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.

iOS 16 Preview
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.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

ios 17 iphone 15 pro status bar sos crop feature2

iPhone SOS: Verizon Experiences Major Outage Across the U.S. [Update: Fixed]

Monday September 30, 2024 9:03 am PDT by
Verizon is currently experiencing a major outage that is affecting many customers across the U.S., including iPhone users. Affected users may be unable to send or receive phone calls, send or receive text messages, or use cellular data. As a result of the network being down, many affected iPhone users are seeing "SOS" displayed in their device's status bar. In a support document, Apple says...
15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Friday September 27, 2024 6:14 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.1 in October, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks a significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a couple of handy new...
m3 mbp space black

What to Expect From an Apple Event in October: iPad Mini 7, Redesigned Mac Mini, and More

Friday September 27, 2024 11:47 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Tuesday October 1, 2024 5:47 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

iPhone 16 Pro Max Charging Speed Test Proves 45W Rumor Was Wrong

Monday September 30, 2024 8:16 am PDT by
While a Chinese regulatory filing showed that all iPhone 16 models are rated for up to 45W charging speeds, tests have since shown that the devices do not actually charge this fast. However, there are still improvements. ChargerLAB last week tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a variety of Apple and third-party chargers, and it found that the device achieved maximum sustained charging speeds...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 2

Apple's Next New iPhone to Debut in the Spring: What to Expect

Tuesday October 1, 2024 3:14 am PDT by
Apple's budget-friendly iPhone SE is set for a major overhaul with a fourth generation model expected to launch in spring 2025. The upcoming model will mark a significant departure from its predecessors, adopting several features from higher-end iPhones while maintaining its position as the most affordable new model in Apple's lineup. According to recent reports, the iPhone SE 4 will sport a ...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

MacBook Pro, iMac, and Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 Chips on Track to Launch 'This Year'

Tuesday October 1, 2024 1:57 pm PDT by
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with the M4 series of chips "this year," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman initially said these Macs would likely be announced during a virtual event this October, but he has been more vague about the timing lately, with wording such as "in the coming weeks" and now merely "this year." In any case, it is clear that...
iPad iOS 16 WP Display Feature eric edit

Apple May Launch First iPad-Like Smart Home Accessory Next Year

Monday September 30, 2024 2:55 am PDT by
Apple could release an iPad-like smart home accessory based on its homeOS platform as early as next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that the display will run Apple apps like Calendar, Notes, and Home, and will feature an interface "optimized for controlling home appliances and quickly seeing information." Apple's...

Top Rated Comments

12643 Avatar
23 months ago
So a 2 Trillion Dollar company can't focus on two major products at the same time?
Score: 70 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ELman Avatar
23 months ago
"as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset"

That's great for the 10 people that actually want and can afford it.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Greenmeenie Avatar
23 months ago
Maybe I’m just getting old…but i don’t think AR & VR are gonna be as huge as some people think they’ll be. When I asked my teenage niece about AR VR & the “metaverse”, she just laughed and said all her friends think it’s stupid. I know that’s not very scientific… i just don’t think it’s gonna take off like the smartphone did. Not everyone is gonna want one. I see it as a very niche thing. But what do i know? ?‍♂️
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
23 months ago
we have a lot of features already ...we can live without any new features for 1-2 years, we need good reliable iOS and iOS updates thats all
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfzen21 Avatar
23 months ago
If true, I'm not happy about it.

Its not like they dont have the money to hire more people for development and R&D.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Red Oak Avatar
23 months ago
An enormous number of new software features were launched in the last two years. It’s okay to slow the pace, focus on fixing bugs, and give the average consumer time to digest all the features
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)