
iOS 18.6 Beta 3: Everything You Need to Know
Watch this video on YouTube. Compatibility and Update Overview
iOS 18.6 Beta 3 is compatible with all devices running iOS 18, making sure a seamless upgrade path for users already on this operating system. The update is relatively compact, with a download size of 872.4 MB on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it carries the build number 22G5073B. By installing this update, users can keep their devices current with the latest features, bug fixes, and performance enhancements.
For those enrolled in the beta program, the update can be accessed through the Software Update section in the Settings app. Apple continues to prioritize accessibility and ease of installation, making sure that even beta versions are straightforward to download and install. Notable Features and Changes
This beta introduces a range of updates aimed at improving the overall user experience. Key highlights include: Modem Firmware Update: The updated modem firmware enhances network connectivity, offering faster and more reliable communication. This improvement is particularly beneficial for users in areas with inconsistent network coverage.
The updated modem firmware enhances network connectivity, offering faster and more reliable communication. This improvement is particularly beneficial for users in areas with inconsistent network coverage. Third-Party App Store Integration: In compliance with European Union regulations, Apple has streamlined the process for installing third-party app stores. This marks a significant shift in Apple's ecosystem, providing users with greater flexibility while maintaining security standards.
In compliance with European Union regulations, Apple has streamlined the process for installing third-party app stores. This marks a significant shift in Apple's ecosystem, providing users with greater flexibility while maintaining security standards. Enhanced AirTags Tracking: Updates to AirTags improve tracking accuracy and extend battery life, making them more dependable for locating personal items such as keys, wallets, or luggage.
Updates to AirTags improve tracking accuracy and extend battery life, making them more dependable for locating personal items such as keys, wallets, or luggage. Apple Car Key 4.0: The latest version of Apple Car Key introduces faster and more efficient access to compatible vehicles, enhancing convenience for users who rely on this feature for their daily commutes.
While these updates are noteworthy, the rollout of Apple Intelligence in China remains incomplete. However, this beta lays the groundwork for future AI-driven features, underscoring Apple's commitment to expanding its global capabilities and adapting to regional requirements. Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
System stability and performance optimization are central to iOS 18.6 Beta 3. Users can expect smoother animations, reduced micro-stutters, and an overall more responsive experience, particularly on newer devices. Despite these improvements, some issues persist: Wallpaper Dimming Bug: Although this issue has been mitigated in the current beta, it has not been fully resolved. Users may still notice occasional dimming of wallpapers under specific conditions.
Although this issue has been mitigated in the current beta, it has not been fully resolved. Users may still notice occasional dimming of wallpapers under specific conditions. HealthKit Workaround: A known issue affecting HealthKit functionality has been documented. Apple has provided a temporary workaround for users encountering this problem, making sure minimal disruption to health tracking features.
These refinements contribute to a more polished experience, making the update a valuable addition for developers and early adopters participating in the beta program. Battery Performance and Benchmark Results
Battery optimization remains a key focus in iOS 18.6 Beta 3. Users have reported screen-on times ranging from 9 to 11 hours, reflecting solid battery performance across various use cases. This improvement is particularly noticeable during resource-intensive tasks such as gaming or video streaming.
Benchmark results for the iPhone 16 Pro Max further highlight the system's efficiency. The device achieves scores of 3515 (single-core) and 8635 (multi-core), showcasing enhanced power management and processing capabilities. These metrics indicate that Apple continues to prioritize both performance and energy efficiency in its software updates. What's Next?
Looking ahead, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.6 Beta 4 in the coming weeks, with a public rollout of iOS 18.6 anticipated by the end of July 2025. This timeline aligns with Apple's consistent update schedule, making sure users receive timely enhancements and fixes.
Additionally, the iOS 26 public beta is on the horizon, with a full release projected for mid-September. This upcoming version is expected to introduce a host of new features and improvements, offering a glimpse into Apple's long-term vision for its operating systems. Developers and enthusiasts alike can look forward to exploring these advancements as Apple continues to innovate and refine its ecosystem.
Expand your understanding of iOS 18.6 Beta 3 with additional resources from our extensive library of articles.
