iOS 17 is here. Apple has made the annual update available to all users on eligible devices, meaning you can install it right now without bothering with beta programs. The 2023 iPhone software update includes significant updates to Messages, FaceTime, the keyboard and more.

You can install iOS 17 on any iPhone from 2018 or later. Once you know your device is eligible, you can head to Settings > General > About > Software Update to manually initiate the download and installation.

This year’s iOS upgrade includes audio message transcriptions and a rethinking of the Messages app. (iMessage apps and other tools now live behind a plus button next to the text entry field.) FaceTime adds video voicemails, and you can even take calls on an Apple TV, using an iPhone or iPad as the camera. StandBy mode is a new feature that turns your handset into a smart display when it’s charging and positioned horizontally. Meanwhile, NameDrop lets you quickly exchange contact info with new friends by tapping your devices together, and a new inline predictive text feature lets the keyboard predict and (optionally) finish your sentences for you.

You can read more about the new features in Engadget’s full iOS 17 preview. For more details on installing the update, you can read our tutorial.

Amazon Prime members can save big on security cameras today. The retailer has a bundle including the Blink Video Doorbell and three Blink Outdoor 4 security cameras for 61 percent off. Usually $424.95, you can pick up the four-camera collection for $164.98.

You can connect the Blink Video Doorbell to your existing in-home chime or use it wirelessly. The device records in 1080p during the day and infrared at night. It supports two-way audio so you can hear and talk with whoever shows up on your front step.

Meanwhile, wireless Blink Outdoor cameras can alert you to motion or people in your yard, allowing you to check in from your phone or Alexa devices. The outdoor cameras have a 143-degree field of view and on-device computer vision to help with nighttime recording. The Outdoor 4 also supports two-way audio.

Blink

Each camera in the bundle uses two AA batteries (included), which Amazon estimates will last up to two years. The collection also ships with four mounting kits and the Sync Module 2, a hub that connects the cameras to your Wi-Fi network. You can bring your own USB drive for local storage or subscribe to a Blink Subscription Plan ($3/month or $30/year) for cloud storage. You can choose between black or white options for the cameras, although there's no mixing and matching colors within the bundle: It’s all one or the other.

The deal only lasts through the end of today, wrapping up at midnight PST. Remember that you'll need a Prime membership to take advantage of the deal. If you don’t have one already, you can subscribe for $15/month or $139 / year.

Major League Baseball is ready to test its virtual ballpark for a regular-season game. Fans can “enter” the digital stadium on Wednesday, September 20, to watch the Tampa Bay Rays host the Los Angeles Angels. The league debuted the digital park earlier this summer for a celebrity softball game during this year’s All-Star Game activities. Next week’s game will mark the first non-exhibition game to deploy the metaverse-like digital park.

The game will include a “3D representation” of on-field avatars corresponding to the game’s real-time action, tracked using the same Sony Hawk-Eye cameras used for the league’s Statcast data. In addition, participants who prefer a traditional view can watch the game’s television broadcast on the virtual park’s giant Jumbotrons floating around the field and parking lot. There should be plenty to keep you occupied if the on-field play gets dull: The stadium supports spatial audio, and you can talk with nearby fans, play trivia games and take part in a scavenger hunt to win NFT collectible “cards.”

The entire setup sounds like something you’d eventually use with a VR or AR headset like the Meta Quest or Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro. While it may be a precursor to those more immersive experiences, you’ll access this game on flat screens through a web browser. MLB says a desktop or laptop provides the best experience, but it recommends Safari on iOS or Chrome on Android if you want to tune in on mobile.

The experience begins at 6:40PM ET on September 20. You’ll need to create an MLB profile to join. After that, you can head to the park’s webpage to create a custom avatar (rocking your favorite team’s apparel) and start exploring.

Sony is hosting a State of Play livestreamed event today. Sony says the announcement will include “something for everyone,” focusing primarily on indie and third-party titles and promising updates on flagship games and PS VR2.

The State of Play follows the Nintendo Switch Direct from earlier today. Upcoming titles revealed in that event included the Switch games Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Princess Peach: Showtime, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Dave the Diver.

