A number of iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users have taken to Reddit and various support forums to express their frustrations regarding Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity issues. This has also resulted in stability challenges with CarPlay for some users. Here’s the current information we have.
On Reddit, those affected report that their iPhone 17 disconnects from Wi-Fi temporarily and then reconnects immediately upon unlocking their device or viewing the Lock Screen. These users also mention connectivity troubles with CarPlay, which depends on a Wi-Fi link, such as sluggish performance and audio interruptions.
The connectivity issues also affect Bluetooth for some iPhone users, who indicate they are dealing with sporadic connectivity issues with their AirPods and other devices.
While numerous complaints about this issue are visible on Reddit and other platforms, it’s challenging to determine the exact extent of the problem considering the vast iPhone user population.
“This is the entire WiFi crashing.. it doesn’t matter which network, or even if you’re linked to a network, it still drops. It’s just that if you’re not connected to a network, you won’t notice the drop. However, if you delve into settings and replicate the issue, you’ll observe that the WiFi goes to ‘off’ for a brief moment, then reconnects.”
Interestingly, many iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users claim that these issues arise only when they are wearing an Apple Watch.
“I am facing the identical issue when the watch is on my wrist and unlocked. It also impacts wireless CarPlay. When the watch is worn, and I unlock my iPhone, CarPlay disconnects and reconnects. This makes sense as wireless CarPlay is also reliant on Wi-Fi. I also possess a Vision Pro, and interestingly, when I unlock that with my iPhone close by, it also disconnects the Wi-Fi.”
The issue seems to be related to software rather than a hardware defect in the new iPhone 17 models. All four newly launched iPhone versions incorporate Apple’s new N1 wireless connectivity chip, but this can be resolved through software and is not indicative of any hardware issue. Initial reports suggest that performance improves significantly with iOS 26.1, which began beta testing with developers earlier this week.
“I upgraded just my iPhone to the 26.1 B1. It’s only been 20 minutes, but under the same conditions that led to my WiFi and Bluetooth being switched off and on, it has not occurred. This suggests that Apple, either on purpose or by accident, resolved the problem. It also indicates that this is very likely a software issue that can be fixed.”
“I have now also updated my watch to 26.1 B1. Still cannot replicate the issue. Furthermore, I utilize the ‘unlock with iPhone’ feature. Everything functioned well! Additionally, my AirPods aren’t disconnecting and Bluetooth performance has been stable.”
Apple is also anticipated to soon release iOS 26.0.1 with bug fixes for iPhone users. Ideally, this update will resolve the Wi-Fi connectivity issues for iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users.
Have you encountered any issues with your iPhone 17 or iPhone Air? In all my evaluations of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air series, I haven’t succeeded in reproducing any of these issues. Share your experiences in the comments.
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