Apple iOS 10.3 Is Coming; iPhone Users Advised To Back Up Their Device Before Taking Action By Eamon J Jawatin | Mar 22, 2017 03:18 AM EDT The new iOS 10.3 seems to be just around the corner and will arrive in your iPhones very soon. The rumor emerged after the Apple online store scheduled for maintenance, topped with the abrupt release of the seventh beta version. The maintenance, which is scheduled on March 21 at 3.00 PM, was detected from the Apple's system status. It was seen as hints on the new software by Apple enthusiasts, who claimed that the new operating system will roll out in the next few days. Apple has just released the seventh beta version of iOS 10.3 last March 16. It was unusual since the company has just released the sixth version 3 days earlier before the seventh. iPhone users are encouraged to have a complete backup of prior to upgrading to the new iOS 10.3. According to ArsTechnica, when updating to iOS 10.3, the iOS device will update its file system to Apple File System (APFS). The process will preserve existing data on the device, however, it is wise to perform a backup as a precaution measure. The APFS is a new file system introduced by the tech giant to replace its 29-year-old predecessor which is known as HFS+. As the transition involves two separate systems that are not compatible with each other, it could cause the data stored in your device to be deleted automatically. While it is possible to return back to the old version of iOS, this process would require a clean format - which also resulted in the loss of data. Therefore, unless if you do not care about the stored data inside your iPhone, creating a backup could free you from the risk of having precious files to vanish during the installation process. It might sound risky, but Apple File System promises to be a huge improvement on the predecessor which the tech giant has been using its introduction in 1998, explained news.com.au. The update will feature a stronger encryption, more accurate time stamps and optimization for solid state storage and will be better suited to modern computing demands.