Apple unveiled a plethora of new hardware devices and software updates at WWDC, including a new Messages app feature.
Apple treated us at WWDC, with the announcement of a new MacBook Air 15-inch (2023), MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023), Mac Studio (2023) and the long-awaited Apple Vision Pro VR headset, but there was more than just hardware reveals.
Apple also announced iOS 17, the latest version of the iPhone’s operating system. We’ve already touched on some of the new features, including Live Voicemail, the Journal App and Standby mode, but today we want to look at the latest Messages update, Check In.
What is Check In?
Check In is a new feature to the Messages app, and it should come in handy for the more forgetful among us. It automatically sends your location, as well as other key information, to selected contacts.
This is ideal for scenarios where you’ve promised to send a check-in message to a friend or family member, but it slips your mind once you get home. This update can do that for you, with your iPhone tracing the route you took on your journey and sending alerts to contacts if you’ve been delayed, deviated from your route, or don’t make it home at all.
You can also toggle it to send vital information such as battery life or signal levels, giving more peace of mind to your loved ones. This is all set up by the user, so you can pick and choose which contacts you want to inform at any given time.
Apple stated that all this information will be encrypted, but has not specified the details surrounding this. We will be sure to update this article once we know more.
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When will Check In be available to download?
Apple states that Check In, among many of the other new iOS 17 features, will be available to download by mid-September. This will come at the same time as the next-generation iPhone drop, so we can expect the iPhone 15 to launch with this feature already available.
