iOS 17.1 to Launch by October 24 According to the French Authority that Leaked the Date

Apple’s upcoming iOS 17.1 update for compatible iPhone models will be released to the public by October 24, according to the French regulatory group ANFR (via iPhoneSoft). This likely means that iPadOS 17.1 for the iPad will also be released simultaneously.

ANFR shared the release date on its website in an update about Apple’s plans to address the iPhone 12’s radiation levels. The updates will bring the handsets into compliance with European electromagnetic radiation standards.

“Apple has committed to deploy an update in France,” says a translation of the update, which was published in French. “This fix will be available to all users no later than October 24.”

Apple earlier this week said in a support document that its upcoming iOS 17.1 software update will lower iPhone 12 radiation levels.

French regulators in September ordered Apple to stop selling the 2020 iPhone 12 and provide a “fix” to bring the handsets into compliance with European electromagnetic radiation standards.

The order came after the ANFR found that the iPhone 12’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) came in at 5.74 watts per kilogram, which is above the limit permitted by the European Union.

However, even though Apple says that it is turning off the feature, the country’s Agence Française Nationale des Fréquences or ANFR regulatory group made an error when performing its radiation tests.

According to Apple, the ANFR used a testing protocol that did not account for the off-body detection mechanism in the iPhone. Apple says the iPhone 12 is safe to use “and always has been.”

For more than a decade, iPhones have had an off-body detection feature that allows for slightly higher transmit power when you set the phone down, for example, on a table. This has been thoroughly tested and verified internationally to be an effective mechanism to comply with SAR requirements. The slightly higher power is not applicable to SAR compliance since the phone is on the table, not on your body.

The ANFR was using a testing protocol that does not account for this off-body detection mechanism, thereby not allowing a slight increase in power when it is appropriate. So for users in France, we have released a software update that turns off this feature to accommodate this test protocol.

The iPhone 12 will no longer increase the allowed power when an off-body state is detected, such as while it is sitting on a table or a shelf. This means that in low cellular signal coverage areas, this may result in slightly lower cellular performance in certain off-body use cases. Apple says the majority of users likely will not notice an impact.

In addition to the iPhone 12 fix, the iOS 17.1 update brings other changes, including internet support for AirDrop, new options to see balances in the Wallet app, support for favorites in Apple Music, updates for the Books app, support for the Nintendo Switch N64 Controller. changes for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max Action Button, and more.