iOS 18.6 Release Candidate Arrives: Bug Fixes and Security Updates Coming Soon
Okay, so while everyone's buzzing about iOS 26, don't forget there's still some action happening with iOS 18.6. I've been following Aaron Zollo, and he pointed out that Apple tweaked the iOS 18.6 Beta 4, reclassifying it as simply iOS 18.6. What that means is it's the Release Candidate version – basically, the final test version before the real deal.
This little label change pretty much confirms that we're getting the update sometime next week. Apple's already dropped the release notes, and it sounds like it's a smaller update focusing on the usual suspects: bug fixes and security improvements. For instance, there's a fix for an annoying glitch in the Photos app that was stopping people from sharing those memory movies. I know a lot of people love those, so that's a welcome fix!
Apple themselves said that "This update provides important bug fixes and security updates, and fixes an issue in Photos that could prevent memory movies from being shared," so it's a pretty standard update. As for my opinion, it's good to see Apple continue to support older versions, it means we can rely on their older products for longer, and it keeps them secure.
So, expect iOS 18.6 to hit your devices early next week. And if I were to guess, I'd say we'll probably see iOS 18.7 sometime in September with some extra security fixes. Basically, these are quality-of-life patches for those of us not quite ready to jump on board with the newest version.
And for those who are living in the future? As you know, the fourth developer beta of iOS 26 landed this week. The public beta is expected to go live very soon. If you're brave enough to try it out, it'll probably be available in the next few days!
Source: Mac Rumors