Apple’s next iPhone software release will be iOS 17.3, unless there’s some pesky bug that necessitates a surprise inbetweener. This software is in beta right now and the second version was released to developers on January 3, and promptly removed. Now it’s back. Here’s how it will affect the release of the important software.
It’s important, by the way, because it has a brilliant new feature in it. That’s Stolen Device Protection, which means that if someone steals your iPhone and they know your passcode, their options to take over your digital life, lock you out of your phone or invade your bank account and so on, their options are significantly curtailed. There are other updates coming in iOS 17.3, but this is the standout.
The sudden deletion of the last beta was because some users found that instead of updating their phone it put it into a perpetual boot loop which required drastic action to overcome.
That was iOS 17.3 beta 2. After its removal, also on January 3, it was expected that a revised version would appear a day or so later. In fact, it’s taken until January 9 for the new beta. But you can bet that Apple was hurrying behind the scenes.
As predicted, it’s been re-numbered, so developers have access to iOS 17.3 beta 3. The next day, January 10, Apple released the public beta. This is called iOS 17.3 public beta 3, even though technically it’s the second version, as there was no pubic beta 2. That was cancelled when the issues with the developer beta arose.
None of this is surprising. The question that remains unanswered, however, is whether the previous week’s issues will have derailed Apple’s schedule for when the general release of iOS 17.3 will take place.
In other words, is iOS 17.3 beta 3 just beta 2 with the boot loop problems overcome, or has Apple added further changes to keep it on track?
My suspicion is it is closer to the first of those options, but the fact that it took almost a week for the revised beta to appear could indicate Apple took the opportunity to add more wide-ranging changes.
All of which means there’s no certainty as to when the final general release will be, but I believe it will still be this month.
There had been suggestions that it could be as soon as Tuesday, January 16, but that seems fanciful now.
The following week, beginning Monday, 22, is not impossible, but my money is on the week after, that is the week commencing Monday, January 29. Apple ideally likes to publish its updates on a Tuesday, so that would be Tuesday, January 30.
Apple will want to go earlier if it can, because every delay is a knock-on for the next software release, but recovering from an issue like the beta 2 snafu takes time.
Could it go later? Sure, but my guess is that there is stuff in the software that relates to the new Apple Vision Pro, and that goes on sale on Friday, February 2, so it surely will need to be before then.
