Apple Black Unity Collection Announcement Unintentionally Unveils iOS 17.3 Update Releasing Next Week

Apple, in a recent announcement, unintentionally indicated that the iOS 17.3 update is likely to be released next week. This information was not part of an official announcement but was deduced from the small print in an announcement about a new Unity Bloom wallpaper.

Apple stated that this wallpaper, requiring iOS 17.3, will be available next week. This suggests that iOS 17.3 must also be released around the same time, possibly even this week, though there’s not much time left in the week. Therefore, it’s highly probable that iOS 17.3 will be launched in the week starting January 22.

While there’s a slight possibility that the mention of iOS 17.3 could be an error, perhaps meant to say iOS 17.2, the concurrent mention of iPadOS 17.3 in the same text makes this unlikely.

As for what to expect from iOS 17.3, thanks to various betas, we have a good idea. The major feature is Stolen Device Protection, which, when activated, will require Face ID or Touch ID for sensitive actions. This means that even if a thief has your passcode and can unlock your iPhone, they won’t be able to view your passkeys or turn off Lost Mode.

Another significant addition is collaborative playlists in Apple Music, allowing multiple Apple Music users to add, remove, and reorder songs in a shared playlist. iOS 17.3 is also expected to include various bug fixes and security patches, making it a worthwhile download even if the new features don’t appeal to you.

For a more substantial iOS update, users will likely have to wait for iOS 18, expected to launch in September, though it will probably be announced at WWDC 2024 in June.

via: Source