Apple recently released iOS 17.2.1 with a focus on fixing battery drain, but many users are finding the update has not improved matters or even made issues worse.
When iOS 17.2.1 rolled out last week, the release notes for Japan and China regions specifically mentioned “addresses an issue that can cause the battery to drain.” This led some to hope the surprise update would improve battery life.
However, US and international iOS users did not see any battery drain references in their iOS 17.2.1 release notes.
Early reaction posted on forums and social media has been mixed when it comes to battery impact. While some users claim better battery life post-update, others report faster drainage than ever before.
Complicating matters is the fact battery life depends on usage, device age, installed apps, settings, and other factors. Isolating the effect of an iOS update alone can prove challenging.
ConsideringApple has reached out to Apple for further comment on iOS 17.2.1 battery improvements but has not received a response.
This release came alongside iOS 17.3 beta testing, causing some confusion regarding which update handles battery fixes. iOS 17.3 remains in testing with developers and public beta users rather than being publicly released so far.
Have you installed iOS 17.2.1 on your iPhone? Let us know if you’ve seen better, worse, or unchanged iPhone battery life since updating. We’ll continue monitoring reports of battery issues across discussion platforms in case of any bigger trends emerging.