After the so-called “scratchgate” controversy, some iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users are now reporting problems with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Complaints have surfaced across Reddit threads, Apple’s own support forums, and other online communities, raising concerns about how the issue is impacting daily use, including CarPlay stability and AirPods pairing.
Issue at hand
Affected users say their iPhone 17 disconnects from Wi-Fi for a brief moment every time they unlock the device or access the Lock Screen, before reconnecting automatically. While the interruption may only last a second, it has knock-on effects. Wireless CarPlay, which relies on Wi-Fi, is reportedly suffering from audio skips, laggy responsiveness, and even complete disconnections in some cases.
Bluetooth is also said to be unstable for certain owners, with AirPods and other accessories dropping out intermittently. Some even claim the problem extends to Vision Pro unlocking, suggesting it could be tied to Apple’s new N1 wireless chip used across the iPhone 17 line-up.
Apple Watch Link
Interestingly, a number of reports suggest that the issue only occurs when users are wearing an Apple Watch. One iPhone 17 owner wrote:
“When the watch is on my wrist and unlocked, Wi-Fi drops the second I unlock my iPhone. CarPlay disconnects and reconnects. Makes sense because CarPlay is Wi-Fi based.”
This connection between iPhone, Apple Watch, and CarPlay points to a software-level conflict rather than a fundamental hardware flaw.
Software Fix in Sight
Encouragingly, users testing the iOS 26.1 beta say the problem appears to have been resolved. Early adopters report no Wi-Fi drops or Bluetooth interruptions under the same conditions that previously caused trouble. Updating the Apple Watch to watchOS 26.1 beta also seems to improve stability across both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.0.1 imminently, with bug fixes aimed at the new iPhone models. If the beta findings hold true, the update should resolve most, if not all, of the reported connectivity issues.
How Widespread Is It?
Despite growing visibility online, it’s unclear how many users are actually affected. Considering the millions of iPhone 17 series devices sold since launch, the reports may represent only a small fraction of the user base. In our own testing of both the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, we were unable to reproduce the connectivity problems.
For now, the issue seems to be limited but real, with Apple moving swiftly towards a fix. iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users should keep an eye out for the next software update, which may finally put the problem to rest.
