iOS 17.5.2: Apple Abruptly Cancels Unexpected iPhone Update, Report Claims

Apple was about to release an iPhone update, iOS 17.5.2, if a recent report was correct. But now it’s not, it seems. Here’s what we know about the mysterious software update.

Apple iOS 17.5.2 was a surprise. A private account on social media with a strong track record for correctly predicting these things, claimed that the update was coming, and soon, as reported by 9to5Mac.

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As the report says, “The information was shared on social media by a private account with a strong track record. The account has previously shared details about upcoming iOS software updates on multiple different occasions.”

What could this mysterious update be? After all, it won’t be long before iOS 18 is here, and Apple is currently beta testing iOS 17.6. So, this interim entry must be a bug-fix and security release, surely? That was the anticipation and suggested that some urgent problem had arisen which couldn’t wait until iOS 17.6, expected in the coming weeks, either towards the end of July or in early August.

There have been reports that iOS 17.5.2 might address claimed issues with Photos and wifi with suitable bug fixes.

Now, though, the same source says, “Apple has scrapped its planned iOS 17.5.2 update.”

What’s interesting is that updates don’t usually get close enough to release for anyone outside Apple to know about them. In this case, it did. So, was the leaker mistaken, despite their track record? Or has the problem it was going to solve been fixed in another way, perhaps with a server-side solution? It’s also possible that the fix didn’t quite work as it was intended and needs a little more work before it arrives, by which time iOS 17.6 may be on the cards for release.

There’s another possibility: Apple may have decided that what’s in the update is purely a security fix, so it would be better suited as a Rapid Security Response rather than a full-blown update.

Apple introduced RSRs last year when it needed to quickly address a security issue alone. But it hasn’t released any of these for a while, not least because one went wrong and had to be suddenly withdrawn and replaced.

In short, we’ll find out if the update is coming soon, but it looks like there’s no need to monitor your settings for the update—it’s not imminent, it seems.

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