It’s been seven months since iOS 16 officially began rolling out on iPhones and almost a year since the major OS update was first showcased at WWDC 2022.
That means we’re likely just months away from the next version of the iPhone operating system – iOS 17 – being unveiled at WWDC 2023, with the event confirmed to take place in June as it has in previous years.
We’ve already started hearing whispers that might indicate which features and updates Apple has in store for iOS 17, along with which handsets will actually receive the software.
Unfortunately, it isn’t all good news as some sources say Apple has reshuffled its iOS development team to help get its first AR/VR headset ready in time for launch. That means fewer hands available to work on the iPhone operating system. However, we won’t know just how much iOS 17 has been impacted until the software is revealed later this year.
Stay on this page to discover everything we know about iOS 17 so far, including what features are rumoured, which apps will be getting an update and which smartphones could be left in the dust this time around…
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When will iOS 17 be announced and released?
While iOS 17 hasn’t officially been revealed by Apple, we can make an educated guess about its reveal and subsequent release as Apple tends to stick to the same yearly schedule for its software updates.
Apple always reveals the latest iOS update alongside updates to iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS at its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference that takes place every June. The software is then released in beta form to developers and later to dedicated fans via the Public Beta program, before being released alongside the next-gen iPhone sometime in September.
At least that was the case with iOS 16, iOS 15, iOS 14, iOS 13, iOS 12 and… well, you get the idea.
With that in mind, we fully expect iOS 17 to be revealed at a livestreamed keynote on the first day of WWDC 2023. Apple has confirmed that its 2023 event will kick off on 5 June 2023, so we don’t have long to wait.
The update will then be available to developers and members of the public via the Public Beta program, before release sometime in September 2023 alongside the rumoured iPhone 15.
Which devices will support the iOS 17 update?
Apple has yet to reveal the next big software update and, thus, the models of iPhone it’ll be available on, but most iPhone users should be confident that they’ll get access to the update.
After all, Apple has a reputation for supporting its smartphones long after release with the iOS 16 update available on all iPhones back to 2017’s iPhone 8, and iOS 15 was available on all iPhones stretching back to the iPhone 6s.
In April, a rumour began circulating that suggested the iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPad 5 and the 1st generation iPad Pros – both 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch – would lose support for the incoming versions of iOS and iPadOS (via Cult of Mac). However, this rumour has since been disputed by a seemingly more reliable source over on the MacRumors forum, meaning we’re choosing to take this information with a grain of salt.
While we wouldn’t be shocked if Apple dropped support for older models this year, there’s been very little to suggest the iPhone X will get the axe. Of course, we’ll have to wait until WWDC comes around to know for sure.
Here’s a list of the iPhones we expect to get the iOS 17 update:
If you want to upgrade in time for the next update, take a look at our pick of the best iPhones.
What to expect from the iOS 17 update
We’re still a few months out from Apple revealing the next big iPhone update, but that hasn’t stopped whispers from circulating online about what to expect.
iOS 17 won’t be a big update
The most prominent rumour floating around right now is that iOS 17 won’t be a big update like iOS 16 and other recent iterations of iPhone software. That’s reportedly down to Apple diverting resources from the iOS and macOS development teams to get the software of the rumoured AR/VR headset ready in time for a reveal at WWDC 2023.
The news comes via Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman with a pretty solid track record when it comes to Apple predictions, so while it’s worth taking with the regular pinch of salt, there could be something to the news.
Gurman didn’t go into any detail about what we could actually expect from the update, but it sounds like it won’t be a groundbreaking update for iPhone users if true.
First-party app updates
iOS 17 might not get any big new features if Gurman is on the money, but at least we’ll get refreshed first-party apps – that’s according to notoriously hit-and-miss leaker @LeaksApplePro via HowToiSolve, anyway.
More specifically, the leaker suggests that iOS 17 could introduce big changes to the Apple Music app and the in-app navigation in particular, alongside an overhaul of the Home app and minor tweaks to Find My, Mail, Reminders, Files, Fitness and Wallet apps.
It’s also said that iOS 17 will feature a new app to support the rumoured Apple AR/VR headset, and while LeaksApplePro didn’t provide details, it’s safe to assume it’ll be similar to the Meta Quest app, allowing you to install apps, customise the headset’s settings and more.
We’ll be sure to add the latest iOS 17 rumours as they appear, so make sure you check back regularly for the latest details on Apple’s next big iOS update.
