Apple rolls out mysterious iOS 18.3 update for iPhone 11 only
While iOS 18.3 was not as momentous as some of Apple’s previous x.3 iPhone updates, it brought a number of significant changes, mostly affecting Apple Intelligence. Now, however, the company has released another version of iOS 18.3 focused on a group of devices that don’t support its AI platform.
As reported by MacRumors, an update with build number 22D64–as distinct from 22D63, which rolled out last week–has been released for iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max only. Those aren’t the oldest devices that can run iOS 18 (that title is held by the iPhone XS and XR) but they’re close to the bottom of the list and could miss out when iOS 19 is announced this summer. With their A13 chips they aren’t remotely close to meeting Apple Intelligence’s hardware requirements: an A17 or later found in the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and the iPhone 16 range.
Apple hasn’t released a special version of iOS 18.3 for iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15 handsets, or for that matter the XS and XR, suggesting that this update is addressing specific flaws in the iPhone 11.
It seems counterintuitive that the iPhone 11 would need iOS 18.3 at all, but the update does contain some new features that aren’t related to Apple Intelligence. Of the five features we picked out as noteworthy, for example, there is one for the Calculator app, restoring a pre-iOS 18 ability to continually tap the equals sign in order to repeat the last operation. And the Home app gains support for HomeKit- and Matter-compatible robot vacuums.
The focus of the update, however, is more likely to be bug fixes. We already know of two fixes in the general iOS 18.3 release: one tackles an Apple Music problem that caused songs to complete playback even if you closed the app, while another deals with the keyboard disappearing when typing a Siri request. But 22D64 is likely to contain a patch for a bug specific to the late-2019 handsets.
To install the update, which we would recommend, you should open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General > Software Update and follow the instructions.
Read our iOS 18 superguide for more information about the latest iPhone software.
