Apple to release iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 on September 18, and macOS Sonoma on October 26
Apple has confirmed the release dates for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Both operating systems will be released to users on Monday, September 18.
The news comes straight from the horse's mouth. Shortly after it announced the new iPhone 15 series yesterday, Apple updated its web pages for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. If you scroll down slightly on either page, you will notice that they "Available from 18 September".
Apple to release iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 on September 18
That is not surprising, since rumors had indicated that Apple would be releasing the updates for iPhones and iPads simultaneously. The Silicon Valley mogul is said to be working on a new iPad Air, which could be announced in October. However, unlike the iPhone launch event, the iPad will be released in a rather quiet affair, via a press release.
The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will run on iOS 17 out of the box, but the new phones will only start shipping next Friday, September 22. So, technically, older phones will be the first to get the new OS.
Here is a list of iPhones that will get the iOS 17 update:
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
iPadOS 17 is compatible with the following models
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation and later)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (6th generation and later)
- iPad mini (5th generation and later)
On a side note, Apple will also release watchOS 10 to users on September 18th. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will ship with the new operating system, some features and improvements are likely to remain exclusive to the newer models.
watchOS 10 will be available for these wearables:
- Apple Watch Series 4
- Apple Watch Series 5
- Apple Watch SE
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Ultra
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 Release Candidates released
Apple has launched the Release Candidate builds of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to the above-mentioned devices. The RC builds will likely be the stable version, which will be available for users on September 18. That is, unless, of course, any major bug is discovered in the release candidate versions. If you don't want to wait until Monday, you could download it right now and enjoy the latest features that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 have to offer.
You will need to participate in the Apple Beta program in order to install the Release Candidate build on your iPhone or iPad.
To do so, simply open the Settings app, and go to the General > Software Update section. Tap on Beta Updates, and select iOS 17 Public Beta or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Go to the previous screen, your device will check for updates automatically, and display the latest build that you can choose to download and install. The new version is about 6 GB in size to download.
The version number of the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 Release Candidate builds is 21A329. watchOS 10 Release Candidate has the version number 21R356.
macOS Sonoma to release on October 26
In similar fashion to the other operating systems, Apple also updated the macOS Sonoma 14 web page to reveal the release date of its desktop operating system. Sonoma will be released on October 26. The macOS release candidate's version number is (23A339).
Rumors suggest that Apple could announce the first M3 Mac in October, though another reliable leaker quashed hopes for any new MacBooks. The Cupertino company may launch a refreshed iMac next month, but new laptops are not expected to be announced until the first half of 2024.
