If you are wondering how iOS 16 and iOS 17 compare read iOS 16 vs iOS 17: Why the next iPhone update is bigger than it seems. Another reason to hold off updating straight away is that it can be wise to wait a week or so until Apple issues iOS 17.1, which is usually a fix for any bugs that arrive with the first iteration. This means the process can take a lot longer and be more frustrating than it would otherwise be.
First, on the day a major iOS update arrives, Apple’s servers can become overloaded. There are a few reasons why you might want to wait a little longer. Once iOS 17 is available you may want to quickly install it. The further into the testing process, the less risky it becomes to install the beta, but the beta process continues after the full version so if you want to avoid downloading buggy betas as Apple continues testing new features it’s worth removing yourself from the beta testing. We explain how you can do that in How to install the iOS beta on your iPhone. Those who couldn’t wait until that date were able to join the Public Beta program and install iOS 17 as early as June (or July for the Public Beta).