iOS 17.3: nuevas funciones, fecha probable de lanzamiento y lo que falta

Following the release of iOS 17.2 in early December, Apple is now beta testing iOS 17.3 for iPhone users. This update is headlined by a new feature called Stolen Device Protection, designed to protect iPhone users if they have their phone and passcode both stolen.

Head below for the full details on iOS 17.3, including new features, likely release date, and more.

When will iOS 17.3 be released?

Based on the release dates of iOS 15.3 and iOS 16.3, we currently expect iOS 17.3 to be released sometime during the second half of January. This gives Apple time to release additional betas and also accounts for the holiday slowdown when many Apple engineers aren’t working.

• iOS 16.3: Released on January 23, 2023​​​​.
• iOS 15.3: Released on January 26, 2022​​.
• iOS 14.3: Released on December 14, 2020​​.
• iOS 13.3: Released on December 10, 2019

What’s new in iOS 17.3?

Secure Device Protection

The most notable new feature in iOS 17.3 is Stolen Device Protection. “This new feature adds an additional layer of security in the unlikely case that someone has stolen your phone and also obtained your passcode,” Apple explains.

The addition of Stolen Device Protection follows excellent reporting from Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen. Writing at The Wall Street Journal, Stern and Nguyen, extensively reported the growing trend of thieves shoulder-surfing iPhone users to watch them enter their passcode in places like bars and restaurants. Those thieves would then steal the victim’s iPhone and use the passcode to do things like change their Apple ID password, access banking apps, and more.

Stolen Device Protection, which is an opt-in feature in iOS 17.3, attempts to counter those thieves by putting new restrictions in place on how powerful your iPhone passcode actually is.

Apple says:

• Accessing your saved passwords requires Face ID to be sure it’s you.
• Changing sensitive settings like your Apple ID password is protected by a security delay
• No delay is required when the iPhone is at familiar locations such as home and work

We’ve got more details on how Stolen Device Protection works in our in-depth guide.

Apple Music collaborative playlists

The saga around collaborative playlists in Apple Music continues with iOS 17.3. This feature was initially added in the early betas of iOS 17.2 but was removed by Apple before the update was actually released to the public.

In iOS 17.3, Apple Music collaborative playlists have returned once again. The feature lets you team up with other people to create shared playlists where everyone can contribute songs.

There’s also support for reacting to songs in collaborative playlists with emojis. This way, you can show other people what you think of specific songs.

More to come?

As of right now, these are the only two changes in iOS 17.3. It’s certainly possible that Apple will make further changes before the update is released to the general public.

There are a few features previously announced by Apple that have yet to launch, including next-generation CarPlay and support for AirPlay in hotels. Whether these features come with iOS 17.3 or a later update remains to be seen.

We’re also still waiting to find out how Apple plans to comply with looming changes in the European Union around digital app stores. Apple is reportedly planning to bring support for third-party app stores and sideloading to the iPhone, but it has not announced any details yet.

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