Source & Image Credit: Zollotech Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Using Generative AI for therapy might feel like a lifeline – but there's danger in seeking certainty in a chatbot
Tran* sat across from me, phone in hand, scrolling. 'I just wanted to make sure I didn't say the wrong thing,' he explained, referring to a recent disagreement with his partner. 'So I asked ChatGPT what I should say.' He read the chatbot-generated message aloud. It was articulate, logical and composed – almost too composed. It didn't sound like Tran. And it definitely didn't sound like someone in the middle of a complex, emotional conversation about the future of a long-term relationship. It also did not mention anywhere some of Tran's contributing behaviours to the relationship strain that Tran and I had been discussing. Like many others I've seen in therapy recently, Tran had turned to AI in a moment of crisis. Under immense pressure at work and facing uncertainty in his relationship, he'd downloaded ChatGPT on his phone 'just to try it out'. What began as a curiosity soon became a daily habit, asking questions, drafting texts, and even seeking reassurance about his own feelings. The more Tran used it, the more he began to second-guess himself in social situations, turning to the model for guidance before responding to colleagues or loved ones. He felt strangely comforted, like 'no one knew me better'. His partner, on the other hand, began to feel like she was talking to someone else entirely. ChatGPT and other generative AI models present a tempting accessory, or even alternative, to traditional therapy. They're often free, available 24/7 and can offer customised, detailed responses in real time. When you're overwhelmed, sleepless and desperate to make sense of a messy situation, typing a few sentences into a chatbot and getting back what feels like sage advice can be very appealing. But as a psychologist, I'm growing increasingly concerned about what I'm seeing in the clinic; a silent shift in how people are processing distress and a growing reliance on artificial intelligence in place of human connection and therapeutic support. AI might feel like a lifeline when services are overstretched – and make no mistake, services are overstretched. Globally, in 2019 one in eight people were living with a mental illness and we face a dire shortage of trained mental health professionals. In Australia, there has been a growing mental health workforce shortage that is impacting access to trained professionals. Clinician time is one of the scarcest resources in healthcare. It's understandable (even expected) that people are looking for alternatives. Turning to a chatbot for emotional support isn't without risk however, especially when the lines between advice, reassurance and emotional dependence become blurred. Many psychologists, myself included, now encourage clients to build boundaries around their use of ChatGPT and similar tools. Its seductive 'always-on' availability and friendly tone can unintentionally reinforce unhelpful behaviours, especially for people with anxiety, OCD or trauma-related issues. Reassurance-seeking, for example, is a key feature in OCD and ChatGPT, by design, provides reassurance in abundance. It never asks why you're asking again. It never challenges avoidance. It never says, 'let's sit with this feeling for a moment, and practice the skills we have been working on'. Tran often reworded prompts until the model gave him an answer that 'felt right'. But this constant tailoring meant he wasn't just seeking clarity; he was outsourcing emotional processing. Instead of learning to tolerate distress or explore nuance, he sought AI-generated certainty. Over time, that made it harder for him to trust his own instincts. Beyond psychological concerns, there are real ethical issues. Information shared with ChatGPT isn't protected by the same confidentiality standards as registered Ahpra professionals. Although OpenAI states that data from users is not used to train its models unless permission is given, the sheer volume of fine print in user agreements often goes unread. Users may not realise how their inputs can be stored, analysed and potentially reused. There's also the risk of harmful or false information. These large language models are autoregressive; they predict the next word based on previous patterns. This probabilistic process can lead to 'hallucinations', confident, polished answers that are completely untrue. AI also reflects the biases embedded in its training data. Research shows that generative models can perpetuate and even amplify gender, racial and disability-based stereotypes – not intentionally, but unavoidably. Human therapists also possess clinical skills; we notice when a client's voice trembles, or when their silence might say more than words. This isn't to say AI can't have a place. Like many technological advancements before it, generative AI is here to stay. It may offer useful summaries, psycho-educational content or even support in regions where access to mental health professionals is severely limited. But it must be used carefully, and never as a replacement for relational, regulated care. Tran wasn't wrong to seek help. His instincts to make sense of distress and to communicate more thoughtfully were logical. However, leaning so heavily on to AI meant that his skill development suffered. His partner began noticing a strange detachment in his messages. 