iOS 17 Rumored to Have 'Fewer Major Changes Than Originally Planned' as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset

[MacRumors]

iOS 17, the next major update for the iPhone, could be a less significant update than Apple was originally hoping as the company, and its engineers, focus more heavily on the upcoming AR/VR headset.

Apple has been working on its AR/VR headset and its accompanying operating system, xrOS, for several years. With the launch of the headset now expected in 2023, Apple's engineers have been focusing less on other operating systems, including the upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says iOS 17, which is internally codenamed Dawn, could end up having "fewer major changes than originally planned" due to Apple focusing more on xrOS for the upcoming headset. Gurman says a similar approach is taking place with macOS 14, codenamed Sunburst.

iOS 14, announced in 2020, and iOS 16, announced last June, were two significant updates, bringing redesigned widgets to the iPhone Home Screen, App Library, new features in stock apps like Maps and Safari, a redesigned lock screen, and more. iOS 17, alongside iPadOS 17, macOS 14, and watchOS 10, will be announced during WWDC in June.

Article Link: iOS 17 Rumored to Have 'Fewer Major Changes Than Originally Planned' as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset

 

[spartan1967]

This makes me want to skip 16 as it sounds like a lot of things will be fixed in 17.

 

[surfzen21]

If true, I'm not happy about it.

Its not like they dont have the money to hire more people for development and R&D.

 

[MayaUser]

we have a lot of features already ...we can live without any new features for 1-2 years, we need good reliable iOS and iOS updates thats all

 

[Tulani]

not even app icon design change?

or ability to change fonts??

Come on Apple.....

 

[12643]

So a 2 Trillion Dollar company can't focus on two major products at the same time?

 

[PsykX]

we have a lot of features already ...we can live without any new features for 1-2 years, we need good reliable iOS and iOS updates thats all

It’s true, but : competition.

Of course Google and Microsoft and Samsung etc. will be more than happy to read this article, if iOS 17 and macOS 14 are minor releases.

 

[Red Oak]

So a 2 Trillion Dollar company can't focus on two major products at the same time?

How bitter and entitled some people are

 

[Red Oak]

An enormous number of new software features were launched in the last two years. It’s okay to slow the pace, focus on fixing bugs, and give the average consumer time to digest all the features

 

[KanosWRX]

Oh no, Apple is going Facebook on us! Is this the end!!!

 

[anakin44011]

If true, I'm not happy about it.

Its not like they dont have the money to hire more people for development and R&D.

One doesn't necessarily lead to the other. See 'Mythical Man Month'.

Additional reference...the last 30 years of Microsoft.

There are so many little things still missing (for example, what does the desktop version of Mail, Safari, Notes, etc have that iOS or iPadOS doesn't)..I'd rather they address those.

 

[Edsel]

"...is internally codenamed Dawn,..."

Oh, no! I first read that as, "Darwin". Premonition?

 

[ELman]

"as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset"

That's great for the 10 people that actually want and can afford it.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Maybe I’m just getting old…but i don’t think AR & VR are gonna be as huge as some people think they’ll be. When I asked my teenage niece about AR VR & the “metaverse”, she just laughed and said all her friends think it’s stupid. I know that’s not very scientific… i just don’t think it’s gonna take off like the smartphone did. Not everyone is gonna want one. I see it as a very niche thing. But what do i know? 🤷‍♂️

 

[Red Oak]

"as Apple Shifts Focus to AR/VR Headset"

That's great for the 10 people that actually want and can afford it.

One would be me. That leaves you with 9 other people

 

[krspkbl]

so it begins.

remember Apple intends to replace iPhone with this headset within 10 years.

iOS will likely not be getting any more major changes now. We'll probably still get annual releases but the days of major features are over it seems.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

remember Apple intends to replace iPhone with this headset within 10 years.

You actually believe Apple’s going to mount that camera bump on an already large headset?

 

[krspkbl]

You actually believe Apple’s going to mount that camera bump on an already large headset?

what are you even talking about?

 

[AlexESP]

If true, I'm not happy about it.

Its not like they dont have the money to hire more people for development and R&D.

Hiring people without control has led to some serious cultural mismatch recently. If money was everything, then there would be no competition.

 

[infinitejest]

So a 2 Trillion Dollar company can't focus on two major products at the same time?

True. I call BS on that. Gurman makes it almost sound as if the entire company is working on the headset now.

 

[AlexESP]

So a 2 Trillion Dollar company can't focus on two major products at the same time?

Same as with hiring… they’re focused on many things at the same time, but that’s not easy to scale - i.e. it’s not easy to have a coordinated, focused and SMALL (as necessary for all the rest) design team if they have to work on many things. Money doesn’t solve that problem.

 

[SmugMaverick]

Gurman is full of absolute garbage.

What a NON story, nothing in this can be proven right or wrong come June and he knows it.

Can we stop pretending that frond head has any insider knowledge.

 

[krspkbl]

Maybe I’m just getting old…but i don’t think AR & VR are gonna be as huge as some people think they’ll be. When I asked my teenage niece about AR VR & the “metaverse”, she just laughed and said all her friends think it’s stupid. I know that’s not very scientific… i just don’t think it’s gonna take off like the smartphone did. Not everyone is gonna want one. I see it as a very niche thing. But what do i know? 🤷‍♂️

there was this guy who said something like people don't know what they want until you show them it. can't remember his name...

there is huge potential for AR/VR headsets which is why the metaverse is being pushed as the next big thing. it excites companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, etc because they'd love nothing more than having a smartphone strapped to your face so they can see exactly what you see and beam ads right into your eyeballs. smartphones can track you enough right now but imagine having multiple cameras on your head that are always on and scanning everything around you in real time. that's valuable data to be harvested!

i don't know how they'll market it but we'll have the virtual world, the augmented world, and the real world (as a whole they are the "metaverse"). in the augmented world it could display information at the corner of your eyes. the weather, directions, notifications for emails/calls/messages etc and you could face time people while walking about. they would appear in a little box at the side of your view. also based on the rumors all iOS apps will work on it so you could have facebook, instagram, tiktok, etc right infront of you.

i must admit i am a bit skeptical. i find it hard to imagine everyone walking around with headsets on in public but then 15-20 years ago i never imagined everyone walking about staring down at phones. times change.

if anyone can sell this to the masses then it's apple. need to wait and see what they do but i don't underestimate them.

 

[Apple_Robert]

My phone already does more than I really need day to day. Anything more next year is an added bonus.

 

[ericwn]

so it begins.

remember Apple intends to replace iPhone with this headset within 10 years.

iOS will likely not be getting any more major changes now. We'll probably still get annual releases but the days of major features are over it seems.

Remember from where, please post a quote from Apple on this.

iOS and Android at this stage are mature and won’t be re-invented anytime soon, just like windows and macOS.