iOS 18.5 looks like a minor update, but the big changes are coming in iOS 19 alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake) | usagoldmines.com

• iOS 18.5 beta 3 has just been released to developers
• The small update most likely focuses on bug fixes
• All the big changes look to be coming in iOS 19 later in the summer

Apple has just released the third developer beta of iOS 18.5, and it comes with a few tweaks that could improve the Mail and Settings apps for you. But it’s a very lightweight update overall, and if you were expecting huge alterations, you might be left disappointed.

The first change can be found in the Settings app. There, the iOS 18.5 beta has added a more prominent AppleCare+ banner to the top of the page devoted to Apple’s warranty service. You can also find more information on AppleCare+ for each product registered in the Apple Account section of the Settings app, making Apple’s service easier to find.

The other new item to be found in the iOS 18.5 beta relates to the Mail app. In this instance, Apple has added a control to disable contact photos in your email inbox. This can be found by tapping the three-dot button in Mail’s top-right corner, then selecting the option to Show Contact Photos.

Previously, you had to dig around in Mail’s settings to find this control.

A minor update

It’s worth noting that these changes have been present in earlier iOS 18.5 betas, as we described earlier in April. Without any other prominent features being added to the latest iOS 18.5 beta 3 release, this suggests that the latest update might instead focus on behind-the-scenes bug fixes and performance improvements.

We don’t know when exactly iOS 18.5 will launch out of beta, but we do know that iOS 18.4.1 is available to the general public.

This update focuses on bug fixes, with solutions for a range of problems coming as part of the release. That includes a fix for a CarPlay bug that rendered many people’s in-car entertainment inoperable or difficult to use.

Looking further ahead, Apple is set to announce iOS 19 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9. That update is rumored to come with a wide-ranging design overhaul and a slate of interesting new features, which are likely taking up a lot of development time at Apple.

If that’s the case, the lack of major updates in iOS 18.5 makes a lot more sense, and could be a sign that more substanbtial updates are on the way.

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