The PlayStation State of Play stream starts at 5PM ET today and will be available on PlayStation’s YouTube, Twitch and TikTok accounts. Or you can watch the embedded video below.

TikTok and Billboard are collaborating on a pop music chart. TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart is a new weekly roundup listing the most popular songs on the social platform in the US. The list debuts with the track “SkeeYee” by Sexyy Red taking the inaugural top spot.

TikTok and Billboard describe the collaboration as the first official chart in the US to provide the “most accurate record” of the hottest songs on the platform. As TikTok has proven it can even revive the fortunes of four-decade-old classic rock tunes, the company says its chart combines creations, video views and user engagement by the US TikTok community to tally the top hits. The list will be updated weekly on Thursdays.

Following Sexyy Red’s top spot is Doja Cat, with “Paint The Town Red” at number two. “August” by Taylor Swift, who has six songs in the top 50, lands at number three. The list includes one startling entry: Convicted sex offender R. Kelly somehow appears at number 45 with his unfortunately titled song “It Seems Like You’re Ready.”

“I am so excited that so many of my songs are charting on TikTok and Billboard’s new chart,” said Sexyy Red. “I always knew I would be a #1 type of artist, so I want to thank all my fans on TikTok for running my music up! I’m just being me on TikTok and people love it.”

You can check out the weekly charts in the TikTok app by selecting the round icon on the screen’s bottom corner and then tapping the “Music Charts” button on the top right. Alternatively, you can view the Top 50 chart on Billboard’s website.

Riot Forge, the spinoff-focused publishing label of Riot Games, announced two League of Legends universe updates today. Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story, which Riot Forge delayed a year ago, finally has a release date: November 1. The Riot Games subsidiary also announced a cozy and adorable new League of Legends spinoff, Bandle Tale. They follow League of Legends offshoots The Mageseeker and Convergence, which launched earlier this year.

Song of Nunu is a story-driven adventure where you embark on “the ultimate road trip” with League champions Nun and Willump. “Players will hike, climb, and sled their way across the Freljord, a frostbitten land full of harsh blizzards, ferocious wolves and enchantment,” the game’s press release reads. “Gamers must use their wits to progress through the frozen landscape and uncover what secrets lie hidden beneath the ice.” Tequila Works developed the Riot Forge-published title.

The $30 game will launch on November 1 on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store. (Riot Forge says other console launch dates will be announced later.) Digital pre-orders for the title are available today, and those who reserve the game will get a bonus digital art book. Riot will also try to entice you with a $100 Collector’s Edition that adds Willump and Poro plush dolls, an art book, four postcards, five enamel pins, a collectible art print and a pop-up diorama.

The cute Bandle Tale doesn’t yet have a release date, but it does have a charming trailer that showcases the title’s retro top-down aesthetic. You play as a yordle (the quirky little residents of Bandle City) as you “gather and craft to fulfill quests with beloved League of Legends champions to rescue Bandle City and reunite its inhabitants.” Riot Forge describes it as a laid-back experience appealing to “cozy game” fans.

Riot Forge will have more Bandle Tale release details and news about a collector’s edition “soon.” In the meantime, you can better grasp Lazy Bear Games’ mechanics and charming style in the trailer below.

Apple announced its latest iPhones this week, which means, after several months of betas, iOS 17 is about ready to launch to the public. The new software includes significant upgrades to Messages, FaceTime, keyboard and more. Here’s everything you need to know to upgrade your iPhone the latest firmware.

What devices are not supported by iOS 17?

First, iOS 17 is only available for iPhones launched within the last five years. That means phones from 2018’s iPhone Xs / Xr series are the oldest compatible models. Other supported devices include all models from the iPhone 11 (2019), iPhone 12 (2020), iPhone 13 (2021) and iPhone 14 (2022) lines. (That includes the standard, pro, Pro Max, mini or plus-sized variants from any given generation.) In addition, the second and third generations of Apple’s budget iPhone SE are supported. If you’re unsure which model you have, you can head to Settings > General > About > Model Name on your phone. If you don’t see that box, you can look at the Model Number on the same page and head to Apple’s support document that breaks down each model’s corresponding number.