'It just didn't sound like you', she later told him. It turned out: it wasn't. She also became frustrated about the lack of accountability in his correspondence to her and this caused more relational friction and communication issues between them. As Tran and I worked together in therapy, we explored what led him to seek certainty in a chatbot. We unpacked his fears of disappointing others, his discomfort with emotional conflict and his belief that perfect words might prevent pain. Over time, he began writing his own responses, sometimes messy, sometimes unsure, but authentically his. Good therapy is relational. It thrives on imperfection, nuance and slow discovery. It involves pattern recognition, accountability and the kind of discomfort that leads to lasting change. A therapist doesn't just answer; they ask and they challenge. They hold space, offer reflection and walk with you, while also offering up an uncomfortable mirror. For Tran, the shift wasn't just about limiting his use of ChatGPT; it was about reclaiming his own voice. In the end, he didn't need a perfect response. He needed to believe that he could navigate life's messiness with curiosity, courage and care – not perfect scripts. Name and identifying details changed to protect client confidentiality Carly Dober is a psychologist living and working in Naarm/Melbourne In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat


Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Musk open to merger between his company xAI and Apple
Elon Musk has been openly hinting at a historic merger in the business world, suggesting that his company xAI should partner with tech giant Apple. Musk's company is the corporate face of his popular AI chatbot Grok, which functions similarly to competitors like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot. Meanwhile, Apple has struggled to bring its own AI programs to consumers, notably delaying improvements to the Siri voice assistant until 2026. Venture capitalists started openly speculating this month that Musk and Apple make the perfect power couple in the AI world, with xAI bringing Grok to even more people using iPhones through this proposed partnership. On the All-In Podcast, investor Gavin Baker called xAI's Grok4 'the best product' in terms of AI chatbots right now, but added that 'the best product doesn't always win in technology.' 'I think there is solid industrial logic for a partnership. You could have Apple Grok, Safe Grok, whatever you want to call it,' said Baker, the Chief Investment Officer of Atreides Management LP, in a video posted to X on July 19. Musk quickly replied to the comments, saying 'Interesting idea.' The billionaire then added 'I hope so!' while responding to another post suggesting that Apple partnering with xAI was a better option than competitors like Anthropic. A partnership between the two companies could integrate xAI's Grok chatbot into Apple's devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs, potentially replacing or augmenting Siri. A relationship between Musk's AI team and the $3.1 trillion Apple could also lead to smarter, more accurate AI assistants, addressing Apple's ongoing issues with AI development. Grok launched in 2023 as Musk's alternative to other chatbot which had sparked controversy for provided allegedly biased answers and citing information that had been made up. xAI has said that Grok is "designed to answer questions with a bit of wit," and the program has generally drawn widespread praise for its quick and accurate answers to prompts. Just just weeks ago, however, Grok 4 was engulfed in controversy for repeating far-right hate speech and white nationalist talking points about politics, race, and recent news events. Multiple users reported on July 8 and July 9 that Grok echoed anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, including claims that Jewish people controlled Hollywood, promoted hatred toward White people, and should be imprisoned in camps. In a post on X, xAI replied to these concerns: 'We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,' the company added. Baker added that the deal Musk has been infatuated with would benefit xAI's reach significantly as well, since OpenAI's ChatGPT is currently used by nearly 800 million weekly active users, according to Demandsage. 'There's been a lot of news about Apple thinking about buying Perplexity or Mistral, but that's just a Band-Aid. Those companies don't get Apple what they need,' Baker said. To the investor's point, Perplexity AI is a search-engine-style AI company known for information retrieval and fact-finding tasks. It's currently valued at $18 billion. Mistral AI is a French AI firm valued at roughly $6.2 billion that's focused on easy-to-use, open-source language models. They've worked with partners like Cisco to help with tasks like research and automation. On the other hand, xAI and its Grok chatbot stand out with a current valuation of up to $200 billion and a distribution reaching 35.1 million monthly active users. Baker explained that 'xAI and Apple are natural partners,' especially after OpenAI made a multi-billion-dollar deal to create new devices that use their AI technology without relying on the iPhone. In May, OpenAI bought former Apple designer Jony Ive's hardware startup for a reported $6.5 billion. That deal brought Ive on as the AI company's new creative head, with the vision of building specialized gadgets that can use generative AI and ChatGPT without needing a smartphone or computer. While a deal between xAI and Apple is still only speculation, Musk recently turned heads by announcing that xAI was working on a new project called 'Baby Grok' which would be a new app designed to provide 'kid-friendly content.'


