This past Monday, September 18, 2023, Apple released version 17 of iOS and iPadOS, along with upgraded versions of tvOS and watchOS.
At the time of release, Information Systems & Computing (ISC) suggested that all University users considering upgrading their devices to iOS/iPadOS 17 adopt a “wait and see” approach and continue to use earlier versions of iOS and iPadOS for at least a few days following these releases. This short wait allowed time for any initial bugs and compatibility issues in iOS/iPadOS 17 to be identified and either fixed or avoided.
At this time, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are cleared for general use by Penn constituents. ISC recommends that those with niche needs of untested apps or features continue to exercise caution in updating their iOS and iPadOS devices. iOS 17 is available for the iPhone 11 and above, along with the iPhone SE (2nd generation and above). iPadOS 17 is available for the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation and later), the iPad Pro 10.5-inch, the iPad Pro 11-inch, the iPad Air (3rd generation and later), the iPad (6th generation and later), and the iPad mini (5th generation and later).
ISC and other Penn constituents have tested iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 extensively. They have not discovered any compatibility issues with various Penn systems and many current University apps, including the apps and services listed here:
Duo Mobile
PennO365 and associated apps (including Teams)
Gmail
PennBox
Dropbox
Zoom
Slack
PennFlex Phone (Webex)
Penn Mobile
Canvas
LinkedIn Learning
Workday
AirPennNet
University Client VPN (GlobalProtect)
The iOS/iPadOS 17 upgrade should not affect any data on the device being upgraded. Still, as with any operating system change, ISC strongly recommends performing a backup before upgrading. ISC also recommends connecting devices to a power source for the duration of the upgrade process, which generally ranges from 30 to 50 minutes. Lastly, ISC recommends updating all apps via the App Store before upgrading to iOS/iPadOS 17.