Believe it or not, iOS 17 is coming in just a few months. This represents Apple’s biggest software update for iPhone users, and it’s usually packed full of new features and changes. Read on as we roundup what the rumors currently say about iOS 17 new features and more.
When will Apple announce iOS 17?
Apple will announce iOS 17 at WWDC in June. WWDC is Apple’s annual developers conference where it unveils the newest versions of its operating systems for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. The dates for WWDC 2023 haven’t been announced yet, but the conference is usually held during the first week of June. This year, our bets are on the week of June 5.
Here’s a recap of when Apple has announced WWDC over the last few years:
- 2016: April 18
- 2017: February 16
- 2018: March 13
- 2019: March 14
- 2020: March 13
- 2021: March 30
- 2022: April 5
After Apple announces iOS 17 at WWDC in June, it will immediately release a beta version of the update to developers. Sometime in July, it will release a public beta that all iPhone users can try out. Then, Apple will release iOS 17 to everyone sometime in September, likely alongside the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineups.
New features in iOS 17
Whereas Apple hardware products leak months – or even years – ahead of time, software leaks are less common. This is because most hardware leaks come from Apple’s massive supply chain, rather than from inside Apple itself. The company is able to keep software leaks to a minimum because only a small number of people inside Apple actually have knowledge of the company’s plans.
With that being said, the “big picture” of iOS 17 this year appears to be that it will be a relatively modest update in terms of new features.
Most notably, Bloomberg has reported that iOS 17 (and Apple’s other software platforms) is taking a backseat as the company focuses on the development of its AR/VR headset. The headset could also be announced at WWDC and marks Apple’s first major new hardware and software platform since the Apple Watch.
Apple is believed to be pulling hardware and software engineering resources from throughout the company to focus on headset development.
Top comment by Floris-Jan Willemsen
Comments on the click-baity article aside, I truly hope we get an iOS and macOS release with few features, mostly focused on improvements and bug fixes. This has been done before with Snow Leopard on Mac and iOS 9. Many points to improve have accumulated, to name a few: the Weather app and Music app deserve some love, and on my iPhone 13 Pro lock screen notifications first show as rectangles before the rounded corners are applied, which looks very sloppy. On Ventura, my MacBook will sometimes randomly crash and reboot when plugging it in Apple's USB-C dock to connect to my 4K display, which seems like a very common use case.
iOS 17 is reportedly codenamed “Dawn” and is in continuous development and testing inside Apple ahead of WWDC. Bloomberg says the update “may have fewer major changes than originally planned” due to the focus on the Reality Pro headset “along with iOS 16 snags.”
Wrap-up
As we approach WWDC in June, it’s possible that new leaks and rumors will shed additional light on what’s to come with iOS 17 this year. In general, however, Apple is able to keep a lot of things under wraps until WWDC itself.
What are you hoping to see in iOS 17 this year? Are there any particular features at the top of your wishlist? Let us know down in the comments.
More on iOS 17
- Report: ‘xrOS’ for AR/VR headset takes priority over iOS 17 features, augmented reality Apple Store experience coming soon
- iOS 16 was all about personalization: What will iOS 17 bring? Here is our wishlist (Video)
- iOS 17 development in full swing, but don’t pay attention to this bogus rumor
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