Here’s why this iOS 17 feature seems godsent for my iPhone

Last night was spent taking in all the offerings by Apple at its WWDC 2023 event, and one feature certainly stood out amongst them all. With iOS 17 in all its feature-packed glory, Apple introduced a new safety feature — “Check-in”. And if you, like me, have long work commutes (and even longer weekends!), you probably also have parents who are worried sick about your whereabouts. And that is why this new feature seems godsent for me.

Say you’re on a late-night cab ride back home from a party, and your friends are probably contemplating if they should be letting you leave so late. However, you assure them you will leave them a text message once you reach home. And while this is not exactly foolproof, I’ve had multiple instances where I’ve shared my live location, ride details, and have even dropped texts once I’ve arrived at my destination. Check-in not only will allow me to update my loved ones once I’m home but will let them access my location and battery levels if I’ve been delayed. And here’s how it will work.

When you begin your travel, Check-in will let you notify your trusted contacts of your real-time location. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, a notification indicating your safe arrival will be sent to them. Despite residing in one of the safest cities in India, there are times when I’ve found myself concerned about using public transport late at night.

ALSO READ: Vision Pro: Everything you need to know about Apple’s headset worth almost Rs 3 lakh

Whether it is a rickshaw ride from the railway station or a train ride back home from across the city, I’ve had instances that have made me question my safety. This is probably why having Check-in, as a feature on my iPhone, seems almost relieving, to say the least.

In case a user doesn’t arrive at their designated destination, the app will immediately notify the contact with the user’s battery levels, route taken and cell service status. These details could help parents better understand your location and the possible cause of the delay.

Apple, no doubt, had a bunch of exciting announcements at WWDC. But if you were to ask me, this small iOS 17 feature is what I’m really looking forward to.