How to install iOS 17

Once you confirm your device is supported, you have two options. You can wait for Monday, September 18, when the update will become available to the public. At that time, navigating to Settings > General > About > Software Update will allow you to install the software over the air once Apple has pushed it live. (If you have automatic updates turned on, it will install automatically but maybe not until a few days after the software is available.) Or, you can run a beta version to cut in line and try the software before its official launch.

How to install iOS 17 before the release date

To install iOS 17 before Monday, you can install the RC (release candidate) beta, which usually ends up being identical to the final version. Doing that is much easier this generation: Head to Settings > General > About > Software Update, then tap the option for Beta Updates. Selecting the Developer beta option will (at the time of publication) push the RC1 update that Apple pushed to developers on Tuesday after its iPhone launch event. (The release candidate will likely launch through the public beta later this week.) Just be sure to head back to the same place in settings after Monday and turn off beta updates if you don’t want to keep installing future versions of the (sometimes buggy) bleeding edge of iPhone software.

Mat Smith / Engadget

New features with iOS 17

iOS 17 enhances Messages with machine learning-based audio message transcriptions. So if your long-winded friend leaves you a meandering monologue, you can skip the playback and read a text breakdown of the note’s contents, sparing you from a full listen. In Engadget’s time with the betas, we found the transcription accurate with British and American accents. Apple also moved most of Messages’ features and apps behind a plus button to the left of the input box in any chat. Tapping that symbol will expand, revealing the options that lived above the keyboard (including Memojis and GIFs) on older iOS versions.

FaceTime adds video voicemails, so you can let your friends see you as you leave them a message. iOS 17 also works with tvOS 17 to allow you to take FaceTime calls on Apple TV, using your iPhone or iPad as a camera.

The update also includes a new StandBy mode that transforms your iPhone into a smart display when it’s charging while sitting horizontally. Meanwhile, Contact Posters give you customizable full-screen profiles that flash on your phone’s screen when friends and family call. Namedrop makes exchanging numbers and other info with new friends easier by bringing your iPhones or Apple Watches close together. And the iOS 17 keyboard adds a new inline predictive text feature that uses machine learning to guess the rest of your sentence (a quick space bar tap confirms it). You can read more about all the new features in Engadget’s full iOS 17 preview.

Bethesda has updated Starfield with bug fixes while promising new features are on the way. The developer says features in the pipeline include native DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) support, an HDR calibration menu, a field of view slider and more.

Today’s update to version 1.7.29 is limited to stability fixes. Bethesda says it specifically targets Xbox Series X/S glitches and adds various performance improvements to reduce crashes and improve frame rates. In addition, it fixed several issues that could prevent players from finishing three quests (“All That Money Can Buy,” “Into the Unknown” and “Shadows in Neon”). “Our priority initially is making sure any top blocker bugs or stability issues are addressed and adding quality-of-life features that many are asking for,” the developer wrote in the update’s notes.

But the future Starfield additions Bethesda teased today are more likely to catch players’ attention. DLSS support on PCs will be a welcome addition, as the technology could boost resolution and improve stability for people with NVIDIA cards. (AMD’s gaming boss Frank Azor had already suggested last month that nothing is contractually stopping the developer from adding NVIDIA’s rival upscaling tool.) Various community mods can already implement unofficial DLSS support, but gamers will be pleased to know official support is coming.

Bethesda

Bethesda says other features in development include brightness and contrast controls, an HDR calibration menu, a FOV slider and 32:9 ultra-wide monitor support for more immersive exploration. It even says it’s working on an eat button for in-game meals, and it may add better maps. Finally, Bethesda says it’s working on adding built-in cross-platform mod support for early 2024.

The developer stresses that it’s “working closely with” NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel on driver support and that future Starfield updates will all include stability improvements for individual hardware. That statement could be viewed as a response to a recent technical report from Digital Foundry saying the game had “disproportionately poor NVIDIA and Intel performance.”