Auto Blog
4 hours ago
- Auto Blog
Honda's Anna Engine Plant Celebrates 40-Year Milestone
EV vs hybrid vs gas: which pollutes more, which lasts longer, and which costs society the most in hidden health and climate damage? How two of the most popular electric SUVs for 2025 stack up across range, charging, technology, utility, and value. Honda's Anna Engine Plant has built more than 30 million engines Honda's Anna Engine Plant (AEP) celebrated 40 years of building engines and components for both foreign and domestic production on July 22nd. Located a stone's throw from the Village of Anna, the facility has expanded from a mere 200,000 square feet with 94 employees in 1985 to a massive 2.8 million square-foot campus that employs 2,900 people. Since its founding, AEP has built more than 32.5 million engines, as well as miscellaneous powertrain components. Going forward, AEP will play a major role in the automaker's electrified efforts by producing combustion engines, hybrid powertrains, and EV components on the same lines. Honda Anna Engine Plant produces 30-millionth engine — Source: Honda Anna Engine Plant is responsible for several notable engines AEP officially began operating in 1985, with motorcycle engines christening the new production facility. The engine plant expanded to automotive engine production the following year, starting with the Honda Civic's four-cylinder engine. Since then, the facility has produced more than 32.5 million engines, as well as various components for engines and transmissions. Anna Engine Plant associates assemble Honda's Atkinson-cycle hybrid engine — Source: Zac Palmer The 2.8 million square-foot production facility is the result of $2.9 billion in investments over the past forty years. In that time, AEP has produced several notable engines, including the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's under the hood of the hybrid Civic, Accord, and CR-V. The engine plant also produces the turbocharged four-cylinder and V6 engines that power the Acura Integra, TLX, and MDX Type S models. AEP even produces the Honda Civic Type R's 315-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. From there, the engine is exported to Japan, where the hot hatch is assembled. The facility is also responsible for the 500-horsepower 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that powered the second-gen Acura NSX. Anna Engine Plant will play a crucial role in Honda's EV plans Honda already has a couple of EVs in its lineup, namely the Prologue and Acura ZDX, but the Japanese automaker is gearing up for expansion. In total, the company plans to invest $1 billion to retool its automotive production facilities, including the Marysville Auto Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant, and AEP, as part of the new Honda EV Hub. Once retooling is completed, AEP will add megacasting, friction stir welding, and Minimum Quantity Lubrication machining to its long list of production processes. The engine plant will play a vital role in the Honda EV Hub by producing the battery case used in Honda and Acura EVs. 2025 Honda Prologue Elite — Source: Honda Once EV production begins, the battery case created at AEP will be shipped off to the Marysville Auto Plant. There, it will be combined with the battery module to create the EV battery packs that power vehicles assembled at the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants. Notably, the production facilities will continue to produce traditional internal combustion engines and hybrid models alongside their EV counterparts. Honda is doing more than simply equipping their existing production facilities for EV production, though. The company is aiming to rethink the production process entirely, with a focus on worker-friendly practices, environmental responsibility, and efficiency. Once completed, the Honda EV Hub will produce the Acura RSX EV and other models from the Honda 0 Series that debuted at CES 2025. 2024 Acura ZDX Type S — Source: Acura 'We're not just retooling for electric vehicles,' Tim Stroh, Senior Program Manager of Production Engineering and Battery Case Project Leader at AEP, told Peak of Ohio. 'We are fundamentally rethinking how we approach production. The new layout is designed to be more human-friendly, with updated workspaces and processes that improve safety and efficiency. The addition of electric vehicle production capabilities requires not only new machinery but also a re-imagining of how we work together on the assembly line.' Honda has been operating in Ohio since 1979 While the Anna Engine Plant is celebrating 40 years, it wasn't the automaker's first manufacturing facility in Ohio. Honda's Marysville Auto Plant started out building motorcycles in 1979 before moving to automobile production in 1982. Today, Honda has five manufacturing facilities and is the largest employer in Ohio, with more than 12,000 employees on record. Source: Acura In addition to its five existing facilities, Honda is also establishing a new EV Hub to support the automaker's electrified efforts. Honda also plans to invest another $3.5 billion in a new EV battery plant in Fayette County, Ohio, as part of its joint venture with LG Energy Solution. 'Everything that Honda has accomplished at the Anna Engine Plant during the past 40 years has been achieved through the skills and commitment of our associates, and this will continue as we pursue an expanded form of flexible manufacturing in the future,' said Michael Tinch, AEP plant lead. 'As we maximize production of ICE and hybrid models, even while preparing for the future of EV production, I know our associates will continue to produce high-quality products that meet the needs of our customers.' 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback — Source: Joseph Pudlewski Final thoughts As an Anna local, I'm grateful to have the Honda engine plant in our area. It's definitely a unique part of the view from my front porch. On a more serious note, their involvement in the community, schools, and events can't be understated. With the automaker investing further into the plant's future, electrified or otherwise, I have little doubt that it will change anytime soon. About the Author Joseph Pudlewski View Profile