Updated Aug. 19 with more details of reactions to iOS 18.6.1 and warnings of the possible release of another surprise: iOS 18.6.2.
If you’d thought that we’d seen the last of iOS 18 with the recent release of iOS 18.6, you wouldn’t have been alone. But Apple has released a new update that specifically brings back a missing feature to millions of Apple Watches. It’s not even a week old, but there are already reports that another surprise update, iOS 18.6.2, could be just hours away. More on that below.
This post has the initial thoughts on the new release and I’ll be updating this post over the coming week and will make a final assessment on Friday, Aug. 8.
Who Is It For And How Do You Get It?
Apple iOS 18.6.1 is compatible with all iPhones from 2018 on. That’s the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus and iPhone XR models and every phone since. That means the iPhone 11 series, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and so on right up to the iPhone 16 series, plus the second- and third-generation iPhone SE models as well as the iPhone 16e.
Incidentally, looking forward to this September’s big release of iOS 26, it will work with any of these phones except the first three, that is, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus and iPhone XR. iOS 26 is in public beta right now and is expected to go on general release around Monday, Sept. 15.
To update, find the iPhone’s Settings app, click on General, then Software Update. Then, choose Download and Install, and the software will download from there. This is a medium download, around 720MB, but it should be reasonably quick to install.
What It’s About
This update, though is recommended for all users, is specifically to introduce a benefit for millions of Apple Watch users. A patent dispute between Apple and medical equipment company Masimo led to the blood oxygen monitoring feature on U.S.-sold Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to be disabled.
It never appeared on Apple Watch Series 10 models or the black version of Apple Watch Ultra 2 sold in the States, as they both launched after the feature had been disabled.
The software update means all compatible Apple Watches sold anywhere to have the feature again, once this update and a watchOS 11.6.1 update are installed.
This new update is essentially a workaround: you still activate the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch, but it now transmits data to the iPhone where it is calculated and analyzed, with the result found in the Health app under the Respiratory section.
Compatible Apple Watches comprise Series 7, Series 8, Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2. You can read more about the blood oxygen feature’s return here.
Apple iOS 18.6.1 Security
No, there are no security features in this update, Apple says. Mind you, there were more than 20 in the last one, and that was scarcely more than two weeks ago, so perhaps that’s no surprise.
Initial Reactions
Some users have reported a snappier performance on their iPhones though nobody has said it introduced new problems, I believe. One Redditor said their iPad now had a blank screen, but to be clear there hasn’t been an iPad update.
As the days have progressed, there have been reports of more issues — though not yet enough to change my verdict, below. Some users, so far only small numbers, have reported apps like Messages and Settings have occasionally crashed.
For those users who have only just retrieved the capability to track blood oxygen on their paired Apple Watch, it’s worth noting that as the calculations are now done on the iPhone after the Apple Watch has recorded the data, there can be a delay in syncing between the two devices. This delay could be annoying, but it’s still much better than not having the tracking at all.
Some have commented that the new version is not as good as it was: you can’t see blood oxygen levels on the watch face. However, it’s important to stress that the new method is only for those Apple Watches which previously had blood oxygen measurements disabled: for other users, the previous system remains unchanged.
It may be that the predicted iOS 18.6.2 is going to address these issues. It could arrive any time, perhaps as soon as Aug. 19.
Apple iOS 18.6.1 Initial Verdict: Update
If you are in the U.S. and have an Apple Watch or are going to get one in the future, this is a no-brainer. For the rest of us, go ahead, there’s no harm here and maybe you’ll find a snappier iPhone as a result. If you have an Apple Watch, don’t forget to install watchOS 11.6.1 as well.
Final verdict on Friday, Aug. 22.