Amazon is launching a new AI tool that generates product listings for sellers. The feature uses a large language model (LLM) “trained on large amounts of data” to make it faster and simpler for vendors to describe their products. The company describes the tool as distilling the “significant work” of creating titles, bullet points and descriptions down to “just one step.”

Amazon says its Generative Listing Content tool only requires sellers to provide a brief product description in a few words or sentences. From there, it will “generate high-quality content for their review” — including a title, product description and bullet points — which sellers can peruse before refining or submitting as is. The company says many sellers have already tested the tool during the last few months, and their feedback indicates most of them use the generated content directly without revisions.

“These new capabilities will help sellers create high-quality listings with less effort and present customers with more complete, consistent, and engaging product information that will enhance their shopping experiences,” Amazon VP Mary Beth Westmoreland wrote today in an announcement blog post.

Amazon

“With our new generative AI models, we can infer, improve, and enrich product knowledge at an unprecedented scale and with dramatic improvement in quality, performance, and efficiency,” Robert Tekiela, Amazon VP of selection and catalog systems, wrote today. “Our models learn to infer product information through the diverse sources of information, latent knowledge, and logical reasoning that they learn. For example, they can infer a table is round if specifications list a diameter or infer the collar style of a shirt from its image.”

The new tool joins Amazon’s AI-generated review summaries, launched earlier this summer. That feature uses generative AI to train on a product’s reviews and spit out one-paragraph recaps, including clickable keywords. The company teases that it’s still getting started with incorporating generative AI into its storefront: “This is just the tip of the iceberg on how we plan to use AI to help improve the seller experience and help more sellers succeed.” CEO Andy Jassy said last month that, from now on, generative AI “is going to be at the heart of what we do.”

Unity announced a new fee structure today, and developers are none too happy. “We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user,” the company wrote in a blog post announcing the change. “We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed.” The new per-install fees are set to kick in on January 1, 2024.

The company says developers will be charged for installations after passing both a minimum revenue threshold from the last 12 months and a minimum lifetime install count. The exact fees will vary depending on which plan they use. Unity Personal and Unity Plus subscribers will pay $0.20 per install after reaching $200,000 in revenue from the past 12 months and 200,000 lifetime installs. Meanwhile, after hitting $1 million in revenue in the last 12 months and one million lifetime installs, Unity Pro members’ fees start at $0.15 per install, while Unity Enterprise fees start at $0.125 per install.

Members using Unity Pro and Enterprise plans have a tiered fee structure that decreases their rates after reaching thresholds of 100,000, 500,000 and one million installs. The company claims making developers hit both marks before requiring them to pay the fee will ensure that only those who reach “significant success” will be charged.

Unity Technologies

The gaming developer community reacted to the announcement about as positively as you’d expect. “If you buy our Unity game, please don’t install it,” Newfangled Games designer Henry Hoffman quipped on X (formerly Twitter). “This is such an abysmally catastrophic decision that it really will either (likely) be u-turned, or the engine is completely done for on all scales of the indie industry,” posted gaming industry worker Ryan T. Brown on X.

Axios gaming reporter Stephen Totilo wrote on X that Unity clarified several points that, if anything, make the change sound like even more of a hassle for developers. He wrote that if a player deletes and reinstalls a game, that counts for two installs and two charges. Ditto for players installing a single game on two devices. However, charity games and bundles are supposedly exempt.

The Falconeer developer Tomas Sala posted about how the pricing changes wedge him between a rock and a hard place. “I already committed to [Unity’s] engine for my new game,” Sala wrote. “Put years and years of work into my pipeline. I did so under a simple per-seat license I am happy to pay. Now while I am close to release they spring something new on me. Not a price increase [but] a fundamental change in how we do business together. I have no options, cannot go back, can only bend and [pay up]. It’s [a] form of blackmail. It’s not dependable. How will they change it two years from now, a decade? It is gross and makes me want to go somewhere else with my business.”

Finally, the company announced that it’s discontinuing Unity Plus subscriptions starting today to “simplify the number of plans we offer.” It says existing members on that tier will receive “an offer to upgrade to Unity Pro, for one year, at the current Unity Plus price” via email in mid-October.