Apple iOS 17.7 or iOS 18 New iPhone Software: Should You Upgrade?

Updated September 23 with details on touch issues on iPhone.

You wait a long time for a new iPhone software update, and they both arrive at once. Apple released iOS 18 and iOS 17.7 simultaneously on Monday, September 16. Before my last update this Thursday, September 26, there were new reports of iPhone 16 Pro users experiencing touchscreen issues, and now it appears that this is affecting older iPhones as well.

By definition, this means iOS 18, as all iPhone 16 models ship with it pre-installed, and previous phones are understood to be running the new software as well.

Users on Reddit are reporting that the screen is blacking out in some areas, particularly the portion of the screen next to the new Camera Control on the latest hardware.

Like MacRumors “The root cause appears to be an overly sensitive touch rejection algorithm in iOS 18 that is designed to ignore accidental touches,” the comments read. “It’s possible that the thinner bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could be exacerbating any issues where palm rejection appears to block other touches from entering.”

I have to say that this is not the case on any iPhone 16 model I’ve been able to try, but as a user on Mastodon points out, it’s clearly something Here.

This demo shows that the problem is software-based rather than hardware-based and in the last few hours Apple has released a new iOS 18 update specifically for the iPhone 16 series. There’s currently no indication whether the update will address this, but it’s possible. There are more, and it doesn’t yet appear to be widespread enough to change the initial verdict below.

The new versions are iOS 18 which is a brand new next-gen update and the other is iOS 17.7 which is more of a security update for those who don’t want to rely on the initial release of a major new version but want to keep their iPhone secure. I will discuss both here and this time I waited a bit longer because a major integer release can mean a longer wait and it may take longer for update issues to show up.

I’ll update this post next week to address any issues that may arise, so please check back. The final review will be on Thursday, September 26th.

Who is it for and how to obtain it?

Apple iOS 17.7 is compatible with all iPhones that can run iOS 17, meaning all phones from the iPhone XS onwards. And to make your choice a little more difficult, iOS 18 is available for the exact same iPhone series.

ForbesiPhone 16’s New Secret Feature Could Save You Time and HeadachesWith David Phelan

Updates are available automatically, but if you tap Settings, then General, then Software Update, you may see an earlier update available on your iPhone.

What is the subject?

There’s a lot of new stuff in iOS 18, at least paving the way for Apple Intelligence, which is coming in October. There’s less new stuff in iOS 17.7, but there are still plenty of bug fixes, as Forbes Senior Contributor Kate O’Flaherty detailed Here.

Apple iOS 17.7 and iOS 18 Security

The security issues are the same in both versions. They include fixes to the Kernel, which is at the heart of the operating system, issues with Shortcuts, an issue with Mail Accounts, and more. While many are minor, there’s no such thing as a security issue without a major one. If in doubt, iOS 17.7 is the way to go.

First Reactions

Very positive, in short. A user He said iOS 17.7 was “smooth as butter and cold as ice, even during the update.” The cold part, I guess, means that the iPhone doesn’t overheat like it does with some updates. Another one “A new version is almost always somewhere between beta and stable,” commented one about iOS 18. Many people were happy about iOS 18, saying things like, “18.0 is surprisingly stable on my 13 Pro Max, if that helps.”

Apple iOS 17.7 and iOS 18 First Verdict: Update

So far, everything looks pretty good, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on it next week. If you’re not sure about iOS 18, definitely go with iOS 17.7. iOS 18 features will be waiting for you when they’re ready. Please check back next Thursday.