With iOS 18 in testing, iPhone users are curious about the official release later this year. Here’s what we know and what we think we know.
iOS 18 is coming to all iOS 17-powered iPhones which means older devices like the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR will move to the operating system later this year.
iPhone users who don’t want to wait for the official release can try iOS 18 for free via Apple’s beta programs though most users should stay put on iOS 17.
The iOS 18 beta will stretch into the late summer/early fall while Apple and an army of beta testers poke and prod it for bugs and performance issues.
We don’t how many versions of the beta we’ll see Apple release, but we may see six or more iterations arrive before Apple’s ready to push the operating system live.
So when will Apple push iOS 18 to millions of iPhone users around the globe? Let’s dive in.
iOS 18 Release Window
When Apple confirmed iOS 18 during WWDC, it confirmed the operating system’s release window.
Apple says iOS 18 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone XS and later. Unsurprisingly, the company didn’t confirm an official release date.
iOS 18 Release Date
Apple typically pushes new iOS operating systems to iPhone in September and that’s what you should expect from the iOS 18 release date right now.
If history repeats itself, Apple will confirm the iOS 18 release date during its annual iPhone launch event. We’ve gone into detail about this year’s event but here’s what you need to know.
The 2024 iPhone, presumably called iPhone 16, should launch in September. Apple typically holds its events on Monday or Tuesday which means the most likely dates for the iPhone 16 announcement are as follows:
- Monday, September 9th
- Tuesday, September 10th
- Monday, September 16th
- Tuesday, September 17th
If Apple uses one of those dates, the iPhone 16 release date would land on one of two dates:
- Friday, September 20th
- Friday, September 27th
This is important because the iPhone release date sets the stage for the iOS release date. iOS software always rolls out shortly before the new iPhone models arrive in stores.
With that in mind, iOS 18 may roll out to compatible iPhone models on September 16th/17th or September 23rd/24th.
iOS 18 Release Time
Apple may not confirm a specific iOS 18 release time during the iPhone event, but the company almost always releases its software updates around 10AM Pacific.
This means if you live in London, England you should see the iOS 18 update emerge around 6PM in the evening.
If you live in Melbourne, Australia, you’ll likely need to stay up late or wake up early if you want to install iOS 18 right when it’s released.
