If it seems like it was only two weeks since the last iPhone update, that’s because it was. It had been expected that the next time we’d be updating our iPhones would be next month, when the big iOS 17.4 release lands. Read on for how to get it and whether you should.
Please note: I’ll be updating this post in a week with final thoughts on whether or not you should upgrade.
Who Is It For And How Do You Get It?
Like other iOS 17 releases, to have it on your iPhone you need a model from 2018 or later. That means iPhone XS, iPhone XR, plus all models of the following series: iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and the latest iPhone 15. It also includes the iPhone SE second-and third-generation phones. Updates are available for automatic downloads but you will likely get them on your iPhone sooner if you open the Settings app, then choose General, then Software Update.
What It’s About
This is a one-purpose update, if Apple’s notes are anything to go by. It notes that “This update provides bug fixes for your iPhone including: Text may unexpectedly duplicate or overlap while typing.” That’s all that’s revealed and it tells us that Apple wanted to get the update out now before next month’s big iOS 17.4 update lands.
Apple iOS 17.3.1 Security
Apple doesn’t always discuss security elements, and the usual list of security problems is absent this time. In fact, in its security updates notes for iOS 17.3.1 and iPadOS 17.3.1, Apple goes further, saying, “This update has no published CVE entries.”
That isn’t quite the same as saying there are no security updates hidden here, but it’s a strong guide. No security fixes, then, seems the most likely conclusion to draw.
Initial Reactions
Several users have judged the update a success, fixing the issue it claimed to do, with one saying, “Working great, no overlapping text anymore.” There’s no sign of widespread damage being done in this update, which is not entirely surprising as it’s such a little item.
But we’re not quite out of the woods. One user commented, “Anybody else’s phone go into recovery mode from this update? Both mine and my spouses are currently trying to recover.” Both iPhones were iPhone 15 Pros, coming from iOS 17.3. This is concerning and I’ll be watching closely to see if becomes more commonplace. So far, it seems, it’s thankfully rare.
Some have asked if this update is there to fix the keyboard lag which has affected some phones. It’s not the same thing, though another commenter says that the keyboard lag is fixed in iOS 17.4 second developer beta. We’ll find out next month, when the final software is released.
Apple iOS 17.3.1 Verdict: Upgrade
With problems seeming to be rare at this stage, I’m recommending you upgrade. That said, if you weren’t suffering from the annoying overlapping text, this is not something you need to rush into. If you’re a hesitant upgrader by nature, check back next Friday, February 16 and you’ll find my final verdict right here.
