Apple has been known for its consistent release dates and patterns of device support for its iOS updates. In this article, we’ll be discussing what to expect for the release dates and supported devices of iOS 17.
Release Dates
As always, Apple’s event WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) is being held in the first week of June. This year, we can expect the first beta of iOS 17 to be released on June 5th, which is the first Monday of June. The first beta is usually released after the event is done, which typically lasts for one to one and a half hours.
However, there is a change for this year’s beta release. Unlike previous years, users won’t be able to install the developer beta using a profile without a Dev account. Users will have to purchase a Dev account, which costs $99 per year, to be able to install the beta. This means that the public beta release will be more crucial for most users. Last year, the public beta was released five weeks after the first beta for developers, so it’s safe to assume that we’ll be getting the public beta for iOS 17 around July 10th.
Once the public beta is released, users can easily install it by heading to the settings app and selecting the public beta under software update.
The public release of iOS 17 is a bit trickier to predict since it depends on the release of the new iPhones. If there are any delays in the production of the new iPhones, there may be a delay in the release of iOS 17 as well. Based on the previous years, we can expect the public release of iOS 17 to be around September 11th or September 18th, which is usually a few days before the release of the new iPhones.
Supported Devices
For iOS 16, Apple dropped support for the original SE, iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, and 7 Plus. The devices that were supported were the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, which were all released in 2017. This year, it’s expected that Apple will drop support for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X as well, leaving the iPhone 11 as the oldest device to support iOS 17.
While it’s always disappointing to see devices lose support, dropping support for older devices helps ensure that the new iOS update will run smoothly on newer devices without any major issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, iOS 17 will be released on June 5th for developers and around July 10th for the public beta. The public release will likely be around September 11th or 18th. As for device support, Apple will most likely drop support for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, leaving the iPhone 11 as the oldest device to support iOS 17. Keep in mind that these are only predictions based on past patterns, and Apple could surprise us with different release dates or device support.
