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What to Expect From iOS 18.2.1, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple plans to release at least three iOS versions before the end of April, including iOS 18.2.1, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4.

iOS-18-on-iPhone-Arrow-Down.jpg

Below, we outline what to expect from each of these updates.

iOS 18.2.1

Update: Apple has released iOS 18.2.1 with "important bug fixes."

Last month, we reported that Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.2.1, which is expected to have a build number of 22C161. The software update's presence in our analytics logs continues to ramp up, so it could be released as early as this week.

iOS-18.2.1-Feature.jpg

iOS 18.2.1 will be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or addresses security vulnerabilities, but it is unclear which specific issues might be resolved.

There are no developer or public betas for minor updates like iOS 18.2.1.

iOS 18.3

iOS 18.3 has been in beta for developers and public beta testers since mid-December, and so far it is shaping up to be another minor update.

Generic-iOS-18.3-Feature-Real-Mock.jpg

The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature, according to new lines of code added in the iOS 18.3 beta, but it is unclear if it will be available by time iOS 18.3 is released to the public.

When available, this feature will allow you to control key functions of your robot vacuum in the Home app, and with Siri voice commands.

Roomba-and-HomeKit-Feature.jpg

Here is how Apple describes the feature:
The Home app now supports the core functionality of robot vacuum cleaners, such as power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status. They can also participate in automations and scenes, and respond to Siri requests. So you can add them to your cleaning routines — or tell Siri to do some spot cleaning in the living room.
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Beyond that, iOS 18.3 only has very minor change so far, such as a slightly tweaked Image Playground icon and bug fixes.

Apple has only seeded one beta of iOS 18.3 so far, so additional new features and changes could be added in later betas. However, it is typical for Apple software updates that are in beta testing during the holiday season to be minor, as Apple's software engineers are off from work for many days and critical issues need to be avoided.

iOS 18.3 will likely be released in late January or early February.

iOS 18.4

Things will finally get more interesting again with iOS 18.4, which is expected to include several new Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri.

Generic-iOS-18.4-Feature.jpg

Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.4 for many months, and the update should be a big one. On the iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, Siri is expected to gain several new capabilities, including on-screen awareness, deeper per-app controls, and better understanding of personal context. However, a truly conversational ChatGPT-like version of Siri is not expected to launch until iOS 19.4 in March or April of 2026.

To learn more, read our article titled Here's What's Changing With Siri in 2025.

Over the next year or so, Apple Intelligence will eventually be available in additional languages, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others. Support for some of these languages could be added starting with iOS 18.4.

Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.

Article Link: What to Expect From iOS 18.2.1, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/01/06/what-to-expect-from-upcoming-ios-18-updates/
Last edited:
F-B-Z said:
"Control key functions of your robot vacuum in the Home app, and with Siri voice commands."

What a time to be alive.
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Love the sarcasm. I’m still in love with the summarisation of notifications. Absolutely adore them.


Who wants to make the headlines now? Haha

You’ll be put thru hell ha
 
I hope it will allow us to tell the robot to go back to its homebase. So often mine just dies before it goes back to the charger. I have had two iRobot, vacuum, cleaners, and not been impressed with either of them. I wonder who makes the best one. My iRobot is in the 900 series it still does it clean all that well not go home to charge.
 
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What happened to iMessage over satellite for the U.K.?

I could have sworn that was down to be added in 18.2 when 18 came out.
 
iOS 18.2has been a total letdown to me. Freezes, screen unresponsive and lost photo’s and videos. I hope the next beta will fix this.
 
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MacRumors said:
Over the next year or so, Apple Intelligence will eventually be available in additional languages, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others. Support for some of these languages could be added starting with iOS 18.4.
Click to expand...
Won’t you happen to mean “during this year (2025)”?
 
sw1tcher said:
Want an iOS 18.x release that addresses bugs and stability, not new features. Until then I'm sticking with 17.7.2.
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I made the error of upgrading to iOS 18 and now 18.2. Is there a way to downgrade back to iOS 17.7.2? iOS 18 is by far the most buggy experience I’ve ever had with iOS.
 
  • Wow
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sw1tcher said:
Want an iOS 18.x release that addresses bugs and stability, not new features. Until then I'm sticking with 17.7.2.
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^This, exactly! 👍
HJM.NL said:
I made the error of upgrading to iOS 18 and now 18.2. Is there a way to downgrade back to iOS 17.7.2? iOS 18 is by far the most buggy experience I’ve ever had with iOS.
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Not possible anymore, no iOS 17 is signed, only for iPads not capable of iOS 18... :(
 
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sw1tcher said:
Want an iOS 18.x release that addresses bugs and stability, not new features. Until then I'm sticking with 17.7.2.
Click to expand...
HJM.NL said:
I made the error of upgrading to iOS 18 and now 18.2. Is there a way to downgrade back to iOS 17.7.2? iOS 18 is by far the most buggy experience I’ve ever had with iOS.
Click to expand...
Been using 18.1 for a while, and it works fine on my SE3 and M2 iPad Pro, tbh
 
I've been really disappointed with iOS 18. It is very janky on my iPhone 13. It has been a major performance downgrade from iOS 17.
 
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Any idea if they're adding hot water to Home at some point? My Tado heating and room thermostat work fine in Apple Home. But I have to use the Tado app to schedule the hot water tank to be heated for an hour every day as I gather Home doesn't support hot water (at least without switch fudges via a raspberry pi running smarthings or something).

Apparently I gather most countries have combi boilers that just do hot water on demand. Here in the UK lots of people have Y-systems, where they have a hot water storage tank that just gets heated for a bit on a separate schedule.
 
already having the release of 18.2.1 would be useful now: the question is when? I thought already today, but I fear that is no longer the case!
 
HJM.NL said:
iOS 18.2has been a total letdown to me. Freezes, screen unresponsive and lost photo’s and videos. I hope the next beta will fix this.
Click to expand...
Total letdown for you only it would appear.. What makes you think this is common and widespread? Have you performed any troubleshooting at all? Why extrapolate your experience as the norm rather than the exception? Why would another update fix your problems.

iOS 18.2 has not frozen once for me. iOS 18.2 is very screen responsive for me. I have not lost any photos or videos.
 
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