Apple has reportedly set Tuesday, October 24, as the official release date for the upcoming iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 updates.
The suspected release date was uncovered recently by iPhoneSoft.fr on the website of the French regulatory group ANFR.
iOS 17.1 includes a fix for radiation levels on the iPhone 12 units sold in France to bring them into compliance with European electromagnetic radiation standards. AFNR explicitly mentions that iOS 17.1 is coming by Tuesday, October 24.
iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 could release on October 24
As Apple rarely releases significant software updates in stages, October 24 is when iOS 17.1 will release globally for public consumption. And because watchOS and iOS updates go hand in hand, expect watchOS 10.1 to also drop on October 24.
Apple has been testing other updates like iPadOS 17.1, tvOS 17.1 and macOS Sonoma 14.1. However, the ANFR website doesn’t mention those. Unless all software updates are scheduled to arrive on the same day as iOS 17.1, Apple will probably launch iPadOS 17.1, tvOS 17.1 and macOS Sonoma 14.1 a few days later.
The new features in iOS 17.1
Aside from performance improvements, secret patches and bug fixes, iOS 17.1 brings several new features to the iPhone. Discover cardholders can view their credit card balance and transaction history right in the Wallet app. And gamers can now pair and use their Nintendo Switch N64 controller with their iPhone.
iOS 17.1 provides new display options in the StandBy settings to keep the screen awake and enables AirDrop to continue over the iPhone’s cellular connection if Wi-Fi becomes unavailable. There are also several new Apple Music features in iOS 17.1, including custom playlist artwork and a new favorites system.
iOS 17.1 will also prevent the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pros from triggering the camera, flashlight and other actions if used with the phone in your pocket.
The new features in watchOS 10.1
watchOS 10.1 brings only two significant new features, including NameDrop contact sharing. With watchOS 10.1, you can use the NameDrop feature to share contact information between two Apple Watch devices or your Apple Watch and an iPhone.
And for happy owners of the Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, watchOS 10.1 will also enable the new double-tap gesture.