Apple Seeds Third Public Beta of iOS 17.3 With Stolen Device Protection
Apple has released the third public beta of iOS 17.3, introducing stolen device protection and collaborative Apple Music playlists.
iOS 17.3 Public Beta Now Available
Apple has made the third public beta of iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 available to non-developers for testing. This comes after the first beta release about a month ago. Although Apple refers to these as the third betas, there was no second public beta. The second developer betas had to be pulled, leading to the direct release of the third beta for public testing.
To access the beta, public beta testers can go to the Settings app, navigate to the Software Update section, select 'Beta Updates,' and toggle on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is a prerequisite.
Stolen Device Protection and Enhanced Security
One of the key features added in iOS 17.3 is Stolen Device Protection. This feature provides an additional layer of security in the event of an iPhone being stolen, particularly when the thief gains access to the passcode. With Stolen Device Protection enabled, Face ID or Touch ID authentication is necessary for various actions such as viewing iCloud Keychain passwords, disabling Lost Mode, erasing the device, and using saved payment methods in Safari.
In case Face ID or Touch ID fails, there is no option to enter a passcode. Additionally, certain tasks like changing an Apple ID password, updating the device's passcode, disabling Find My, and removing Face ID require both authentication and a one-hour security delay.
Collaborative Apple Music Playlists
Another notable addition in iOS 17.3 is the feature of collaborative Apple Music playlists. Subscribers to Apple Music can now create playlists together with friends, family members, and others with similar musical preferences. Any playlist can be made collaborative by selecting the person-shaped icon and sharing the link.
To try out this feature, users can click on the provided MacRumors playlist link and attempt to add a song to it.
