Picture this: You're scrolling through your iPhone settings when suddenly a notification pops up—iOS 18.6.2 is ready to install. Sound familiar? If recent patterns hold true, that scenario might play out sooner than you think. Having tracked Apple's update patterns through 50+ releases over six years, I can tell you the company moves fast when user-facing issues surface. Apple released iOS 18.6 on July 29, 2025, addressing critical security vulnerabilities and system stability issues. But here's what makes iOS 18.6.2 likely imminent: Apple's development timeline shows they're testing versions months ahead of release, creating a pipeline that enables rapid-fire fixes when RC feedback reveals edge cases. Here's the thing: Apple's already been internally testing iOS 18.5 since February, demonstrating their forward-thinking development cycle. The iOS 18.6 RC was released on July 21, 2025, with build number 22G84, and while user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive about...more
