Updated with the final verdict below.
The long-awaited iOS 17. 3 edition has arrived. This is a particularly applicable question, as it comes at the end of a complicated gestation period in which Apple took the very rare step of releasing a beta version for developers just hours after its launch.
Please note I’ll be updating this post in a few days with a final thought on whether or not you should upgrade.
All iPhones that can run iOS 17 are compatible with this latest release. That means all handsets from 2018 onwards. In other words, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, all models of iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and the latest iPhone 15 series. It also includes the iPhone SE second-and third-generation phones. Updates are available for automatic downloading but you will likely get them on your iPhone sooner if you click on Settings, then General, then Software Update.
The big new feature in this release is Stolen Device Protection, available only for iPhone. This means that if someone steals your iPhone and has access to your password, the damage they can cause to your virtual life or your pocket is greatly reduced. There are also collaborative playlists for Apple Music and the ability to stream content from your iPhone to a compatible hotel TV.
For more main points about the content, check out Apple’s notes, found here or a detailed description of the launch content here on Forbes.
Security issues are the main explanation for why upgrading, and there are more than a dozen in this release; in fact, 16. At the most sensitive part of the tree in terms of fear (though at the bottom of Apple’s security notes) is a vulnerability in WebKit, the key to the Safari browser, and it’s a factor that’s already been exploited, Apple says. There are three other security issues that fall under WebKit’s purview. Then there’s a core factor that can cause a bad actor to execute code. The list goes on. You can read more about all of those issues in Kate O’Flaherty’s research here at Forbes.
As one Reddit user points out, the stolen protection devices are anything that “iOS has needed for a long time,” while another adds, “Don’t turn them on!It’s off by default. ” One commenter said, “I’ve rarely noticed such a solid version,” which is a smart start. Overall, while there is no indication that persistent issues are affecting a small number of users, such as those who contacted me to inform me. Due to the difficulty of using a printer with an iPhone SE, I haven’t discovered any indications that new problems are being created.
Eight days after launch, there turns out to be very little explanation as to why not install this update. I’ve noticed comments from some users saying that the issues they were experiencing persisted but there were few new issues. In general, the coverage was opposed. A stolen device is there, a clever and unstoppable explanation of why to upgrade.