Apple is about to issue a new iPhone update, iOS 17.6.1, according to a report in MacRumors. The release of iOS 17.6.1 may come as a surprise to many iPhone users, who thought that Apple’s iOS 17.6 would be the last upgrade before it launches iOS 18 next month.
But MacRumors cites a reliable leaker and says it can “independently confirm that Apple is internally testing an iOS 17.6.1 update, which is present in our analytics logs.”
So what’s in the soon-to-launch update and when can you expect to see it on your iPhone?
iOS 17.6.1—A Security Update?
It’s highly likely that iOS 17.6.1 comes with security fixes for your iPhone and this could include patches for issues already being used in real life attacks. With iOS 18 coming next month, Apple needs to make sure iPhone users are as up to date as possible with patches, because many will wait a while to upgrade their devices to a big software update.
Apple will continue to update iOS 17 with security fixes well after the launch of iOS 18, but make no mistake—you will still be more secure updating to iOS 18 because Apple provides the newest version with a more comprehensive list of fixes.
iOS 17.6.1—Bug Fixes
Apple’s iOS 17.6.1 could also squash some bugs that have been plaguing iPhone users since upgrading to the latest version. Some people say they’ve been having network issues since upgrading to iOS 17.6, so hopefully this will be fixed with iOS 17.6.1.
iOS 17.6.1—1 Last Update?
So will iOS 17.6.1 be the last iPhone upgrade before Apple launches iOS 18 in September? Never say never, of course, but it is possible—unless a major security hole appears such as one that could enable spyware to target iPhones.
It’s probable that iOS 17.6.1 will appear around the middle of August, the week after next is my bet. Go to your Settings > General > Software Update and check for its arrival, or come back to my Forbes page for more information.