iOS 17 Rumored to Have 'Fewer Major Changes Than Originally Planned' as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset
iOS 17, the next major update for the iPhone, could be a less significant update than Apple was originally hoping as the company, and its engineers, focus more heavily on the upcoming AR/VR headset.
Apple has been working on its AR/VR headset and its accompanying operating system, xrOS, for several years. With the launch of the headset now expected in 2023, Apple's engineers have been focusing less on other operating systems, including the upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says iOS 17, which is internally codenamed Dawn, could end up having "fewer major changes than originally planned" due to Apple focusing more on xrOS for the upcoming headset. Gurman says a similar approach is taking place with macOS 14, codenamed Sunburst.
iOS 14, announced in 2020, and iOS 16, announced last June, were two significant updates, bringing redesigned widgets to the iPhone Home Screen, App Library, new features in stock apps like Maps and Safari, a redesigned lock screen, and more. iOS 17, alongside iPadOS 17, macOS 14, and watchOS 10, will be announced during WWDC in June.
Popular Stories
Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout.
Apple says on its feature availability webpage that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" won't be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU....
Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries.
The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple:
Bahrain
Canada
Guam
Japan
Kuwait
Mexico
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Un...
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. and many other countries today. If you have yet to place a pre-order, you might face a longer wait now, depending on your desired configuration.
As of shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific Time today, nearly all iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations on Apple's online store in the U.S. are facing ...
Apple held its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, September 9, to unveil the iPhone 17, ultra-thin iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
All of the new iPhone models will be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time / 8 a.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. and dozens of other countries, according to Apple. The release date for the devices is one week...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead.
If you are skipping the iPhone 17 Pro and want to know about what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro models, we have recapped a few of the key rumors below.
Under-Screen Face ID
In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a...
Apple today introduced the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Both devices feature a new aluminum unibody design, with the Ceramic Shield now protecting both the front and back sides. Apple says the front side is now Ceramic Shield 2, which offers 3x better scratch resistance, while the rear Ceramic Shield is advertised as 4x more resistant to cracks compared to the back glass on previous...
Wednesday September 10, 2025 3:53 pm PDT by
Juli CloverWith the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, Apple introduced a new design for the rear of the device. Instead of a camera bump, we now have a camera plateau that spans almost the entire back of the iPhone. The camera plateau houses an upgraded camera system that includes a revamped Telephoto lens.
All three of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cameras are 48 megapixels, and there are five zoom...
Apple has confirmed the battery capacities for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models that were announced earlier today.
Apple is required to publish energy labels on its iPhone product pages in the EU, and they reveal the official mAh battery capacities for the devices.
Here are the battery capacities for each model, according to Apple:
iPhone 17:...
