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Apple’s next OS update for its mobile devices is almost here. It will come out in June. Reports say that Cupertino-based Apple is focusing more on its upcoming MR headset and giving iOS 17 less attention.
Chances are that iOS 17 will have a much shorter list of features than iOS 16, which had major changes to the way it looked and how it worked.
But that doesn’t mean iOS 17 will be nothing but a sleepy mess. Even though there aren’t a lot of details right now, there are some things that the OS update is likely to add. We list these and other facts about the update that we know.
Support for Sideloading Apps?
Bloomberg said that Apple employees are making changes to iOS that would let apps from outside the App Store run on the system. In response to EU rules, the company plans to do something by 2024. Changes could, however, come with the release of iOS 17. If the changes are made, developers won’t have to pay Apple 15% to 30% of their fees.
But it’s also possible that Apple will only change its policy in the EU and keep it the same everywhere else.
Third-Party Browsers without Webkit
Apple does allow third-party browsers, but there is one big rule. The company wants all browsers to use WebKit, the same engine Safari uses. But claims that the WebKit requirement hurts competition are also part of the growing antitrust pressure on Apple. The European Digital Markets Act could force Apple to drop WebKit with iOS 17. If that happens, browsers on the App Store could have more features that set them apart from each other.
Support for MR Headset
The long-rumored Apple mixed-reality headset is expected to finally come out this year. It is thought that the device will work on its own and have its own App Store. But Apple is known for its ecosystem, in which devices work together in different ways. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that the headset and Apple iPhone will work together in some way. iOS 17 could have some features that work only with headsets.
CarPlay Updates
At the WWDC 2022 event, Apple showed a preview of a new version of CarPlay that works better with cars and lets you control things like the volume and radio through CarPlay. The company also wants to add widgets and support for using more than one screen. Since the first cars with the next version of Apple CarPlay will come out in 2023, it is likely that support for it will be built into iOS 17.
iOS 17 Release Date
Every year in June, Apple releases the first developer beta of a new version of iOS, and iOS 17 is expected to be no different. After a time of testing, the first version that works well will be out when the iPhone 15 series comes out in September.
iOS 17 Compatible Devices
iPhones normally receive 5 years of updates, even though the iPhone 6s was supported for far longer than that. Based on this, we anticipate that iPhone XS and higher will support iOS 17.
