Apple Preparing iOS 17.3.1 Update for iPhone

Apple appears to be internally testing an iOS 17.3.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software version in our website's analytics logs this week.

General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple
Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 17.2.1, so there is a good chance that Apple will follow through with releasing iOS 17.3.1.

iOS 17.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. iOS 16.3.1 was released on February 13 last year, and iOS 15.3.1 was released on February 10 in 2022, so it is likely that iOS 17.3.1 will be released within the next week or so if Apple sticks to a similar timeframe as in the past few years.

A larger iOS 17.4 update remains in beta testing with many new features, including major changes to the App Store in the EU, Apple Podcasts transcripts, SharePlay for the HomePod, new emoji, preparations for the launch of next-generation CarPlay later this year, and more. In a press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple Teases Its Next Major Product Launch

Friday February 14, 2025 9:38 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the imminent Apple product "launch" that is widely expected to be the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos In a social media post on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of...

Top Rated Comments

GtrDude Avatar
14 months ago
So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sbailey4 Avatar
14 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
All of that should be addressed in 17.3.1! Stay tuned. :)
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erio Avatar
14 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
https://www.apple.com/feedback/
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gensym2 Avatar
14 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

In Mail, enable us to see the raw actual email addresses of senders as well as recipients — also for emails stored in some record in the contacts: many contacts have multiple email addresses, and it matters exactly which email address a message is from or sent to (not to mention fake email addresses hidden behind “good” names).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
14 months ago

Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/10/03/apple-preparing-ios-17-0-3/') to iOS 17.2.1 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/12/18/apple-preparing-ios-17-2-1/'). It is therefore likely, but not guaranteed, that Apple will follow through with releasing iOS 17.3.1.
Likely but not guaranteed. They cover their bets well. :eek:;)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Populus Avatar
14 months ago

Make some real changes Apple:

1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
This list is an amazing collection of little things that would improve iOS, (aside from a few that I find unnecessary), and I wish Apple would read it. Some of this features are basic smartphone 101.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)