iOS 17 may be a maintenance release with a focus on ‘stability and efficiency’

With about four months to go until WWDC, the rumors are starting to give a clearer picture of iOS 17. And from what we can tell, it looks a lot like iOS 16.

Following a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman that claims iOS 17 would have fewer features due to resources shifting to the AR/VR headset, LeaksApplePro, which has a mediocre track record but has gotten rumors right in the past, claims that “This version of iOS will focus more on stability and efficiency” and “there won’t be many visual changes.”

That doesn’t mean iOS 17 will be a carbon copy of iOS 16. According to the report, Apple is working on updates to several of its apps, including Music, Mail, Reminders, Files, Fitness, Wallet, Find My, and Home. LeaksApplePro has few details to share, but they say the Music app changes “will have to do with navigation” and the Home app will get “major changes.”

There will also be a new AR/VR app to accompany the anticipated Reality Pro headset, according to the report. LeaksApplePro says the app “will be similar to the Watch app, but with significantly more features.” If the app is indeed part of iOS 17, it suggests the headset won’t ship until the fall.

The leaker also confirms several known details about the iPhone 15 while reporting on iOS 17, including that the Dynamic Island will come to all four iPhone 15 models and the iPhone 15 Pro models will support faster USB-C speeds.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg is unconvinced that this leak is accurate, warning readers over Twitter that LeaksApplePro is “a troll account known to make up fake information.” Macworld only publishes rumors that it believes to be plausible—or are too wild to ignore—and this one fits the bill.

iOS 17 is expected to be unveiled during the WWDC keynote in June alongside iPadOS 17, macOS 14, and watchOS 10.

iOS