iOS 17.3, iOS 17.4 & iOS 17.5: What’s Coming Next for iPhone

We’ve seen a lot of information about upcoming iOS 17 software updates surface recently so we felt it would be prudent to put together a software release timeline for iPhone users.

Apple’s been busy in the months since iOS 17’s release back in September. The company’s released several prominent updates including its most recent release, iOS 17.2.1.

The company won’t stop there. You can expect a steady stream of point updates (iOS x.x.x) and milestone upgrades (iOS x.x) to roll out over the next eight or so months.

Thanks to leaks, Apple’s beta program, and many years of experience covering software, we have a pretty good read on what you can expect on the iOS 17 front. We’ve also heard a lot about iOS 17’s successor, presumably called iOS 18.

So, if you’ve been curious about what’s in Apple’s pipeline, here’s a quick look at what’s coming next for iPhone users in terms of software updates.

Table of Contents

This guide will take you through known features, release dates, and betas. It will also lead you through the unknown so you can set proper expectations.

iOS 17.3 Update

Last year, Apple pushed iOS 17.3 into beta testing. The software will roll out in early 2024.

The company’s third milestone update should stay in beta testing for a bit longer, culminating in a release in late January or, early February if it needs more time.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says new Macs are being developed alongside Apple’s upcoming macOS 14.3 Sonoma update.

The software is “likely to be released between the end of January and February” with the new Macs set for a March debut. If that’s the case, you can expect iOS 17.3 to roll out in January or February as well.

For reference, Apple’s iOS 15.3 update rolled out on January 26th while iOS 16.3 was delivered on January 23rd.

iOS 17.4 Update

Once iOS 17.3 arrives, Apple will push iOS 17.4 into beta testing. Apple’s fourth milestone upgrade for iPhone is already in the news.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in a report about software delays at Apple, says iOS 17.4 is currently in the works and he says it’s slated to arrive in March.

There’s a pattern here. In 2023, iOS 16.4 landed on March 27th. The company’s iOS 15.4 software dropped on March 14th back in 2022.

Gurman also says Apple is prepping an iPadOS 17.4 update and its release will coincide with the release of new iPads at the end of March.

Three new iPad models, an iPad Air 6, an iPad mini 7, and a new iPad Pro are expected to hit shelves next year. The iPad Air 6 and the new iPad Pros are expected to debut in the spring while the iPad mini 7 will land later in the year.

iOS 17.5, iOS 17.6 & iOS 17.7

After that, we should see iOS 17.5 arrive in May after a stint in beta. If Apple sticks to protocol, you can expect iOS 17.6 to arrive in July.

iOS 17 development will start to slow down and the next milestone version of iOS 17, iOS 17.7, will probably roll out alongside iOS 18 in September.

Of course, we’ll see point upgrades arrive in between all of these milestone upgrades and we may see some Rapid Security Response updates as well.

These updates are much smaller than typically iOS software releases and, according to Apple, they “deliver important security improvements between software updates—for example, improvements to the Safari web browser, the WebKit framework stack, or other critical system libraries.”

We’ve only seen the company push a few of these upgrades to iPhone users, but we should see iOS 17 get a few before Apple’s iOS 18 operating system arrives.

iOS 18 Update

Apple’s working on the next version of iOS, dubbed iOS 18.

We don’t know a whole lot about the iPhone’s next operating system, but here are a few items of note:

iOS 18 will probably launch at WWDC 2024 in June
The iOS 18 release date should come in September alongside the iPhone 16 series
It will support most iOS 17-powered iPhones though we could see support end for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR
Apple is reportedly planning big upgrades to AI and Siri
RCS should also roll out alongside iOS 18

We’ll see rumors outline iOS 17’s successor in great detail in the months ahead. So, in addition to tracking new versions of iOS 17, you’ll also want to keep an eye on the iPhone’s next operating system.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 17.2.1 & 11 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 17.2.1 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, and you missed older versions of iOS 17, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.2.1 update right away.

iOS 17.2.1 doesn't have any security patches on board, but again, you'll get the fixes and features from the updates you missed when you upgrade.

iOS 17.2 delivered 10 new security patches to iPhone. These will help keep your device and its data protected from harm. If you wish to find out more, you can head on over to Apple's security site for the details.

iOS 17.2 also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. The company also fixed an exploit that let the Flipper Zero multi-tool lock up iPhones.

iOS 17.1.2 had two security patches on board. Both were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more, you can do so right here.

iOS 17.1 brought 18 security fixes to iPhone. It addressed issues within Weather, Status Bar, WebKit, and more.

iOS 17.0.3 brought two patches for two security issues Apple identified within the software. If you want to read about the patches, head here.

iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website.

As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple.

In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages.

It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them.

There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks.

Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.

The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves.

If you skipped older versions of iOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.2.1 update as well.