Technologies

Updating Your iPhone to iOS 17 Today? Here’s Why You Want to Hold Off

It may not be the best move to update to iOS 17 right now.

Not everyone needs to download the latest iOS update on their iPhone right when Apple makes it available.

Apple announced the release date for iOS 17 during its Wonderlust event last week, alongside the iPhone 15 series, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra. iOS 17 will be available to everyone with a compatible iPhone today, Sept. 18. But just because it’s released, does that mean you should install it on your phone?

In this story, I’ll look at a few reasons why you may not want to update to iOS 17 just yet and instead let others take it for a spin.

If you know you want iOS 17, check out how to download iOS 17, as well as all the cool hidden iOS 17 settings and features you can expect to find.

Your iPhone battery might drain faster than usual

One reason to hit pause on the download? There really isn’t a single general reason why battery drain occurs right after a major software update like iOS 17, but it happens to some people pretty much every year.

If your battery health level is already in bad shape (Settings > Battery > Battery Health), you might want to refrain from updating to iOS 17 for a bit.

Here are a couple of reasons why iOS 17 might be draining your battery:

Your phone is working overtime in the background. New features, such as the improved search feature in Messages or Live Stickers for your photos, may need to index your files to work properly.
Your apps don’t support iOS 17. Developers are given plenty of time to update their apps to the latest iPhone software, but if they don’t, the apps could drain more battery because they’re outdated.

And of course, there’s always the slight chance of software bugs that could be eating up your battery life in the background.

A close-up of a charging cable next to an iPhone Lightning port

Even if you wait for future iOS 17 updates, you may still encounter some battery drain for the first few days, but that generally disappears once your iPhone gets settled with the software update.

Your older iPhone might get really slow

Just because your iPhone supports iOS 17 doesn’t necessarily mean the new OS will run smoothly on your device. An older iPhone model, like the iPhone XS or iPhone 11 Pro might struggle to keep up with iOS 17’s demands, due to little storage, low RAM or an older chipset.

Don’t miss: Apple’s iOS 17 Won’t Work on Every iPhone. These Models Get the Boot

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You might encounter bugs that can cause issues on your iPhone

No matter how polished a software update may seem, a few bugs are bound to slip through the cracks. It’s why Apple sometimes releases a «point update» shortly after a major update, to fix issues like:

Battery drain.
Lag.
Apps force-closing.
Phone restarting.
Unusable features.

If you’re concerned about possibly facing issues such as these, you may want to wait until any possible major bugs are squashed in subsequent iOS 17 updates.

You might not get all the new iOS 17 features you want anyway

Not every iPhone running iOS 17 will get all the new features, especially older models like the iPhone XR and iPhone 11. Below you’ll find some of the features that aren’t supported on all devices running iOS 17:

Hand reactions in FaceTime: iPhone 12 and later.
FaceTime on Apple TV: iPhone XS/XR and later.
Improved autocorrect: iPhone 12 and later.
Predictions inline as you type: iPhone 12 and later.

If you were looking forward to any of these features but can’t get them because of your older iPhone, you might want to skip out on iOS 17.

For the most part, you should probably update to iOS 17

Regardless of any hesitations you might have, if you do want to jump in, there are plenty of reasons to just go ahead and update to iOS 17. Aside from all the new features you may benefit from, Apple’s major software updates may fix bugs and other issues in previous iterations.

However, major updates don’t just fix issues, they also bring new privacy and security settings that improve your safety and better protect your personal information.

On iOS 17, you have a few major privacy and security features to look forward to:

Sensitive content warning: You can toggle on a setting to blur sensitive photos and videos sent to you. This feature works in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters, FaceTime messages and third‑party applications.
Improved permissions: Applications let you choose which photos you want to share in-app, while the rest of them are kept private. Also, an application can add an event to your calendar without being able to see your other events.
Expanded Lockdown Mode: The new and improved Lockdown Mode increases security to help protect you against more-sophisticated cyberattacks. It even works on your Apple Watch now.

And then there are all the new accessibility features, which can be incredibly beneficial to those with disabilities:

Personal Voice: An AI feature that allows you to clone your voice and use it via type-to-speak to communicate with others.
Assistive Access: Simplifies everything on your phone, making it easier to use.

For more, check out what the iPhone 15 might tell us about future phones and how the Apple Watch Series 9 compares to older models.

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The Hottest Switch 2 Accessory Could Be… a Lap Desk

Commentary: How else will you use the Joy-Cons’ cool new mouse feature?

One of the most interesting rumors about the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Cons was that you could use them like computer mice. Now that the feature has been confirmed in the April 2 Nintendo Direct, and we’ve seen it used for action and strategy games, it’s pretty clear: The most-needed accessory for the new Switch 2 is a lap desk.

Given its rich history of introducing wacky new ways to control games, Nintendo can perhaps be forgiven for introducing a novel control function in a console that is otherwise largely identical to its predecessor. But the Switch 2 is a couch console when docked and freely roaming otherwise — rarely near a flat surface to use the Joy-Cons’ mouse functionality.

As a lap desk owner, fan and evangelizer, lap desks are the obvious answer to the mouse problem: portable around the house, multipurpose for work or play and somewhat affordable. Or at least, there are reasonable options that aren’t any pricier than the $90 Nintendo is asking for Switch 2 Joy-Cons.

While yes, any flat surface will technically do, just look at the gameplay for Drag x Drive, where players are shown running their dual Joy-Cons up and back in rapid succession. That seems hard to do on a makeshift surface like a clipboard or container lid. And for strategy games like Civilization 7, imagine not having a wide surface to move around the map and click in and out of menus.

Nintendo’s Treehouse stream for the launch game Drag x Drive showed how to use both Joy-Cons in mouse mode to move around. The presenter — playing on a desk — noted that players could run the controllers flat on their legs as alternative surfaces.

As CNET’s Scott Stein noted in his hands-on with the Switch 2, using the Joy-Cons on his legs was «a little less tiring» than on a desk — but presumably this only works well for a game like Drag x Drive, which relies on forward-and-back motion rather than side-to-side (unless you get really good at wrapping around your legs).

It’s worth pointing out how few of the Switch 2’s launch games and those coming later have mouse functionality — right now, only Drag x Drive requires it, while Civ 7 and Metroid Prime 4 Beyond optionally use Joy-Cons in mouse mode. Mario Party Jamboree will have also added mouse functionality in its Switch 2 version. We’ll wait to see how many games truly take advantage of this control potential.

Admittedly, the $450 Switch 2 and $80 Mario Kart World prices are already ruffling feathers, so expecting gamers to pay more for furniture just to get basic functionality for certain games is a big ask. But for all those couch crusaders planning their most relaxing way to play, a lap desk is the best way to have your Switch 2 and mouse with it, too.