Luckily, at the moment, it seems not a lot of users are experiencing the issue, but just a small number. According to reports, the iPhone 17 intermittently drops its Wi-Fi connection.
On top of that, people's reports are at times rather confusing about exactly what happens. One common thing in all the reports is that Wi-Fi, and sometimes Bluetooth, drops when an iPhone 17 is either locked or unlocked. According to some users, the connection then resets after a few seconds.
This could also make AirPlay unusable for some people, while other people report CarPlay not working properly either.
Image Credit - Apple
Multiple users claim that the issue comes only when they are wearing an Apple Watch, so the timepiece could potentially be related to the bug as well. For some people, locking the Apple Watch or taking it off fixes things.
But there's not one Apple Watch model reported to be causing the issue, so it's not in the Apple Watch model.
The issue seems to affect the base iPhone 17, but there are some reports for the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro Max as well.
iPhone 17 is far from perfect
Earlier, there was another issue reported with the iPhone 17 as well, the dropping of cellular connectivity. Coupled with this issue and a strange bug with some photos, it seems the iPhone 17 isn't free from bugs at this early stage.
Of course, this happens with every new release and not just with Apple devices, so there are no surprises here (which, I'd dare to say, is not ideal in terms of user experience).
Have you had Wi-Fi issues with your iPhone?
Yes, on the iPhone 17
0%
Yes, on an older iPhone
0%
No, never had such issues
0%
I don’t use iPhones
100%
Luckily, though, at least when it comes to the Wi-Fi issue, some users have reported it and been told it's escalated to Apple's engineers. Also, some people report the issue is not observed with iOS 26.1 (which is currently in developer beta), so maybe the fix is going to come soon.
Another reassuring thing is that the issue doesn't seem to be affecting every single user with CarPlay, an iPhone 17, and an Apple Watch, so it seems unlikely that we're talking about a hardware issue here. Software issues are the ones that can be fixed by software updates, while hardware issues are more problematic, so this is good news, generally.
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Bugs are inevitable with a new release
I find it rather annoying that you buy a brand-new iPhone, and it has issues. Or any phone, for that matter. However, I can understand that software and hardware are tough to build, and also, perfection doesn't exist.
At least, we're not talking about huge bugs or a huge number of users experiencing it here, so that's reassuring. Nevertheless, I do hope that Apple fixes these small inconveniences quickly. I've also seen some bugs with iOS 26 on my older iPhone (the 13 Pro Max), but they are minor and will likely go away with the next software release.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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