Apple's next iPhone update will fix 3 annoying issues ahead of iOS 17 release

iPhone users have reported issues relating to battery, Wi-Fi, and the Weather app (Image credit: Shutterstock / DenPhotos)

Apple’s latest iOS update – iOS 16.5 – brought with it a host of bug fixes for issues related to the iPhone lock screen and Safari app, but the company is reportedly preparing to release another patch-heavy update ahead of iOS 17’s arrival later this year.

According to a note seen by tech website BGR, the release of iOS 16.5.1 is imminent, with the incremental update set to address several frustrating iPhone issues including one relating to premature battery drain.

Hundreds of iPhone users have been reporting faster-than-usual battery drain after downloading iOS 16.5 on their iPhones, and although we recently sought to reassure users that this annoying battery hiccup is completely normal, Apple is reportedly planning to roll out a fix for those who have been dealing with the issue for some time.

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iOS 16.5.1 will also address a bug causing iPhone users’ Wi-Fi to disconnect automatically, as well as an issue relating to inaccurate Weather app information.

iPhone battery status bar — iPhone users have been reporting faster-than-usual battery drain (Image credit: Future / Shutterstock / Primakov)

Given that iOS 16.6 is currently in beta, we’d expect Apple to push out iOS 16.5.1 sooner rather than later. As such, we'd guess the update will become available to download to anyone who owns an iPhone 8 or newer in the next week or so.

iOS 17 isn't slated to arrive until September, but Apple’s presentation at WWDC 2023 did give us an idea of what to expect from the company’s next major iOS overhaul.

Among the 10 best iOS 17 features heading to iPhones in September are a suite of iMessage-related upgrades that will widen the gap between Apple’s proprietary messaging service and SMS/RCS. For instance, the iOS 17 beta gives iPhone users the ability to edit texts, reply in threads, and send iMessage-quality videos in group chats containing iPhone users and Android users, and we expect at least some of those features to cross over into the final build of iOS 17.

iOS 17 will also introduce a new StandBy feature that turns your iPhone into a smart display akin to an Amazon Echo Show or a Google Nest Hub, and Live Voicemail will allow you to see – and interrupt – a live transcript of your calls as your caller records a voicemail message.

There are plenty more confirmed iOS 17 features to get excited about ahead of the update’s release later this year, but in the meantime, keep an eye out for iOS 16.5.1 in your iPhone’s Software Update page.

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Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.