Protection, which Apple initially introduced in iOS 17.3 beta 1. This feature is designed to enhance security in case of theft and safeguard the data on your iPhone. Apple provides the following information about Stolen Device Protection:

Testing is now available for Stolen Device Protection. This new feature adds an additional layer of security in the unlikely case that someone has stolen your phone and also obtained your passcode.

• Accessing your saved passwords requires Face ID to ensure it’s you.
• Changing sensitive settings like your Apple ID password is protected by a security delay.
• No delay is required when iPhone is at familiar locations such as work and home.

According to CNET’s David Lumb, Stolen Device Protection necessitates entering your biometric authentication, such as Face ID and Touch ID, multiple times to access certain sensitive settings and information. While this security feature is optional, Apple recommends that users activate it.

After updating your iPhone, you should receive a prompt to enable Stolen Device Protection. If you missed the prompt or chose to address it later, you can activate the feature by navigating to Settings > Face ID and Passcode and selecting Turn On Protection under Stolen Device Protection.