The announcement of Ionic 2 Beta 7 highlights several key updates, including the transition to Angular 2's Release Candidate, which introduces a modular design and requires developers to follow provided upgrade instructions. Notable new features include the DateTime component for improved date and time selection, and inset modals that offer a partial screen display for modal content on larger devices. The roadmap for Ionic 2 outlines upcoming features such as swipeable tabs, popover menus, range sliders, material design chips, and enhanced right-to-left language support. Additionally, Ionic 2 aims to support Electron for desktop apps and Progressive Web Apps for a native-like web experience, encouraging developers to upgrade their apps to resolve potential issues early and leverage a versatile platform for deploying across mobile, desktop, and web environments.