iOS 18.7.3: On Friday, December 12, Apple released its newest iPhone software called iOS 26.2. This was unusual because Apple normally releases updates on Monday or Tuesday. Many people thought Apple would be late this time, but it surprised users by releasing it on a Friday. While Apple pushed the new software fast, many iPhone users are still waiting for another update called iOS 18.7.3. Two days later, most people still cannot download it.
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When Apple launched iOS 26 in September, it also released an update for iOS 18. This helped people who did not want to move to the new software right away. Apple repeated this same idea with iOS 26.0.1 and iOS 26.1. Many users believed iOS 18.7.2 would be the final update for older software. Later, people learned Apple was still working on iOS 18.7.3.
At first, many thought iOS 18.7.3 would only work on phones that cannot run iOS 26. These phones include the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. But beta testers later shared that iOS 18.7.3 also runs on newer iPhones that support iOS 26, reported Forbes. This means users may get one last chance to stay on iOS 18 instead of moving forward.
Who can get iOS 18.7.3 right now?
Apple already released the final version of iOS 18.7.3, but only for three phones. These are the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. The update on those phones is small and weighs about 400MB. The update works well and installs like a normal release.
For users with iPhone 11 through iPhone 16 models, things are different. These users still cannot download iOS 18.7.3 unless they join the beta program. On newer phones, the public beta version of iOS 18.7.3 can be downloaded, but it is very large. On one device, it was around 7GB. Beta updates are often bigger because they include everything, not just small changes. The final public version should be much smaller.
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People with iPhone 17 models or iPhone Air do not face this problem. Those phones already come with iOS 26 installed, so they do not need to choose between versions.
Why some Users do not want iOS 26 yet?
Many users want to stay on iOS 18 for now. Some people do not like the new Liquid Glass design. Others say it is hard to read, especially users with low vision. Because of this, people want security updates without changing how their phone looks and feels.
Apple has not said exactly when iOS 18.7.3 will arrive for everyone. The last iOS 18 update came 72 hours after the newest iOS 26 update. Since iOS 26.2 is already out, iOS 18.7.3 could arrive in a few days.
Apple is still promoting its services during this time. One message reads, “Get the week’s biggest AI news on the buzziest companies and boldest breakthroughs, in your inbox.”
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