Overview

• Reports describe Wi‑Fi—and occasionally Bluetooth—briefly toggling off when the phone is unlocked or the Lock Screen is viewed, disrupting wireless CarPlay and AirPlay.
• Many affected owners see the problem only when wearing an unlocked Apple Watch, and locking or removing the watch often prevents the drops.
• Testers and multiple outlets say the iOS 26.1 developer beta largely stops the disconnects on iPhone 17 models, pointing to a software cause rather than a flaw in the new N1 wireless chip.
• Apple has not publicly commented on the bug, though users report that Apple Support has escalated cases to engineering.
• Suggested workarounds include using wired CarPlay, rebooting or resetting network settings, and temporarily disabling Bluetooth or Unlock with Apple Watch, while the prevalence remains unclear and separate cellular‑signal complaints are being tracked.