One of two new updates just released for the iPhone.
December 23 update below. This post was first published on December 20, 2023.
Apple’s software updates for 2023 are not finished yet, despite what you might have thought. The expectation was that iOS 17.2 would be followed by iOS 17.3 in January—the first beta versions are already out—but Apple just released a minor but urgent update with bug fixes in the form of iOS 17.2.1 for the latest phones and iOS 16.7.4 for earlier handsets. Here’s all you need to know.
Which iPhones Can Run iOS 17.2.1 and iOS 16.7.4?
For iOS 17.2.1, this is the same compatibility list as all the phones that have taken to iOS 17 since its release in September. In other words, iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and iPhone XR from 2018, then all versions of iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 variants. It also includes iPhone SE second- and third-generation models.
For iOS 16.7.4, the compatibility shifts to earlier handsets or users who could access iOS 17 haven’t updated to it. This means all iPhones right back to the first Face ID iPhone, that is, iPhone X, plus two more Touch ID iPhones, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
How To Get It
Whichever release you need, you likely know the routine by now, but just in case: go to the iPhone’s Settings app, choose General, then Software Update. Here, you’ll see sections on Automatic Updates, and Beta Updates. Whether you have automatic updates on or off, you can choose to download the new software now. Pick Download and Install, and your iPhone will be good to go in short order—this is a small update sized at under 300MB for iOS 17.1.2, for example.
What’s In The Release
Where iOS 17.2 had lots of new features, all of which you can read about here, this new update is all about security. Apple is typically tight-lipped in its release notes, merely saying, “This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users.” For iOS 16.7.4, however, there’s a different note, as MacRumors notes: “This update fixes an issue where built-in Apple apps that may have been deleted may not reinstall.” This is not a widespread issue, but it’s certainly irritating if you experience it, and it would likely be more commonplace but for the fact that so many people have updated to iOS 17.
It doesn’t clarify whether the security issues are common to both releases, though an overlap seems probable at least.
It’s worth noting that iOS 17.2.1 was not released as a Rapid Security Response, which could indicate that the update is purely for bug fixes, not security issues.
I’ll be monitoring how both the new updates are received, so please check back Thursday, when I’ll assess whether you should upgrade to the new version or not.
December 22 update. Some intriguing extra details have emerged about these latest updates, even though Apple has remained tight-lipped about exactly what is in them in terms of security updates. First of all, it’s reported by MacRumors that the release notes are not the same across all territories. In Japan and China, the notes mention that “This update addresses an issue where the battery may drain quickly under certain conditions.” YouTuber Brandon Butch spotted this and has now updated what was said with the note that “This was not a bug or glitch, as Apple also published the same release notes on their site.”
Does this guarantee better battery life in other places? No, because it’s possible that it was something in the coding unique to Chinese and Japanese iPhones that caused the glitch. But it’s still a strong possibility that users everywhere could see less trouble from battery drain. Let’s hope so.
All the while, Apple is continuing to test iOS 17.3 in beta, expected to land in January next year and it’s likely to be the next release. But, never say never. After all, iOS 17.2.1 was something of a surprise when it appeared this week. Please also check out my post on whether you should upgrade or not, which you’ll find here.
December 23 update. There’s been further discussion of exactly what is in this new release. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, the brilliant Contributing Writer at ZDNet has been looking into things. While admitting, “well, we don’t really know what this update fixed,” he analyzed Apple’s security releases page, pointing out that while Apple merely says it “has no published CVE entries” that this may not reveal much.
Kingsley-Hughes explains, “A CVE, which stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, is a system maintained by not-for-profit organization MITRE Corporation to catalog publicly known information security flaws. So, all we can read into the statement about ‘no published CVE entries’ is that the update does not relate to any of the catalogued CVE vulnerabilities, but might relate to some other security or privacy issue.”
Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice said. Kingsley-Hughes also commented on the battery issue anomaly, relating to the Chinese and Japanese notes, pointing out that the reaction to battery life on iOS 17.2 had been positive—which tallies with the reactions I’d spotted. His conclusion: “If this update is being run to deal with a battery issue, then I suspect it’s for something niche, such as some testing or diagnostic code that was left over from the beta and wasn’t removed.”
He had one other point which is worth noting. Maybe the new release really is all about bug fixes and nothing security-related. Perhaps Apple wants to push a bunch of these fixes out before gift iPhones are opened on Christmas Day. “The update could even be related to the process of setting up a new device.”
More as we have it, but on that note, if you or someone you know is setting up an iPhone on Christmas Day, please check back for my guide on the key things you need to do first. Happy Holidays.