Apple reveals iPadOS 17 with customizable Lock Screen, Health app, more

Apple has shared what features are coming to iPadOS 17 in the fall, with a newly customizable Lock Screen, interactive Home Screen widgets, and more.

The WWDC keynote is underway, and Apple has revealed iPadOS 17 alongside iOS 17 and its other operating system updates. Apple says iPadOS 17 makes things more personalizable and more pro.

Interactive widgets come to iPad, and Apple brought the Lock Screen with widgets from iPhone to iPad. Widgets stack on the side of the iPad display and even have the ability to show multiple timers.

Live Activities are also coming to iPadOS. Now, like iPhones, apps can show live previews of data like sports scores, flight information, and more.

Apple has also brought the Health app to iPad with private data sync. It has a larger view that shows more data and interactive charts.

The Notes app has gained PDF support with full markdown. Users can take advantage of collaboration tools, too, and edit PDFs simultaneously. Machine learning also enables intelligent PDF auto-fill.

Apple brings the Health app to iPad

Apple briefly mentioned updates to Stage Manager with Flexible Layouts and even new abilities for connecting to an external display. Now iPads can use webcams that are part of an external display, like in the Studio Display.

"iPadOS powers our most versatile device and enables users to do so many things on iPad, and now with iPadOS 17, we deliver an experience that's even more personal and capable," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "With interactive widgets on the Lock Screen, updates to PDFs and Notes, as well as enhancements to Messages and FaceTime, iPadOS gives users even more ways to get things done easier and faster than ever."

Features coming to iPadOS from iOS

Apple announced several features for iOS 17 that are universal — meaning they'll be part of most operating systems, including iPadOS 17.

Notes with PDF support

• New Phone call images, voice mail improvements, Contacts changes
• iMessage updates with a new app drawer and stickers experience
• AirDrop changes with Contact "NameDrop" and tap to share experiences
• New Autocorrect with a transformer language model, learning that ducking word
• Apple Journal app
• No more "Hey" in "Hey Siri" with back-to-back commands
• Offline Apple Maps
• Cats and Dogs labeling in Apple Photos

The new StandBy feature that shows widgets while docked on iPhone was not announced for iPad.

Apple announced a multitude of smaller updates that affect every product. For example, Reminders will have intelligent sorting for grocery lists, and an improved Spotlight for search results.

iPadOS 17 will be available to the public in the fall. A developer beta will become available Monday afternoon for registered, paid developers.