Even though the iPhone XR is almost five years old, it’s still my primary phone. Taking advantage of the fact that the latest version of iOS 17 has already been released (which I finally managed to install), I have had the latest version of the system installed for a few days now, so in this post I am going to tell you about the experience of having the most recent version, in a “so old” phone. So in this post I am going to review the best of this update, everything good that I notice on a daily basis, as well as some other improvements that I did not expect.
It will most likely be the last update that my phone receives. I mention this, since it has to do with the performance that an iPhone can have at the end of its useful life, in terms of new versions. And I’ll already give you the spoiler that I was very surprised by how this version has rejuvenated my iPhone in certain aspects. Or, at least, I notice how he has become less congested in some aspects where he previously found it a little more difficult to get along.
What has improved
There are certain aspects in which I have noticed immediate improvement. For starters, multitasking now runs much smoother than before. It’s not that everything opened roughly before, but I notice that the animations are much more fluid and faster. From opening the menu screen with the upward gesture, to switching between the different applications that are open.
In the widgets, I have not noticed the improvement in terms of direct operation from the home screen, without having to open the prior application. Again, the animations are smoother. But so is the loading of the content: From turning on the iPhone and loading the widget, to the real-time updates themselves, in some such as Weather or Calendar.
Apple Music
Among what has improved, I want to make a special mention of the Apple Music application itself. Although I use the iPhone to work on the vast majority of occasions, the truth is that I always have the app open and I am playing music at all hours.
Again, not only the animations have improved and are faster. But I have a new, cleaner interface, and with renewed buttons that make it look much clearer. In addition to this, there is the New Releases feature, which previously did not allow me access to play new songs based on my favorite artist and chart recommendations.
Camera
The camera has a new function, very discreet and subtle. But the truth is that, since I discovered it, it makes my photos better, in terms of framing and tilt.
This is not a radical change, but rather something as simple as an incline level. When I take photos, either vertically or horizontally, in the middle of the screen I now have a tilt bar that allows me to put the iPhone upright, to capture everything much more aesthetically. Honestly, it was something that I did not expect, and it is appreciated, since I also really like using the phone as a camera that I take with me everywhere.