Apple’s latest iOS update includes an incredibly useful new feature called “iOS 17 Bringing Devices Together” that allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to seamlessly connect their devices. This groundbreaking addition in iOS 17 promises to greatly simplify many daily tasks for Apple users.
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What Does “Bringing Devices Together” Do?
The “Bringing Devices Together” feature uses a technology similar to AirDrop to instantly and securely connect nearby Apple devices owned by the same user. Once connected, the devices can share information and work together in powerful new ways.
For example, you can now copy text or images from your iPhone and paste directly into a document on your Mac. Or start typing an email on your iPad and finish it on your MacBook. “Bringing Devices Together” enables a seamless cross-device experience like never before.
Instant Device Pairing
The cornerstone of this new feature is the ability to instantly and securely pair Apple devices. Simply by placing two devices near each other, an alert will appear allowing fast and easy connection with a single tap.
Apple uses an encrypted pairing process to ensure the connection remains secure. Once paired, the devices authenticate automatically whenever they are in close proximity, enabling seamless information sharing.
Cross-Device Copy and Paste
One of the most useful aspects of “Bringing Devices Together” is the ability to copy and paste content between devices.
For example, you can copy text or an image from a web page on your iPhone and paste directly into a Pages document on your nearby Mac. No emailing or messaging the content to yourself required!
Cross-device copy and paste works for text, images, URLs, and more. This brings simplicity to many everyday information sharing needs for Apple users.
Key Features and Capabilities
Here are some of the key features enabled by iOS 17’s “Bringing Devices Together” capability:
- Instant device pairing by placing two Apple devices near each other
- Secure encrypted pairing process
- Authenticate paired devices when in close proximity
- Copy and paste text, images, URLs between devices
- Start task on one device and pick up on another
- Share documents and files between nearby devices
- Sync clipboard history between devices
- Device battery widget shows battery levels of connected devices
- Universal clipboard works between Apple devices on same WiFi network
- Optimized Handoff experience between devices
Start Task on One Device, Finish on Another
The new “Bringing Devices Together” functionality also enables starting a task on one device and picking it up precisely where you left off on another nearby device.
For example, start writing an email on your iPhone and finish composing it on your Mac when you sit down at your desk. Or copy a URL from your iPad and have it open instantly to the same webpage on your Mac.
This makes moving between Apple devices completely frictionless, allowing you to work across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac without missing a beat.
Enhanced Document and File Sharing
iOS 17 also introduces better support for sharing documents and files between nearby devices. For example, you can now drag and drop files instantly between two paired Macs for easy multi-machine workflows.
Or use the new device pairing functionality to instantly access a document stored on your iPad directly from your paired Mac. This removes several steps from accessing and sharing files between your Apple devices.
Sync Clipboard History Across Devices
“Bringing Devices Together” also enables your clipboard history to sync across Apple devices. So when you copy content from one device, you can still paste it from the clipboard of another device.
This universal clipboard history makes consistent access to commonly used snippets of information much more convenient.
See Connected Device Battery Levels
For the first time, Apple users can now quickly view the battery level of nearby connected devices. A new battery widget will dynamically display the battery status of paired nearby devices.
This allows seeing remaining battery life without having to physically pick up or unlock your other devices. A small but certainly convenient addition for multi-device Apple users!
Broader Compatibility and Benefits
While bringing two devices together provides the easiest way to pair and share information, iOS 17 also expands “Bringing Devices Together” features in other ways:
Universal Clipboard via WiFi
The new Universal Clipboard capability now works between any Apple devices logged into the same WiFi network. This allows copy and pasting between devices anywhere in your home or office network.
Optimized Handoff Experience
The well-established Handoff feature also receives upgrades to work faster and more reliably with the “Bringing Devices Together” enhancements. Users can now seamlessly transition working between devices whether up close or anywhere in your WiFi network.
How iOS 17 Changes the Way You Work
The “Bringing Devices Together” additions in iOS 17 promise to significantly improve the experience of using multiple Apple devices. It brings simplicity to everyday cross-device use cases for both productivity and personal needs.
Table summarizing key benefits of the new “Bringing Devices Together feature:
| Benefit | Description |
| Instant Device Pairing | Place 2 devices together to securely pair |
| Universal Clipboard | Copy-paste across devices on same WiFi |
| Cross-Device Workflows | Start on one device, finish on another |
| Enhanced File Sharing | Quick file and document sharing |
| Synced Clipboard History | Paste clipboard items from another device |
| See Nearby Device Batteries | Battery widget shows connected device levels |
For loyal Apple users that own multiple devices, iOS 17 will make switching between them truly seamless. No longer will you need to email files to yourself or reach for your cable to transfer content.
With iPad, iPhone, and Mac now working together more intelligently, expect Apple’s ecosystem to feel more unified than ever before. “Bringing Devices Together” delivers on that promise of a frictionless cross-device experience.
When Can You Expect Access to This Feature?
iOS 17 remains in early developer beta testing as of November 2023. However, the firmware is expected to reach public beta availability in early 2023.
The full iOS 17 release will likely occur in September 2023, alongside the unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup.
Following the iOS 17 public launch, Apple will issue updates to iPadOS and macOS to enable full “Bringing Devices Together” capabilities across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.
So you can expect to access this revolutionary feature on your own Apple devices around late 2023.
Conclusion: A Milestone for Apple Users
With iOS 17, Apple addresses one of the most common pain points for its loyal user base – seamless transitions between their Apple products. The new “Bringing Devices Together” capabilities promise to greatly reduce daily friction experienced when using multiple Apple hardware.
Cross-device copy-paste, file sharing, synced clipboards, and further optimizations now provide the most unified experience yet for iPhone, iPad and Mac owners. For multi-device Apple users, this milestone iOS release is one worth getting excited about!