iOS 17 could be the update iPhone fans have been waiting for

While we'll have to wait until September to find out what the next generation of iPhone will look like from a hardware perspective, software is a different story. iOS 17 will likely be revealed at this year's WWDC conference in June – but we might already have an idea what to expect.

Seasoned Apple leaker Mark Gurman has shed some light on what kind of update we can expect in 2023, with Apple apparently focussing on some of the "most requested features". (Looking for new gear? Check out the best iPhone 14 deals available now.)

While previous iOS updates have included a headline new feature, such as iOS 16's customisable lock screen or iOS 14's widgets, Gurman says iOS 17 will focus more on smaller, often requested tweaks. "When Apple set out to develop iOS 17," he shares in his Power On newsletter, "the initial thinking was to call it a tuneup release — one focused more on fixing bugs and improving performance than adding new features . The hope was to avoid the problems of iOS 16, an ambitious update that suffered from missed deadlines and a buggy start. But later in the development process, the strategy changed. The iOS 17 release is now expected to boast several "nice to have" features, even if it lacks a tentpole improvement like last year's revamped lock screen."

It isn't clear what these features will be, but Twitter users have a few ideas, from increased Dynamic Island functionality to more customisable homes creen icons. But perhaps the most exciting glimpse of what could be on the horizon comes from concept artist Parker Ortolani, whose iOS 17 concept includes more lock screen personalisation options, notification integration with Dynamic Island and Live Activities on the home screen.

Time will tell what Apple is planning for the iPhone in 2023. In the meantime, check out our roundup of the most exciting iPhone 15 rumours, and take a look at today's best iPhone 14 Pro deals below.

Read more:

• Apple may have gone too far with the iPhone 15 Pro design ...
• iPhone 15 haptic button rumour won't go away (but we wish it would)
• If this really is the iPhone 15 design, I'm sold