The all-important iOS 18.2 software update for iPhone is set to launch on December 9, based on an apparent blunder by a UK carrier.
Officially, Apple has only announced that iOS 18.2 will be deployed in December. But a further clue was provided earlier this month when EE sent a notice to customers stating that its shared number service would no longer be available on MacBooks and iPads starting December 9. As MacRumors notes, this is a change that should take effect with the launch of iOS. 18.2, as the second developer beta of the update contains a new version of EE Operator Settings that removes the toggle related to this feature.
This in itself doesn’t seem entirely conclusive, but the date makes sense in other ways as well. It’s a Monday, when iOS updates are often released, and the update is released ahead of the holiday season. And the Monday before that is Cyber Monday, which probably won’t feature as big a release. So unless Apple responds to the “leak” by changing its plans, there’s a good chance this is the right date.
And the launch of iOS 18.2 is a big deal. One of the criticisms of Apple’s fall 2024 release cycle was that important features weren’t available when the new iPhones went on sale. Apple Intelligence didn’t appear at all until iOS 18.1, while many of its features were retained until iOS 18.2. The update is expected to add visual intelligence, Genmoji and other AI-based image generations, ChatGPT integration, support for localized English in the UK, Canada and Australia, and much more.
Read our guide to deploying Apple Intelligence for more details on the new features coming soon.
