Apple Has a Final iPhone Update Before iOS 26
Since WWDC 2025 in early June, the technological community has repaired its attention on iOS 26. It is logical: like all major software updates, the new operating system will be shipped with major features and changes, but this year’s modifications are more important than most, including the overhaul of Apple liquid glass. But despite the Hoopla, iOS 26 is not the next update to come on your iPhone (unless you install the beta version, of course).
But even if Apple finalizes his large falling upgrade, he later worked on a much smaller update that you will probably see before iOS 26 strikes your device: iOS 18.6.
Unlike iOS 26, iOS 18.6 will not change much on your global iPhone experience. This is to be expected: this is the sixth major update of iOS 18, so there are only features of it is an apple to add. In fact, the only new feature to ship with iOS 18.6 applies exclusively to EU users. These users will find an updated experience when downloading applications and application markets from the web. (EU’s law has forced Apple to allow this process of “release”, while those of us outside Europe are still locked in the Apple App Store.)
Instead of large swings, iOS 18.6 seems to be a question of stability. Apple seems to focus on crushing bugs and existing problems that have not been treated since iOS 18.5, the current version of iPhone software.
How to try iOS 18.6 early
From this room, iOS 18.6 is on its third beta version. As such, it is not clear when Apple plans to officially publish the update, but it will probably arrive before fall, when the company plans to ship iOS 26 to the general public.
What do you think so far?
You can try iOS 18.6 now, if you wish, although know that you will probably not notice anything new. If you register your Apple account with the Apple beta program, you will see the beta iOS 18.6 version Settings> General> Software update> Beta updates. Just know that, as it is a beta version, you will perform the risk that the software will contain bugs and problems, even if this update is intended to crush them.
The real beta version on which to concentrate, of course, is iOS 26. Apple should publish the first public beta for this update next week, and when they will, you will see this update alongside the beta iOS 18.6 version.
