First big iOS 17 update arrives — these are the new features

Apple has officially released iOS 17.1, bringing with it a slew of new features, including Favourites for Apple Music, Apple Wallet improvements, and changes to the Dynamic Island.
However, arguably, the most prominent feature is the ability to continue an AirDrop transfer over a cellular connection when two iPhones move out of Wi-Fi range after the process has started.
Apple first announced the AirDrop change at its developer conference in June 2023, but it was not ready in time for the release of iOS 17.
Apple Music users can now use a Favourites feature that lets them add songs, albums, playlists, and artists to their library, and users can now filter their library only to display Favourites.
The Cupertino-based tech company has also tweaked the Standby mode in iOS to give users more control over when the phone’s display is active.
However, Apple notes that this only applies to the iPhone 14 and 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
The company released some region-specific updates. iOS users in the UK can now see their bank balance in Apple Wallet for supported bank accounts.
This was made possible through integration with the UK’s Open Banking API.
Other changes include a tweak to the Dynamic Island that will show when the flashlight is being used. This applies to all iPhones featuring a Dynamic Island.
Previously, the feature was limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Regarding customisation features, Apple now lets users select specific albums, instead of preset options from Apple, to be shown on the lock screen through the Photo Shuffle feature.