How to utilize the Check In feature in iMessage on iOS 17 to inform your friends that you have safely arrived home.

Apple has introduced a range of valuable features to the iPhone in iOS 17. One of these features, called Check In, enables you to notify your friends and family when you arrive safely at a location or if there are any delays. Additionally, Check In can alert you when you are moving in the wrong direction.

In the case of a delay, you have the option to add extra time to complete your check-in. Failure to do so before the timer expires will result in your device automatically sending your friend or family information, such as your location, battery percentage, and cellular signal. You have the autonomy to decide which details to share.

To activate Check In, you can either select an existing conversation in the Messages app or start a new one with the person or people you wish to inform about your safe arrival. After tapping the Plus button, navigate to More > Check In > Edit.

At this point, you have two options. The first option, When I Arrive, allows you to input your destination and specify your mode of transportation. If necessary, you can include extra time. If your iPhone does not progress towards your destination within a specified period or fails to reach the intended location, Check In will notify your trusted contact and provide them with details regarding your phone's journey. Once you arrive at your destination on time, Check In will inform your friend or family member that you have arrived safely.

The second Check In option is time-based. If you do not conclude the Check In before the designated time limit expires, your iPhone will notify your friend. This option can be particularly useful when you are on a first date or spending time with a new acquaintance.

Whichever Check In option you choose, confirm the Check In and initiate the timer by tapping the blue up arrow, resembling the process of sending any other type of message. If you experience a loss of service or your iPhone powers off before the Check In is completed, the friend or family member you set it up with may receive an earlier or delayed notification, along with access to the details you shared with them.

To add extra time to a Check In, open the conversation with the person you shared it with. Locate the Check In message, then select Details > Add Time. You can customize the duration of additional time.

If you wish to cancel a Check In for any reason, find the Check In message and choose Details > Cancel Check In. You will be prompted to confirm the cancellation.

To modify the data shared with Check In recipients, access the Messages section within your iPhone's Settings app. From there, navigate to the Check In Data option. When you reach your destination, Check In can share your location, network signal, as well as your iPhone and Apple Watch battery level if you choose the "When I Arrive" option. The "Full" option extends this to include the route your iPhone took and details about the last time you unlocked your phone or Apple Watch.

Apple has silently introduced a new iPhone Wallet feature in beta that enables users in the UK to easily access their current account balance, as well as view recent deposits and payments, according to a report by 9to5Mac. This feature is powered by the UK's Open Banking API and comes after Apple's acquisition of Credit Kudos, a company that leverages Open Banking to provide users with a snapshot of their financial health and creditworthiness.

The newly introduced feature also displays users' balances after they make purchases using Apple Pay. It is included as part of the iOS 17.1 developer beta. To utilize this feature, users must first authorize it through the Wallet app and then authenticate themselves using their respective bank's app or website. All banking data will be strictly stored on users' devices and will not be stored on Apple's servers. At the beta launch, supported banks include Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS and Starling.

The addition of this Wallet feature represents  uncommon occurrence for Apple, as it debuts in a location outside the US. In fact, Apple has yet to make its Apple Card available in the UK, making it a relatively minor player in the region thus far. Nevertheless, Apple's acquisition of Credit Kudos establishes significant connections within the realm of Open Banking. Credit Kudos employs its API to tap into the UK's open banking platform and analyze bank account data, with the intention of assisting banking providers in making quicker and better decisions for individuals seeking loans or other financial services.

Open Banking, a system that mandates the nine major banks in the United Kingdom to release their data in a secure and standardized format, is exclusive to the region and does not exist in the US (although efforts are underway by the government to introduce a similar system). Europe has implemented a comparable system called PSD2 since 2020. Given the similarities between Open Banking and PSD2, Apple could potentially bring the same features to Europe, where it currently dominates the smartphone-based payment market with Apple Wallet.