Apple rolled out the first beta of iOS 17 shortly after announcing it at WWDC 2023, and you might be wondering if it’s safe to install it on your iPhone or not. Well, there are various considerations you should take into account before taking the plunge. In this article, I’ll explain five reasons why you shouldn’t install iOS 17 Beta on your iPhone just yet.
There are a number of reasons why Apple doesn’t make early beta builds available to the general public, instead restricting them to developers and beta testers. With that in mind, let’s take a look at why you shouldn’t install the iOS 17 beta on your iPhone right now.
1. It’s Unstable
The primary purpose of a beta version is to identify and fix bugs before the official release, so it is expected that these versions will be bug-ridden. Although Apple generally does an excellent job of managing these issues, the beta version is far from perfect.
With iOS 17 Beta, users have reported various glitches such as apps crashing, freezing screens, and strange behavior with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Other issues include unexpected battery drain, delayed notifications, and difficulties with some native applications.
For instance, if you rely on your phone for critical tasks like business communications, these disruptions can significantly impact your day-to-day life. Therefore, if you’re not prepared to handle such bugs, it might be best to wait until the final version is released.
2. You run the risk of losing data or corrupting your iPhone
The process of installing a beta version typically involves wiping out your current data and starting from scratch. Even if you back up your data, there is still a risk of data loss or corruption during the installation. Bugs or incompatibilities may cause some apps or services to malfunction and potentially corrupt your device.
3. It Impacts Your Phone’s Performance
The iOS 17 beta version runs on an unfinished operating system and is likely to have a lot of experimental features that may appear flashy but can reduce the overall performance of your iPhone. You may experience slower interactions, longer loading times, and a reduced battery life.
4. Incompatibility Of Apps
When a new iOS version is launched, it typically brings changes that may not sit well with all applications. It means the apps you frequently use may not function correctly on the iOS 17 Beta.
Developers often need time to make their apps compatible with the new version, meaning there could be a period where your favorite apps are not functioning optimally, or even at all. So, if you’re dependent on certain apps for work or leisure, installing the beta version may not be a wise decision.
5. You Could Lose All Your Data
While this problem isn’t specific to beta builds, it’s more common during beta updates. When you’re updating your iPhone to a major new software version, especially beta software, there’s always a tiny risk that you’ll brick your device and lose all your data in the process.
Every year, a handful of users report that their iPhones are stuck on the Apple logo screen for hours during an update. Sad to say, the only way to get out of this sticky situation is to put your iPhone in recovery mode and restore it using your computer. This means you will lose all the data stored on your device.
On the bright side, this potential data loss can be avoided by simply backing up your iPhone before an update. You can restore your erased iPhone from a local or iCloud backup to recover your data within minutes.
When Is It Safe to Install the iOS 17 Beta?
Beta software of any kind is never completely safe, and this applies to iOS 17 too. The safest time to install iOS 17 would be when Apple rolls out the final stable build to everyone in the fall or even a couple of weeks after that. By that time, Apple would have completed extensive testing of the software with developers and beta testers.
Having said that, if you don’t have the patience to wait months for the final release this fall, the next safest option would be to wait for the iOS 17 public beta that’s set to arrive in July. Apple should be able to iron out any major issues affecting the current developer builds before public beta testers can get their hands on the software.
Don’t Update Your iPhone to iOS 17 Too Early
It’s always wise to take a calculated approach rather than rushing in to try out the latest piece of software, no matter what it is. You’ll be avoiding a lot of potential problems by just waiting a few weeks, if not months, especially if you use one of the older iPhones that support iOS 17.
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