Addicting New Feature Discovered in iOS 17.5

iPhone users testing Apple’s upcoming iOS 17.5 update have discovered a new, and addicting, game lurking in the Apple News app.

The first iOS 17.5 beta was light on changes, but testers have found one new feature for Apple News+ subscribers, a daily word game called Quartiles. Apple quietly added it to the News App which already includes Crossword and Crossword Mini.

In order to find it, Apple News+ subscribers using the iOS 17.5 beta should navigate to the Apple News app and find the Puzzles section. The game is also available on the iPad with iPadOS 17.5 beta and Mac with macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta.

Quartiles asks the player to combine tiles to form words. Forming words will score points and move you up the Leaderboard in Game Center.

The game starts with a grid that features 20 tiles. You then can form words out of one, two, three, or four tiles. A four tile word is called a quartile and if you find all five in the puzzle, you get a bonus.

We gave the game a quick spin and it’s actually pretty addicting, especially if you like word games.

iOS 17.5, the next milestone upgrade for iPhone, is expected in May. In addition to Quartiles, the software is expected to deliver support for downloading apps from developer websites in the EU and anti-stalking features.